Loyal to Local: Celebrating 15 Years of RAM
The Riverside Arts Market (RAM), now in its 15th year, is a weekly makers and farmers market hosted by Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP) on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. Each week more than 100 small business owners gather under the canopy of the Fuller Warren Bridge to sell their products to the local community. Keep reading to learn more about some of the incredible vendors that make RAM a must-visit part of every Saturday.
The first market in April of 2009 was an experiment. While the Riverside Arts Market is now a weekly standard for residents and visitors alike, the first market was a test to find out if markets like those in the Pacific Northwest could work in Jacksonville.
“Right from the start, we had artists who were excited about the market,” said Pamela Telis, a member of the committee who brought RAM to life. “They never doubted it would be a success, even when some of us worried a bit.”
Originally slated to become a retention pond, thousands of hours of work, largely completed by volunteers, led to the development of the unique location visitors experience today. Thousands of visitors were estimated to be in attendance on that first Saturday.
“I think the venue on the river really made it a destination,” said Telis.
The market has continued to grow since that first day, and few know that growth better than RAM’s original vendors, including jeweler Beverly Symes.
Symes’s journey with RAM began with an email introducing a new art market in Jacksonville, still in planning stages. As a self-taught jewelry maker always looking for a new venue for her art, she was intrigued by the short distance to her home in Gainesville, Florida. She became one of the first handful of makers to sign up, showcasing her handmade pendants and earrings.
“Making these gorgeous stones into something beautifully wearable is very rewarding to me,” said Symes.
Inspired by the gemstones she works with, she handshapes sterling silver into swirls, clovers or loops and then embellishes with agate, pearl, or other stones to create a final piece.
“The first day of RAM was packed! Sales were great, and it was very exciting,” said Symes.
Her success on the Market’s opening day led her to return, and she has continued to return year after year, enjoying “the camaraderie of other sellers” and “colorful array of products.” She also notes that while there were certainly slow days over the years, attendance has been steady, thanking the marketing efforts of RAM staff.
“Even on a drizzly, cloudy day, there is decent turnout,” she said.
Other makers have felt the impact of the Riverside Arts Market across its many years, including painter Victor Manino.
“I didn’t have a business before RAM,” he said.
Using supplies inherited from his late father, Victor originally explored painting as a hobby and experienced frustration as an artist.
“I didn’t know what to paint,” he said.
But when he lost his job in 2010, facing uncertainty and a career crossroads, he turned to RAM.
“I had learned about RAM, having done some printing related to the market, so I applied,” said Manino. “Out of the 350 or so canvases I ruined over the 10 years, I did have a few paintings that were pretty good – good enough to get me accepted.”
Selling his paintings at the Market has not only enabled Manino to generate a steady income but has given him the focus and determination to improve as an artist.
The Riverside Arts Market is proud to celebrate this milestone anniversary, and proud to be a space of creativity and community for the hundreds of other small businesses that find a home “under the bridge.” The Northeast Florida community is invited to join the celebration on Saturday, April 6, when the Riverside Arts Market will highlight special performances, guest speakers and a silent disco. Additionally, RAM will debut a gallery tent highlighting 15 featured vendors, including Beverly Symes and Victor Manino. All are welcome to attend, enjoy free entertainment and discover why the Riverside Arts Market has become a vibrant part of Jacksonville’s art culture.
Are you interested in becoming a RAM maker in 2024? Please visit the Applications tab on RAM’s website to learn more and submit a vendor interest form.
By Chloe Kuhn,
Market Manager,
Riverside Arts Market
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