Ambling around the oaks… Visitors of the Mobile Bay Maker’s Market interact with local vendors under the shade of a towering oak tree at the Anna T. Jeanes Campus in Fairhope on Sept. 21.
A soapy solution… Founder and CEO of Wildcat Soaps and Candles, Dr. Byrian Ramsey, Ph.D., attends to his products. Ramsey, diagnosed with Psoriasis, inspired him to start creating different soaps. “I wanted to make a soap that would help cure my Psoriasis. So, several years ago, I started putting oils and butters together, … started making my soap, and [it] started helping my skin,” Ramsey said. (Sharon Smith)Observing suds and shirts… Two customers at the Maker’s Market observe products from Ramsey’s stand. His business partner, Dr. Eric Martin, Ph.D., sat on the left. Martin created the shirts for the business. (Sharon Smith)Creative carvings… A variety of intricate carvings rest underneath a white-canopied vendor booth. A wide range of themes presented in these carvings included an allusion to The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, displayed near the top right. (Sharon Smith)Natural beauty… This carving depicts a tree-like female figure; her feet appear to take the form of roots, and her branch-like arms extend above her head. Several other carvings surrounded this one, including a few unfinished ones in the back. (Sharon Smith)Crochet critters… An arrangement of crochet animals sit on a shelf of Olive Brule’s vendor booth. Brule displayed critters such as bees and octopi. (Sharon Smith)Whimsical novelties… More colorful crochet items rest on the opposite side of Brule’s stand. Brule featured products with unique designs, such as a ghost holding a mushroom along with a board of stickers. (Sharon Smith)A handcrafted home… A colorful variety of birdhouses rest on the tables of Milton Cross’ stand, while custom license plates line the walls. Creating these products since 2019, Cross’ wife helps with the painting of these creations. “I cut [the birdhouses] out and build [them], and she does the art work on [them],” Cross said. (Sharon Smith)A community partner… Hope Community member Andolyn Fitzgerald attends to her booth. Hope Community, a non-profit organization, leased the property for Maker’s Market from the city. Their organization dedicates time for “nurturing unity and relationships through food, healing, and education,” Fitzgerald said. (Sharon Smith)Sweet success… Local customer Amy Smith inspects an assortment of baked goods at the stand for Mama Jen’s Bakehouse. The owner, Jennifer Chen, waited under the white tent for Smith to order. (Sharon Smith)A quiet end… The crowd thins as people wander in and out of the stands shielded from the sun by two oak trees. A variety of plants arranged around one of the oaks adorned another booth. (Sharon Smith)
