Today we’d like to introduce you to Mitch Cohen.
Mitch, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In 2003, I had been placing artists at shops around the Heights for a monthly art crawl on first Saturdays. It was part of a marketing campaign to promote the neighborhood. The Houston Farmers Market had just gotten started and I thought, “Hey, why not an art market?”
I started the market in March of 2004 and called it Yale Street Arts & Flower Market. The first few years was a big learning curve for me, I had a plan though and stuck to it. My biggest help came from the artists in the form of feedback each month. Just when we were hitting our groove (and after I dropped “flowers”), we had to change locations, that turned out to be a good thing.
In the second year, we moved from an enormous lot, that was hidden from view to a small lot that faced W. 19th Street. The location was between two busy antique stores and close enough to the bustling shops of W. 19th St. but far enough to have plenty of parking nearby.
It was at this location on W. 19th Street that the market started to gain a reputation for having consistently quality artwork, great local music, and food. I also realized I had to start thinking long term, this thing was here to stay!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Many of the challenges I faced had to be dealt with immediately. Having a cool temperament when dealing with emotional people and tense situations proved to be a big value. I wasn’t even aware I had that in me!
At any event where there are a lot of people, you can expect anything and everything to go wrong when you least expect it. I definitely learned to react quickly an unemotionally. Sticking to my own rules I think has saved the day more than once.
The biggest challenge was getting a higher caliber of artist to attend the market. I started asking the artists themselves to help me curate the show, and within a year I could see an improvement. Today, I use a professional online jury system and have 20 artist jurors make the selections. Many of the applicants that are denied, heed the advice of their peers and get in the show later.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
First Saturday Arts Market is a monthly outdoor fine arts event. The market is quite literally a small scale fine arts festival. Local musicians perform their own songs, there’s always at least one hot food truck and sometimes dessert trucks. The atmosphere is fun, friendly and very neighborly even though we have a large number of attendees coming from all over Houston.
I love this show and have fine-tuned it with systems to make it easier to operate. I have almost always done everything from marketing to the website but recently hired a social media person and I’m thrilled for that.
Teens from a local community center help us load-in and out.
The one thing I hear from more people about what I’m known for is being organized. I do like to run a tight ship! I just had no idea how few pay attention to those details. That definitely sets the market apart from others. That and we really are with very few exceptions a fine art show. You will find no resale or commercial products at the market. Just art.
A community has developed around the market over the years. The artists support one another, have become friends and even our patrons and musicians are one big family that just keeps growing. That was never expected and that is definitely what keeps me smiling the most.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, like many kids I was creative, I just never stopped. I recall selling the kids on my block cartoon copies of the Peanut characters – and having to return the money when the Mothers found out. In second grade I was declared the class artist for my pencil drawings of famous Presidents and that same year, I was sent home early for my graphic design work of some choice four-letter words.
In high school, I joined Health Occupation Students of America, thinking that I might like a career as a medical illustrator. I won local and state competitions at the health project fairs for visual presentations – what I recall about that though is putting those projects together at the very last minute!
I was never part of the “popular” groups of kids but fit in with oddly, the smartest kids in class, even though I was considered the underachiever. I was not a problem for my parents, though I did sneak into concerts and figured ways out of doing things I didn’t want to do. Some of my teachers were happy to see me go! I was just independent.
I had my first job at 11 on Saturdays at a Veterinarian, by 16, I’d saved enough money for my first car by cutting lawns.
By college, though I was a little lost – I took a summer position painting billboards that lasted about six years. I learned how to paint with oils on the job and my career as an artist began.
Contact Info:
- Address: 530 W. 19th Street, Houston, TX 77008
- Website: http://firstsaturdayartsmarket.com/
- Phone: 7138021213
- Email: 1stsatartmarket@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stsatartmarket/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firstsaturdayartsmarket
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/1stSatArtMarket
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
