Just a short walk from the CTA's Divison Station, Renegade Craft Fair on Division Street in Wicker Park, Chicago, was the perfect way to spend a cool September Sunday. The craft fair happens annually in a variety of different locations, including Denver, London, New York, San Fransisco, Austin, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Portland, but began right here in Chicago in 2002
A hipster heaven of sorts, the fair showcases over 400 members of the indie makers community and provides an incredible environment for them to sell and showcase their work. Walking into RCF's blocked-off segment of Division Street was like entering an entirely different world.
In between rows of colorful houses, psychics, and independent breweries were hundreds of white tents and quite a few food trucks. The air was heavy with the smell of incense, cigarettes, and donuts. People, including twenty-somethings, parents with their babies, teenage couples, colorful art students, and cheerful pet owners weaved up and down the maker's booths. If Etsy, Society6, and Pinterest moved from the internet to the real world, they'd be RCF.
Although it was very easy to become overwhelmed by everything to look at, RCF sparked my creativity. I'm an artist myself, and seeing the work of other creators, whether they be shoemakers or screen printers, is both humbling and inspiring. After a long summer filled with artist's block and procrastination, the fair revived me.
A husband-and-wife duo painted custom-made watercolor illustrations of families. Another artist sold portraits of pop culture icons like David Bowie and Madonna that were drawn on Shrinky Dinks and turned into earrings. One man created handmade leather swings meant for indoor use (although peculiar, his work lasted with me because I know many special needs children that become more focused when they're physically stimulated).
An indie screen printing company sold Chicago-style hot dog tee shirts in hot dog containers, just one of the many examples of the city's creativity. Chicago truly was everywhere, from digitally illustrated posters of Millennium Park to tote bags proudly deeming their user as a 100% Certified Chicago Babe.The craft fair even inspired me on a deeper level. My favorite booth belonged to the You Are Beautiful Movement, who, since 2002, have been sending the message through stickers, billboards, and public art. My mom is a nurse, and one of her co-workers hands out "You Are Beautiful" stickers to the patients. Watching my mom speak with the artists behind the project and tell this story was an intense reminder of creativity's power. Craftsmanship and artistry can send messages out into the world, and Renegade Craft Fair's section of Division Street is hollering, begging to be heard.
