Con Artists bring art to the heart

Jesse Mackintosh and Punkin with a selection of handmade and “upcycled” clothes.

A weekend market in the Lismore CBD will become a reality on Saturday, September 4, with the inaugural craft market being run at the Northern Rivers Conservatorium. The market will run every month in conjunction with the Con’s free monthly cushion concerts.

It is being run by a collective calling themselves “the Con Artists” who say that the market will provide a platform to showcase the work of our region’s talented artisans.

Organiser Jesse Mackintosh said there would be 10 or 11 stalls for the first market including ceramic brooches, costume jewellery, screen printed clothing, hand made kids clothes, beeswax candles and hand-blown glass.

“From the beautiful to the bizarre and everything in between,” Jesse said. “We’ll start small, but it will grow.”

Jesse has a clothing label called No Good Clothing and described himself as a designer, upcycler, screen printer and scavenger.

“I like to take things that have been thrown away and bring them back to life,” he said.

His friend and fellow stallholder, Punkin, said it was good to finally get a market in the CBD after both the organic market and farmers’ market had declined to move from the Showgrounds.

“It’s good that it’ll be handmade things in town. We’re starting at 11.30 so people will have time to go to the farmers’ market. We don’t want to clash with anyone. I want to be able to go and get my avos,” he said.

The cushion concerts recently moved from Sunday to Saturday and this month will feature the Dean Peachy Duo, plus local songstress Mish and a piano and violin duo featuring Nicholas Routley and Stephanie Higgs.

Nicholas is a pianist and composer who recently moved to the area from Sydney. Stephanie Higgs is a violinist who has played with greats like Tina Arena as well as symphony orchestras and string ensembles. Appropriately they will play Beethoven’s Spring Sonata.

The cushion concert starts at 11am .