In Fort Greene Park, artisans gather together to display and sell their contemporary and innovative peices of work. Natasha Harsh, a genuine artisan in her own right, invites various artisans and their work to her show, which runs from spring to mid-autumn. In the winter, these artisans, or skilled craftspeople, do other shows, and freelance for different customers. Some of these skilled craftspeople make their work for a living, while others do it in their spare time.This fair in particular has been around for nine years.
Myriam Kuhn, a Guatemalan native who lived a trying life , shares her artwork in the forms of handbags, totes, and purses. These bags, have exquisite portrayals of Indian, African, and Spanish cultures, and are recycled from old clothing. The fabrics she chooses are expensive and come from all over the world. She utilizes elaborate and flourishing colors, which she believes the New York society lacks.
Although she is self-taught, she admits that her seamstress friend inspired her craft tremendously. With her unique blend of crimsons, blues, yellows, and greens, her work is extraordinary. “I don’t think I can live without doing this,” she says with a brightening smile.
Another artisan who is featured in this outdoor gathering was Joan Huggard. She exclusively and creatively takes her novice photography and changes it into trinkits. As well, she personalizes her work for individual customers. Her most notable customization is the coalescence of different pictures. She takes these pictures and turns them into a border for a mirror. Her work is incomparable, inspiring, and truly magnificent.
Shopper Alice Henty comes to the shows religiously with her husband and two daughters. “I love shopping here [more] than in a mall or online,” she says, as she sips iced coffee out of the corners of her plastic cup.