Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Calley.
Hi Shannon, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
In my heart, I’m not an event coordinator. I’m an artist, and that’s where my background really starts. Since I was six, I wanted to be an artist when I grew up. I painted, drew, dabbled in different fiber arts, beadwork, I even liked to write. I used clay that I dug up in my parents’ yard to make bowls. While I was in college at VCU in Richmond — not for art, ironically, but double majoring in Political Science and Environmental Studies — my hobby of choice had become wire-wrapping (a no-heat process used to make jewelry). I decided to be a vendor in a pop-up market held on campus by a student group in my junior year, and I loved it — talking to the other artists, and meeting people that I may never have met had they not stopped at my table. I ended up continuing to sell my work at pop-ups even after I graduated and moved back to Virginia Beach.
For about 5-6 years, I was a vendor at farmer’s markets, holiday markets, pop-ups at breweries, wineries, coffee shops, and even private residences. I sold my jewelry, my paintings, and the apparel I crocheted. From becoming part of the incredible community of artisans and creatives in the area, I met business owners that were interested in hosting events like those, but didn’t know where to start. To help make those opportunities happen for them and myself, I started bringing together other artists and makers I knew to come pop up and sell alongside me at these new locations. That was how I started creating event graphics and organizing small-scale events, to help build opportunities for my own art.
Along the way, I met Jessi Pfeufer, the Fairy Hair goddess herself, who was busy doing exactly the same thing with other artisans in the community at other locations, and it was really a match made in heaven! We both valued opportunities for local artists and makers; we both knew how important it is to bring people together and to make those opportunities happen; and we actually loved hanging out with each other — a brilliant recipe for success, and FUN!
She asked me to help her organize some events she had started putting together for a brewery in Virginia Beach, and that was that — we became partners for the next few years, and with the help of yet another talented artist friend, Kerri of Sweet Tea Craftworks, we named our group (which we barely realized had become its own business at the time) The Wandering Makers, as a nod to both Jessi’s old artist handle, The Wandering Artist, and to the nature of our work — many makers, popping up together to make magical markets all over the area! (Kerri also taught me how to use spreadsheets — anyone who knows me, knows this was a rough task and will feel appropriately sorry for her.)
When COVID hit, the markets went away. Everyone in the community I had become a part of was unsure how our businesses would fare, or even survive. When we were able to start having outdoor markets again, Jessi and I were both quick to begin work on those opportunities, and they seemed to snowball. Eventually I realized I was so busy with The Wandering Makers (or TWM), I needed to choose between this work and continuing my other business. Jessi had come to the same realization — it was time to commit 100% to either TWM or Fairy Hair Garden. I chose TWM, and she chose Fairy Hair Garden, and since then we’ve been running our respective businesses solo — which I think is both perfect and sad! We still love hanging out together, and we both miss working together, but both of our businesses have grown wonderfully, and we’re both so grateful to have been able to build those businesses. Choosing TWM was an easy decision for me, because I got to connect with so many more like-minded artists and makers, and be a part of their journey pursuing their passions. And I had been finding that the pressure of monetizing my art was making it less enjoyable to run my business. I just got so much more joy from building this community and providing those much needed opportunities, than I was getting as an artisan at the time.
TWM started out making many amazing, small-scale opportunities all over town — often two or three in a week! I have worked for some amazing clients, launched some really awesome spaces for their owners, and connected makers with each other and our wonderful market guests; to build a truly unique community of artisans and people who value art and small business. Today, I am the very happy (but busy) mom of the coolest kid you could ever have the fortune to know, and so have scaled back the frequency of my company’s events — but also cranked up the scale of the events I do put together! Now, The Wandering Makers is focused on building the annual events I started having at Mt. Trashmore in 2024, and I could not be more amazed at what those have become already! I remember my initial thought was, “what if it was a market, but also like a field day for grown ups? But also for their kids?” TWM’s Spring Kickoff!, Summer Bash, and Fall Fest have all been just that — and somehow even better! Think local live music, artisan vendors, food trucks, free games and prizes, raffles, a free community library, and incredible community vibes! Sometimes I can’t believe how much these events have grown, and then I remember the next one will be even bigger and better. In fact, at the first event I hosted at Mt. Trashmore, I didn’t even have staff to help me manage the event (which certainly led to some serious burnout for me)! But at my most recent events there, I was able to build the most amazing event team to help run the day smoothly, and we gained support from our newest local sponsor, GYMGUYZ Virginia Beach! I couldn’t be more grateful for all the phenomenal people I’ve been lucky enough to cross paths with in this work, who have been a part of making my vision for this community a real and meaningful presence in Hampton Roads.
I absolutely cannot wait to welcome what comes next!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I would never describe this journey as smooth! It’s been awesome, but certainly not smooth. As in the rest of life, every time I feel like I have a handle on things, something changes! Whether it’s the rules we need to follow to make these events happen, or just my own desire to make changes and improvements, things are always changing. That’s a part of growing, watching our own needs and the needs of our business change, and figuring out new ways to meet those needs.
Of course it was a huge struggle when my business partner and I were deciding which of our businesses to commit to — though as I said, for me it was easy in the sense that I knew deep down which was really filling my cup more. But it felt like a huge choice!
I also never set out to establish and run an events production company. I just wanted to sell my art! But I found another love in bringing people together over all things handmade, and supporting the makers behind the businesses. And it wasn’t a job that already existed with guidelines and a blue print, or even a paycheck (yikes!). I have always had to make things up as I go along, and that means a LOT of trial and error! A LOT of felt failures, a lot of tears, time, energy, and a ton of soul searching, as I periodically reevaluate what it is I am getting out of this business and what exactly I want to get out of it. The things I find the most worth while also tend to be some of the most difficult, because they’re learning experiences.
