Despite the ongoing construction of the Rosalind Sallenger Richardson Center for the Arts, many students across campus still feel disconnected between those who are appreciative or involved in the arts and those who are not. Disgruntled students have termed the new building the “Farts Center” and continue to discredit the importance of the arts movement at Wofford. However, two students are working to change this negative perception and to expand the scope of Wofford’s art culture through the recently revamped Wofford Artisan Market.
Mills Brown, ’15, and Sarah Baldwin, ’15, initially formulated the Wofford Artisan Market as a Space to Impact project because they noticed a need on Wofford’s campus for a better artistic community that could also support fellow artists. They began the blog woffordartisanmarket.worpress.com, which features artists and artisans from around Wofford’s campus.
Once Brown and Baldwin graduated, they invited fellow Space member Anna Katherine Wilson to take over their project. Wilson agreed and also brought Julie Woodson on board. They have been working on revamping the program and making it more visible on campus.
“We want to keep the essence of the project and to protect Mills’ and Sarah’s vision, but neither Anna Katherine nor I produce art or pursue art production as a career,” says Woodson. “We felt that we could try to extend the project to other people who were similar to us. Now, we want to focus on boosting creativity in general on campus and to help people find their creative side while raising awareness of the local artistic culture.”
The new project will continue using the blog but will cover other aspects of art alongside artist features.
“We want the blog to incorporate the arts culture and also highlight where art is alive and flourishing both on campus and in the local community,” says Woodson.
The new direction of Wofford Artisan Market is also meant to integrate the various members of Wofford’s campus into artistic endeavors.
“We hope to implement community art projects, both permanent and temporary. There are people who really like art but don’t necessarily have the resources to pursue it. They don’t have time to take classes, the money to buy supplies or even the knowhow of how to execute a project, so we hope these projects will be a good way to get them involved,” says Woodson.
Woodson is grateful to be a part of this project, which allows her to share her love for the arts and artistic education.
“I believe in the power of arts to impact and change the world,” says Woodson. “Art allowed me to explore my creative side when I was younger, but my high school had limited artistic opportunities, and I felt that I lost touch of my creative side. I feel this happens in many places, including Wofford, because the arts are underrated. I want to change this sentiment because we can all benefit in the creation of art. It can serve as a way of releasing stress or expressing oneself.”
Both Wilson and Woodson encourage the community to follow them on Instagram, @woffordartisanmarket, and like the Wofford Artisan Market page on Facebook as more updates and announcements are made. They also welcome partnering with other organizations and encourage those with ideas or a desire to help to reach out to them.
“I think everyone in their own right is an artist even if they don’t realize it. We all have a creative side, but we showcase it in different ways,” says Woodson. “Hopefully, the Wofford Artisan Market can allow everyone to embrace and appreciate this side of themselves and to become more aware of the amazing and supportive community around them.”
