Photos courtesy of CCAD Art Fair Facebook
When shoppers head to the Art Fair & Marketplace at Columbus College of Art & Design on Saturday, Dec. 1, they’ll find a variety of art and design products by more than 140 CCAD students and grads, including high-end ceramic pieces that are also functional works of art, beautifully crafted jewelry, and sassy home goods that bring some humor to everyday housework.
That includes home accessories created by students in Interior Architecture & Design and Industrial Design Professor Joel Gundlach’s Furniture Design class, who have crafted such items as small tables and stands, trays, organizers, and more, built using a variety of tools, from a wood lathe for woodturning to a computer-programmed laser cutter to the Shopbot, a three-axis router that can cut wood, foam, and some metals. The pieces are priced at about $50–$100.
After the students sketch, mock up, build, finish, and price their work—and inevitably encounter challenges along the way—they head to the fair to sell their products.
“This is where it’s really wonderful, because all of these consumers are going to come in, and they usually love the story,” said Gundlach. “It’s the art of the discussion. It’s how do I tell you in 30 seconds about my thing and get you to open up your wallet.”
The goal with a student’s finished piece, said Gundlach, is for it to have “a combination of function and really beautiful craft, a really beautiful shape.”
Cecelia Garcia (Interior Architecture & Design, 2019) is among those who will be selling their designs at this year’s fair.
“Most wine and cheese trays, they’re not really playful,” she said. By contrast, her design features functional elements—cutouts providing offset spots for wine glasses, a bottle, and hors-d'oeuvres, a silicone rest for the bottle to provide additional stability, a removable top layer to make cleaning a snap—with thoughtful details such as turned wood handles, curved edges, and laser etching that gives the appearance of an embroidered vine pattern.
“Dark stain will give it a luxurious, romantic look,” she said.
As she works on the finishing touches for her tray, Garcia is also polishing up her 30-second product pitch.
In addition to studying at CCAD, Garcia works at Sherwin Williams. “It’s easy to sell paint,” she said. “But when it comes to selling the process and explaining something you’ve built, it’s going to be challenging.”
About the CCAD Art Fair & Marketplace
The CCAD Art Fair & Marketplace takes place Saturday, Dec. 1, at Columbus College of Art & Design’s Loann Crane Center for Design (112 Cleveland Ave., Columbus, OH 43215). First Look tickets are $25 online ($30 at the door) and get visitors in early (9–11 a.m.) for first dibs on all the goodies at the fair, while General Admission runs 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and costs $7 online ($10 at the door). Proceeds from ticket sales benefit CCAD student programming. For more information, visit ccad.edu/artfair.
