From sea-glass jewelry to salvaged cherry wood cheese boards, a diverse group of artists gathered at a recent artisan market in Marblehead, bringing handmade craftsmanship and personal stories to the heart of the community.
“I have been here for 30 years,” said Sonja Grondstra, an artist from Swampscott who creates sea glass-inspired jewelry. “I did this festival for five years before my son was born, and he’s now 25. This is my local favorite festival.”
The festival, known for its welcoming atmosphere and supportive organizers, is a cherished event among longtime participants.
“I think it’s the perfect size. And I think what they do for the artists is fantastic. They take care of the artists, and then I know so many people here, so it’s very, very social for me,” she said.
“I sell It’s sea glass-inspired jewelry. A lot of people resonate with that here because they collected it, so they’ve been following my work for a long time, and they come back,” Grondstra said.
Owner of Edgewood Designs, Ray Plouffe, and his partner, Susan Wright Regan, a couple from Waltham, brought their custom woodworking business, Edgewood Designs, to the festival, showcasing cheese and charcuterie boards with a nautical flair.
“I make cheese and charcuterie boards with a little bit of style,” Plouffe said. “I want just something different that sticks out.”
Their story is steeped in Boston history. “I originally got into this because my best customer — Cheers, from the TV show — I worked for them for about 25 years,” Plouffe explained. He shared how he repurposed cherry trees planted in the Boston Public Garden by the show’s owner into handcrafted boards. “That’s what led from Cheers to here.”
Photographer Tabitha Gilligan began selling her own work in February after more than a decade photographing for other artists.
“I figured now is the time to try and sell my own work… I take a lot of botanicals, landscapes, and, more recently, coastal scenes,” she said.
“I made sure to come here a couple of weeks ago to get some Marblehead shots, specifically, because everyone’s coming here either visiting and they want a little piece of it to take with them, or something to have at home to remind them of their favorite place.”
Gilligan, who is from North Andover, uses her visual arts background to expand her work beyond traditional photography.
“Some of my work has additional drawings on top of it… like a stained glass effect,” she said. “I like to take what you usually see in your everyday, but really zoom in. You’re able to see the little bits that make the whole and really get you thinking.”
Another local maker, Eric Cole, of Marblehead Made, said his team works out of a collaborative maker space in Lynn, described as using digital tools and woodworking techniques to create custom signage.
“We work out of a maker space in Lynn… It’s a 100% volunteer nonprofit. We’ve got everything from a full wood shop to sewing, to printing, to laser etching,” Cole said. “We started prototyping mailboxes… and went from cardboard prototype all the way through doing custom signs… house sign, boat sign, camp sign, favorite quote.”
One couple, inspired by Marblehead’s nautical history and local pride, Bill and Nancy Davidge shared how a family connection and a love of place sparked a booming business.
“We have a daughter in Portland. She said to me, ‘Why don’t we have a Burgee from Marblehead?’” Bill Davidge said. “So I designed this one, taking the two iconic spots — the lighthouse and the latitude and longitude for Park Landing… A couple of friends of mine said, Hey, this is really nice. Why don’t you sell it?”
They did — and the booth has become a local hit.
From lifelong professionals to first-time vendors, the Marblehead artisan market drew out creativity, storytelling, and a love of local tradition.
