Over 80 Niagara-based artists brought their craftsmanship to Queen’s Royal Park for the Artistry by the Lake market last weekend.

With a view of Lake Ontario and the sound of waves rolling in, vendors showcased their products and met with fellow creatives.

“I meet a lot of people, and the vendors. We all swap out, so if they have to go buy food, I’ll work their booth,” said artist Cheryl Rodo. “It’s a good community.”

The artist uses old guitars to make customizable works inspired by music artists.

Rodo said craft shows are “mostly for referrals,” as travellers passing through a market are unlikely to add a guitar to their luggage spontaneously.

“A lot of people see my artwork and they’re in a band, and they’ll say, ‘Can you customize my band on it?’” she said. “People can see what I can do, and then I get commissions after the fact.”

Fred Minor, a wood artisan, is another artist trying to get eyes on his work. He says he is still testing the waters of craft shows.

“It’s still new to me, but so far I’ve had an excellent response from this,” Minor said, motioning to his work. He uses scrap pieces of wood and thrift shop glasses to create flower vases.

“I never know what I’m going to build until I actually pick up a piece of glass and a piece of wood,” he said. “I had my own shop, I did large stores, offices, kitchens, bathrooms. I loved it but I shut that down … now I want to go more into the creative end of it.”

The individual design of each item — and knowing no one else can replicate it — is what makes Minor feel most proud of his work, he said.

The excitement of having unique, handmade products is as exciting for some shoppers as it is for him.

“It’s nice to have a keepsake that has a story with it that you know someone made with their hands,” Daniel Sullivan said. Sullivan and his mother, Maria, are visiting NOTL from Austin, Texas, and say Artistry by the Lake’s creative atmosphere reminds them of the artistic environment in Austin.

“It helps the community more when you purchase something for a local artist versus a big conglomerate,” Maria said.

The event includes a variety of art styles, such as paintings, print drawings, jewelry and wooden pieces. For Karolon Johnson, art in all its forms is worth celebrating. Her daughter, father, sister and sister-in-law are artists, adding a personal motivation to support local creatives.

“It’s just been a part of our family for a long time, starting with my husband’s grandparents,” she said. “Art is the sign of the spirit of a person. It’s something that brings out something inside that other people may not see.”

The annual show combines art with community, giving vendors a friendly setting to share their talent, Rodo said.

“When you love art, you do a lot of it, and you think ‘I’ve got to start to market it.’ This is a great venue to do it,” she said.