One example I think almost every business owner I know has experienced, is figuring out how to charge for our services! This is so tough, whether or not we’re talking about creative work, because we are literally putting a dollar value on our work, which feels very much like putting a number value on our selves (because we’re doing the work ourselves!), and that’s hard! We know some people will question that number, and that this will happen even when we under-value our work and under charge. In learning how to do this, I have certainly lost money on my fair share of events, and still today I am learning where I can make changes to make sure this is a sustainable mission and business, for myself and the folks I work with (especially my event staff, and my future behind-the-scenes staff)! But it is worth figuring out, because I really believe that what I’m doing matters. I really believe that the energy and sense of community that I set for our staff, vendors, and performers is palpable at the events, and allows our guests and us to feel welcomed by each other. And giving ourselves and each other that feeling of support and belonging is so important — and especially in the world of artists and makers, who make life so much more vibrant for all of us, even in the face of AI and the general “make it quicker, cheaper” mentality.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Wandering Makers specializes in Hampton Roads events, though currently focused on our annual events hosted at Mt. Trashmore, (Spring Kickoff!, Summer Bash, and Fall Fest). These free community events are open to the public, and have featured countless artists, makers, food trucks, bakers, and more. If you come to any of these events, you’d also find a variety of free games to play, including our Wandering Rose Game! I came up with this adult- and kid-friendly game years ago, and it’s been so fun to watch it become a local favorite — it got to the point where people (adults and kids) would come over to the TWM tent at an event and ask if the roses had been hidden yet, before we’d even brought out any of the signs. I also started the Shop-to-Win Raffle, to reward our guests for shopping small, and of course to encourage shopping local at the events! It’s been the most amazing thing to have strangers come tell me that they love the way whoever planned the event thought about making it more than a shopping experience, that their kids love coming to our events too, and that they love the community-focused games and vibe that make TWM events so much more than just a market. And then to be able to grow that into two-day events with incredible local performers, like Peter Pascanik of Collage of Covers, who even runs a kick-ass karaoke hour for the crowd, and Em Fraser who always keeps the energy up and gets us singing along; or Allegra Duchaine, and Connor Kingston with The Ground Below — both of whom have been featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk series — it’s actually a dream coming true, to see all this that is so, so much bigger than just my self and my experience. It’s beautiful.
The field-day-esque games are another point of pride for me. I love watching people of all ages, from toddlers to grandparents, jumping across the field in a potato sack! The hula hoop contests and the game of hot potato also attract contestants of all ages. They’re always fun and always silly, and for the adults, I think it’s so important to get out of our heads and actually PLAY! Those smiles are the absolute best. Not only are these contests free to enter, but the prizes are gift cards that can only be spent with our vendors at the market — which is an awesome prize, but it’s also important to me that I am putting money directly back into our community, even when it would certainly be easier to send our winners off with a gift card to Starbucks or Amazon. It’s all about the community, baby!
I’m also very proud of our Wandering Library — a free community library I started, because why not?! I put together a collection of books, puzzles, games, and magazines for all ages, and anyone at our events can take whatever they like, and donate any of these items to the library. It’s been a huge hit, and I am absolutely blown away by the volume of donations we receive! Clearly, there’s a lot I’m proud of at TWM, and I would never be able to pick just one thing! It’s been a magical thing to build and be a part of!
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
One of the big shifts I think we have all noticed is the presence of AI in handmade markets. While right now, it seems like so many businesses are trying to cut costs by using AI to create graphics (event flyers, menus, even product shots, you name it), I actually think there will be a swing back in the other direction soon. From my lens, the response to this use of AI in my industry has largely been, “We don’t want that! We don’t trust that!” And I can say I wholeheartedly agree. I have always either created my own graphics or paid another artist to create them. No exceptions. AI has become so aggressively accessible, even encouraged by resources like Canva, I even had to make a note in my vendor applications that I will not review AI images (I need to see real photos of your real work and your real set up to make an informed decision). And I can honestly say, I prefer to work with and support businesses with less-than-perfect branding and promotion than businesses using whatever AI can produce, no matter how cohesive.
I hear my artist community members asking why established businesses are turning to AI for graphic production, and I have the same question. I can relate to being on a shoestring budget (more than I’d care to admit!) and being short on time (hello, fellow working parents!), but I am committed to artists and handmade workers; and using AI to promote the events that are intended to support our artist community flies directly in the face of that mission. I have also been hearing our community members saying that an AI-created event graphic gives a feeling that the host shows a lack of emotional and financial investment in the event, and therefore the artist community they seek to attract as vendors; which makes artists wary of participating. In short, using an AI event graphic makes artists mistrust the event host, in the assumption that the host does not care enough about making the event successful for the involved artists, to commit the time or money necessary to even make a decent flyer. And from the guest perspective, AI flyers are difficult to trust, as they often show inaccurate representations of the location or past events, and are exactly the way a scammer would create a flyer.
To be honest, the threat of AI and a dehumanized society makes our work in bringing humans together to celebrate art more important than ever. And so I believe my industry is here to stay and to grow even stronger, as more and more people realize how much humans really need each other.
All these reasons and more (*cough* data centers, water use, child safety, unpredictability *cough*) make me hopeful that humans will push back against these developments and go back to making art, thinking thoughts, and feeling feelings as only humans can.
Pricing:
- Community Partner packages start at $1500/year
- Sponsor packages start at $1000/event
- Annual Sponsor packages at $2000/event
- Presenting Sponsors start at $2500/event
- Vendor fees typically $150/event day
Contact Info:
- Website: https://twmevents757.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewanderingmakers?vrfl=YmpoZTMwcXIyZHA%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vbpopupshops/
