Marblehead Artisans Fair Hopes To Deliver Safe Holiday Spirit

MARBLEHEAD, MA — Grace Perry said she thought "the world was going to end" at the onset of the coronavirus health crisis this spring.

The challenges of the pandemic, and reflection about what she really wanted to do in life, that ensued wound up opening up a whole new world to the former full-time bartender and part-time photographer who is now the owner of the Grace Perry Productions video, graphic design and social media management company.

Perry was working as a bartender at Maddie's Sail Loft when society came to a crashing halt in March as virus fears gripped the world, and bars, restaurants and other leisure business either closed or were reduced to takeout only.

"I think COVID-19 for me was more of a reflective period," the 24-year-old told Patch on Thursday. "I literally thought the world was going to end. I had this whole cabinet of (food and cleaning) supplies. The whole lockdown, I had to really narrow in on 'What now?'

"It forced me to change my perspective. For me, it was like: 'OK, do I really want to do this bartending thing my whole life?'"

Perry had done photography and videos on the side between bartending shifts — often giving her work away as gifts — but decided during the spring shutdown that it was time to go for it as her main focus as she launched Grace Perry Productions.

On Dec. 5, at the Abbot Hall grounds, Perry's venture will have its first pop-up shop as part of a the Marblehead Festival of Arts' "Artists Holiday Marketplace" where 10 Marblehead-based artisans will come together for a socially distanced fair designed to enhance the spirit of the season for vendors and those who attend.

"As we all know this year has been very difficult and has been hard on artisans who depend on shows for income," said Kiki Taron Kinney, vice president of the Festival of Arts. "I wanted to figure out how we could safely have a show. I felt the only way to do this would be to have it outside … yes, in December."

Kinney said the festival is modeled after European Christmas markets that are traditionally held in the cold. There will be tents vendors, holiday music and ice sculptures filling in the gaps between people.

The event that might have between 35 and 40 vendors in a typical year has been trimmed to 10 — all of whom will be local to the town.

"We think the public will really enjoy supporting local artists and have the sense of doing something normal in the times we are in," Kinney said.

Joining Perry will be Kim Leventhal of EjL Design selling driftwood sculptures; Jill Hamilton, a silversmith, selling jewelry; Sally Marcy, of iHeart handwarmers, selling cashmere accessories; Patti O’Hare Williams selling fine art paintings and home accessories; Lauren Genovesi selling Lumiere Candles and floral pieces; Stephanie Krauss Verdun, of Outside the Box, selling fine art and home goods; Bryan Ruocco selling hand-tooled leather products; Patricia DiCarlo Baker selling Old Town Nantucket baskets; and Kinney, of Quitsakiki Designs, selling silver jewelry, paintings and home accessories.

The ice sculptures were made by Brilliant Ice Sculpture of Lawrence, and sponsored by the Law Office of Kim-Marie Phelan, LLC Marblehead Garden Center, Lausier & Lausier, Team Harborside, Sagan Harborside, Sotheby’s, Intl. R.E., The Confianza Group.

Those who attend must wear masks over the nose and mouth, there is no food or drink allowed, no dogs allowed inside the marketplace and strict COVID-19 guidelines will be followed.

Despite the restrictions, Perry said the artists agreed during a planning call this week to engage in a contest to see who could make their tent the most festive.

"One of the main things is just to try find ways to be safe and keep the spirit of the holiday season alive," Perry said. "The best thing about this is that is just Marblehead people.

"Literally, we have to support our own. Supporting local, small businesses. What better way to do it?"

(Scott Souza is a Patch Field Editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)