Photos by Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer

Campus & Community

Wrapping it up

Online Winter Market has artisanal gifts for the hard-to-please

Amy Kamosa

Harvard Correspondent

December 3, 2021

3 min read

The Harvard Ed Portal’s fifth annual Allston-Brighton Winter Market is back as a virtual market again this year. Shoppers can browse the online shops of 41 local artisans who offer unique products ranging from artisanal candies and sweets to fine art to handmade dolls and toys. Each vendor is featured on the Ed Portal’s website with links to their online store, and 100 percent of the sales go directly to the artists. The site also has a music playlist curated by Allston Pudding so shoppers can enjoy local musicians while they virtually browse.

Tim Rice

Woodworker

Woodworker Tim Rice runs a piece of wood through the bandsaw at his shop in Lowell. Rice is one of 42 artists featured at the Winter Market this season.

The variety of products and the diversity of the artisans creating them means that shoppers will find a gift option for nearly every hard-to-buy-for friend or relative on their list. That was very intentional, said Eve Alpern, assistant director of arts programming at the Ed Portal. “We wanted to make sure that the Winter Market created opportunities for a wide array of local artists and craftspeople to showcase their work,” she said. Alpern and her staff drew on relationships with many trade organizations and working groups throughout the Boston area to achieve this variety in their vendor applicant pool.

Walnut clock holder with special filament lights imported from Ukraine.

Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photogra

Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photogra

A maple and walnut watch holder and walnut laptop holder with table saw are pictured.

Woodworker Tim Rice with a few of his pieces on display. His business, Smooth Cut, is based in Lowell.

Zangar Freeman

Jewelry Maker

Zangar Freeman displays his jewelry at his home in Cambridge.

Close-up showing an array of Zangar Freeman’s work.

Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photogra

Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photogra

Zangar Freeman’s jewelry is available from his online shop, ZMakes Beads.

Oyinda Oyelaran

Fabric Artist

Oyinda Oyelaran, fabric artist featured in this season’s Winter Market, is pictured at her home in Jamaica Plain.

The market’s virtual format means that an even greater number of artists can participate, as well. One of them is Oyinda Oyelaran. Oyelaran, who is a chemistry professor at Northeastern University, makes home goods and accessories from traditional Nigerian Ankara fabrics. She started her side business, Lara Threads, exclusively online in 2020. “I think an online shop gives me the most flexibility and most reach,” she said.

Oyinda Oyelaran shows examples of the Nigerian fabric she uses for her handcrafted home decor and on-the-go accessories.

Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photogra

Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photogra

Oyinda Oyelaran displays her cocktail napkins and purse crafted in Nigerian fabrics.

Oyelaran sells her designs at Lara Threads online.

Speak Our Peace

Peaceful Protest Artists

Parents Dacia (left) and Shanel Antunes display the T-shirts they design and make with their children Reece, 7, (second from left) and Remi, 9.

Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photogra

Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photogra

Siblings Reece (left) and Remi Antunes display the sweatshirts and backpacks they designed themselves. The family’s online store is called Speak Our Peace.

The market is open now and runs through Jan. 15, 2022. Shoppers who purchase goods from select vendors by today have the option of picking up their gifts in-person outside at the Harvard Ed Portal at two later dates in December (Thursday and Dec. 11) while enjoying coffee, doughnuts, and a free gift.