Start-Up Saturday
Where Southern Virginia’s entrepreneurs commune
By Zoey Reade
On September 27th, in the warmth of the Dining Hall, entrepreneurs and artists gathered for a new Southern Virginia event called Start-Up Saturday. The event was hosted by the Career Development Center in efforts to help students promote and run their own businesses.
Across the aisles of tables, vendors set up displays of their artwork, stickers, cards and other goods. Many students and faculty convened together to chat, to investigate and support the entrepreneurs and to even sing a little karaoke.
On her brightly colored table right near the doorway, Brynn Siefkes ‘21 had stickers, candy and a studded microphone for those who were brave enough to attempt a karaoke song of their choice. “I just decided to make something for the start of fair,” Siefkes said. The stickers that were her main feature were hand-drawn, colored and printed as a collaborative effort with her sister. About her extra kareoke feature, she said,“It’s midterms and it’s stressful and I just wanted to do something fun!”
The creators and business partners of the Etsy shop “Creative Papaya,” Amanda Buckheit and Leah Carling, displayed their cards, stickers, and handmade artistic goods at their table. “We have a lot of mixed media type of stuff,” commented Carling. “We are just using it as a creative outlet.” Both Buckheit and Carling decided to collaborate after discovering similar passions for creating.
Unlike the typical painter, Gabriela Vasquez prefers to do her artwork on unusual mediums, and sold miniature artwork delicately painted wood and leaves. This particular style developed when she was on her mission. “I would have my companions tell me what their favorite picture of Christ was. Then I would paint it for them,” she says. “Then I kind of just stuck with it.” Her favorite pieces to create are her prized paintings of Jesus Christ.
Featured on a table front-and-center were illustrations by freelance artist Colter May ‘21. As an art major specializing in illustration, he explained, “A lot of these are things that I’ve done or learned how to do at SVU.” From roses to eagles, May illustrated and printed his artwork to sell at the fair. “I have come to love art. It was the thing I was doing when there was nothing else or nothing else I’d rather be doing.” You can follow his Instagram (@finepointillustrations) to view more of his work.
