When Kim Taggart drove past the Downtown Square Pavilion a few weeks ago and saw a sign for Carbondale Art on the Square, it had been five years since she last sold her paintings. Having moved from Tampa, Florida to Carbondale in March, she was scared to showcase her artwork again. Still, she decided to push past that fear, and set up a booth at the Aug. 30 event, selling canvases, cards and totes.

“It was scary,” she said. “I was like, ‘oh, nobody’s going to like it.’ And then it got to the point where people are so nice and friendly…It’s given me a chance to kind of open up and talk to people and communicate with people again.” 

Carbondale Art on the Square is a community art market that features live music, handmade goods and visual art, among others. The market was organized by SIU students and Daily Egyptian staff members Amilia Estrada and Yahri Edmond. The sisters are both artists themselves and wanted to highlight the Carbondale art scene. 

“We actually started off at the farmers market in the Murdale Shopping Center,” Edmond said. “It was fine, we really enjoyed it, but it’s really competitive with the produce there. So we wanted to create a space for artists, who were able to come here like every week and have a place to sell their work that isn’t in competition with produce and other things like that.” 

The Art on the Square series began on Aug. 16 and is scheduled to run six more Saturdays this year. On Aug. 30, eight vendors were present, including Project Human X, a local art studio, and Sweet Luca Cakes & Bakes, which was started by baker and artist Magdalena Malachowska.

“My favorite medium is oils and marble, but it just translates into baking for me,” Malachowska said. 

The business was named after her 4-year-old son, who accompanied her in selling gourmet cookies at the event. Like Taggart, Malachowska isn’t from Carbondale, but has grown to love the area. She moved to Carbondale two years ago from Brooklyn, New York. Her husband is a physician, and they were looking for a new, unique area. 

“Southern Illinois just fits, and it’s so beautiful…this area is much spectacular,” she said. “It’s like a hidden gem.” 

Malachowska has plans to open two businesses in southern Illinois – a gym and a bakery – but for now, she’s starting small. After struggling to find space in other markets, she joined Carbondale Art on the Square to showcase her products and support other artists. 

“You just have to show this art to people. We have to expose people to this, because there are so many talented people that can offer more than what you see at first glance,” she said. “Being here only two years, I’m just discovering myself, but I enjoy it. And I’m finding these little gems and I kind of want to spread the word.” 

Dre James, owner of Victoria Candle and Fragrance Company, came with his young daughter to Art on The Square to network his business, but like Malachowska and Taggart, has also grown to love the community here. 

“You never know what awesome people you can meet,” he said, adding that Taggart, whose booth was right beside his, “pretty much adopted (his daughter) since we’ve been here for the last hour.” 

His company, named after his grandmother, sells candles and makes more products like car diffusers, room sprayers and wax cubes. His message to up-and-coming artists and artisans is simple. 

“Make sure you have a quality product, because if you do your brand and your name will enter rooms that you will never enter,” he said.  

The vendors weren’t the only ones who came from afar for Saturday’s event. SIU alumni Debbie and Kelsey Landis traveled from St. Louis to Carbondale for a family reunion, and saw the event while out for lunch. 

“Carbondale and SIU have special places in our hearts…I feel 20 years younger when I come,” Debbie Landis said. 

Kelsey Landis said Art on the Square was a fun way for the mother-daughter duo to spend their Saturday afternoon. She said she loved the live music, which was provided by local band Sturg and Friends. Led by Evan Sturgeon and accompanied by Curt Wilson, the musicians performed Americana covers and original music. 

Sturgeon said his main goal is to provide uplifting messages for people struggling with addiction and trauma through music. 

“A lot of the media that we see in today’s world is geared towards keeping up suppressed and depressed and oppressed, and I figured about the best way to counterbalance something like that would be to write stuff that was positive, that was actually helpful to people that focused in on like healing modalities, mantras, mental health topics, and like sharing my own experience along,” he said. “‘Cause going through life, that’s one of the most impactful things that I’ve come across is people sharing their stories and what they’ve been through.” 

Meeting people and hearing their stories is his favorite part about playing events like Art on the Square, he said. 

“It’s inspiring to see people doing better and people on the outside actually trying to make headway towards making better reality for us and the kids and everything around us,” he said.

There are six more chances to catch Art on the Square. The remaining dates are Sept. 6, Sept. 13, Sept. 20, Sept. 27, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, all from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 121 N. Illinois Ave. For artists looking to get involved, they can email [email protected] or message them on Instagram @carbondaleartonthesquare. 

Deputy editor Carly Gist can be reached at [email protected], or on Instagram at @gistofthestory. Staff reporter Orion Wolf can be reached at [email protected].

Advertisement