North Texas Daily

Tucked inside of Armadillo Ale Works’ brick walls sat rows of vendors selling pieces of pottery, poetry, T-shirts, embroidery, prints and buttons, all with their own unique flare.

On Sunday, Oct. 20 from 1 to 6 p.m., Armadillo Ale Works hosted their third annual Fold Festival, an event that allowed artists to present and sell their respective artwork to local Denton residents.

Fold Festival included drinks, music and opportunities for socializing in order to create a comfortable space for vendors to sell their products to interested buyers. Fort Worth artist Carley Jacobs said that Fold also served as a good way to get reconnected with creatives and customers she had met at other events.

“Fold is one of my favorite tabling events because it’s a decent size event without being too big,” Jacobs said. “I know if I went to an event with 100 plus vendors, I would just be lost in the size of it, and my handmade [and] printed goods don’t always sell so good at an event that size.”

Jacobs said this Fold Festival, which was her second to participate in as a vendor, was a success for her as she had a steady flow of shoppers and enjoyed the drinks and socializing with those around her.

“The organizers are very friendly and the tabling fee is a fair price, which is really helpful to small creators like myself who don’t always make bank at every single market,” Jacobs said.

Abstract artist Michelle Hinojosa, who recently graduated with a double BFA in drawing and painting and art education along with a minor in art history from UNT, said that Fold gave her the opportunity to give her artwork a life of its own through its buyers. She added that she was grateful for artist and organizer of Fold Festival, Jacob Vasquez, for the opportunity.

“I’m so thankful for Jacob Vasquez and the way that he is committed to lifting up the local creative community,” Hinojosa said. “It is such a blessing to be able to come to Denton and feel so at home and so supported by so many folks.”

In order to prepare for Fold this year, Hinojosa said she spent hours working to give everything a handcrafted flare for her audience.

“I have been working in my studio in Dallas non-stop to make everything perfect for today,” Hinojosa said. “To create the journals, each one is uniquely hand-painted and sewn together. I also put in hours and hours of work on my original artwork on paper, painting is my one true love so luckily it doesn’t feel like work.”

Gino Dal Cin, an illustrator and previous undergrad from UNT who now attends graduate school in Brooklyn, said that it was interesting to see the different crowds that attended the festival, especially with the North Texas shoppers who he described as being incredibly supportive and friendly.

“You can tell that Jacob really cares, he treats the other artists with a great deal of respect and encouragement.” Dal Gin said.

At his booth, Dal Gin sold a variety of his work, including zines, comics, prints, buttons, stickers and apparel. He said that he especially appreciated the playlist curated for the event.

“Fold is very thoughtfully curated and gives me a chance to connect with artists I admire and respect, as well as create future opportunities for collaboration,” Del Gin said. “Their approach and how they value the artists is so important right now.”

Art senior Sarah Wuenscher said that as a previous buyer and first-time vendor, she is happy to be a part of an event that reflects Denton’s support of student and emerging artists. Wuenscher said she enjoyed the artistic variety along with the change of pace it brought to her.

“I primarily work with larger canvases or other surfaces within my practice, so preparing for Fold was a great way for me to get out of that zone and work in smaller media such as jewelry, prints and collage stickers,” Wuenscher said.

Wuenscher said each year she goes, she seems to notice more diversity in the ages of people who attend along with a steady increase of foot traffic within the event. She said she’s hopeful that Denton will continue to foster an art scene that makes events such as these possible and successful.

“I like my work to be lighthearted and fun, and had a great time today watching people engage with my work differently than you’d see in a traditional gallery or academic setting,” Wuenscher said.

Featured Image: Artist Michelle Hinojosa displays her artwork during the third annual Fold Fest at Armadillo Ale Works on Oct. 20, 2019. Image by Ryan Cantrell