By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
Marlena Thomas is the founder of the Piquet Fence Marketplace. The market opened in March at 14610 Hwy 6 in Santa Fe, Texas. The market is held on the third Saturday of the month. The lot is next to an equipment rental shop owned by Thomas’ husband.
On a concrete slab where a house once stood is now a picnic area for marketplace visitors. Guests can relax under the shade of umbrellas and enjoy moments of fellowship or enjoy some of the items they purchased, such as fresh-baked goods from one of Thomas’ vendors, Knead A Break Treats N’ Eats.
“It took two years to clear the property and make it ready for a monthly market,” Thomas explained.
This market isn’t her first. Thomas shared that she’s been running pop-up markets for a couple decades, but this one seems special to her.
“This is helping people to market their items and gives them a chance to be out in the community,” Thomas said. “I have vendors who are both elderly and disabled who come here and spend time with other people while they market their products.”
One of Thomas’ treasured vendors has multiple disabling conditions and, as a result, is no longer able to serve as the art teacher she once was. Karrie Ann shared that she taught art at Santa Fe High School for 14 years
Though she is no longer able to teach art in a high school setting, Karrie Ann has not lost her passion for art and for being a creator of art.
These days, visitors will find her setting up her creations for others to admire and purchase at the Piquet Fence Marketplace.
Karrie is focusing her art on hand painting items, such as the scoop of a busted shovel. If a large shovel is not your cup of tea, she also paints the scoops of miniature shovels, which are about the size of commemorative spoons.
One expression of her love of creating art on metal is her saw blade designs. These are works of art on traditional hand saws as well as on the blades of saws powered by electricity. If you would like a painted pitchfork, you can purchase one of those from her too.
She keeps her studio tucked in one of the spare bedrooms of her home in Santa Fe. There she designs creations she is delighted with, and hopes will delight others.
For Karrie, the chance to come out to market her creative work at the marketplace is a real draw.
“Being here, I get to market myself, and I am working on taking in more commissioned work,” Karrie said.
She is also an expert at portrait work. You can find her on social media at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578359050941 or come on out to September’s Piquet Fence Marketplace.
Another vendor from Santa Fe is Sandy, who crafts items in her she shed. She works in resin to create figurines and other decor her customers have come to love. Sandy’s business is called She Shed Creations of Santa Fe, and she can be found on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555734069775.
As I mentioned before, the market draws food and drink vendors. In addition to baked goods, the products sold include beverages and locally harvested honey.
Thomas shared that there are also some fruit vendors who come to the market, though none were present the day I stopped in.
Through the hot summer months, the marketplace continued on schedule. Even so, Thomas is excited about fall because she knows she’ll have more vendors and more guests as the cooler temperatures roll in.
Plans are in the works for her October market to include 50 children with their booths experiencing for themselves what is like to be an American entrepreneur. Thomas hopes that after the first introduction of children’s booths, she will be able to host children and their booths on a regular basis.
You can find more information about the newest marketplace in Santa Fe at piquetfence.com or on social media at: https://www.facebook.com/piquetfence.
