Your Favorite Artist’s Favorite Artist Market

View of the BFF Artist Market looking north at Maple and Military.

Photo and words by Kayla Vermeer

The familiar sounds of music rumbles through the streets of Benson as the first outdoor artist market of the season begins.

Every First Friday, BFF provides locations for vendors to set up and share their art. During the summer months, the vendors take to the streets to set up their booths. This month, more than 70 artists showed up and lined the streets of Military Ave and 62nd Street, more vendors than any other past BFF event.

For some, the BFF artist market is a tried and true staple of their month. To others like Anthony Coniglio, the owner of Dog Boy Diogenes, the market is a new venture in getting their art out to the community. 

“This is my first outdoor Artist Market, but it’s been a super good experience,” they said. “There was someone who came by earlier who bought my prints at a different sale which was super cool.”

Vendors that attend BFF artist markets come from all walks in their business and artistic journeys. Aubrey Dinslage, owner of River Daze Collective, has been vending at BFF Artist Markets since June of 2023. 

At River Daze Collective, they rework vintage glass pieces like vases into functional smokeware. Aubrey says they got the idea from someone they saw online and quickly began the process of learning how to create pieces of their own for themselves and friends. 

It wasn’t until they vended their first event with BFF that their business really stuck. 

“April of 2023 was the beginning and… I came to BFF and realized I could do it as a business,” they said. 

Since the beginning of BFF, supporting local artists in our community has been a top priority and the artist market is just one way to do that. Sierra Cerci, owner of Vio.let Design Studio, began vending at BFF six years ago, in the beginning creating earrings out of clay.

“I’ve always really loved bigger earrings and every time I went shopping it was very cheap quality and I could never find styles that I wanted,” she said.

Eventually, she transitioned to selling acrylic pieces and now even makes rings as well as earrings. Even though Sierra attends many markets throughout the summer, BFF still holds an important place for her. 

“This is my favorite market to do,” she said. “I have done a bunch of other ones and since I've done so many throughout the years, I’ve made a list of ones that are worth it for me and BFF is definitely at the top of my list all the time.”

Check out the BFF Artist Market every first friday!

Dog Boy Diogenes: @dogboydiogenes on Instagram

River Daze Collective: @river.dazeco on Instagram or www.riverdazeco.com 

Vio.let Design Studio: @vio.let.designstudio on Instagram or www.etsy.com/shop/VioletDesignStudioUS