San Jose Made’s newest art festival: ILLO Mart

by Staff Writers Eleanor Chen and Felicity He

In a massive white tent, people clamored around makeshift aisles, purchasing and appreciating creations by more than 400 different artists in first-ever ILLO Mart. Created by San Jose Made, a platform dedicated to supporting local artists and businesses, ILLO Mart was hosted in the South Hall in downtown San Jose on September 27 and 28 at 11 a.m.–6 p.m, attracting hundreds of art appreciators. 

Artists proudly displayed their unique work in booths, including fan art, ceramics, accessories, clothing, prints, and paintings. Many attendees were drawn to the range of creativity, as art pieces appealed to different, captivating styles and preferences. “I like seeing the variety of art. There’s a lot of original content and … fan work, so I feel like there’s something for everyone to enjoy,” Attendee Ava Kemmerer said. Local small food businesses also set up pop-ups during the festival. From Indonesian specialty drinks to handmade mooncakes, ILLO Mart had plenty of food offerings to satisfy guests’ appetites.

ILLO Mart primarily featured work of illustrators, spotlighting local artists and small businesses from across the Bay Area. “[ILLO Mart is] different from other events, which I feel like might have a lot of drop-shipped or mass-produced items. It’s nice to see original stuff at all the booths,” Kemmerer said.

Not only did this event give artists the chance to showcase their handicrafts, it also showcased the diversity of San Jose’s culture. Artist Shaun Badong, for example, is inspired by Japanese and Filipino monster folktales, and incorporates his cultural background and love for these stories into his artworks. He noted that sharing art publicly can sometimes be challenging due to audience perception. ILLO Mart provided the perfect stepping stone for Badong to explore meeting new people in a supportive environment. “People were constantly checking up on us. It’s just an easy convention for our first convention,” Badong said.

For some artists, this festival extended their reach to a whole new audience. Mara McDonagh and her sister, who acted as her business partner,  traveled all the way from New York City to attend because their city lacked specific festivals for illustrators. “[Art festivals are] super important. Art is one of the most important things in life because it’s self-expression …  Highlighting smaller businesses and indie artists is one of the most important things that we can do as a community,” Artist Sydney Chavan said.

Looking forward, many artists and vendors hope ILLO Mart will become an annual event. “We would love to come back if they would take us,” McDonagh said. The same excitement was shared among visitors. “I was also texting my friend right now saying, ‘we should go here,’ … so I’m already looking forward to the next event,” attendee Edwin Vargas said.