When you are perusing and purchasing gifts at the Christmas Huskisson Artisans Market on Sunday 29 November 2026 there are the obvious marvellous things that can be seen, touched, tasted and bought. There is, however, something else that can only be felt—a priceless, live web of connections and sense of community. Take a moment to pause and soak up the atmosphere ripe with heart-warming stories.
Let’s Make Things Together
Susan Whipp, a regular stallholder at Huskisson Artisans Market, makes richly filled and decorated journals, scrap books and artist books that are snapped up. At the most recent market (in August) Susan shared a heart-warming story with market organiser, Natalie McDonagh.
A girl of about 8 had just come to Susan’s stall carrying a journal she’d bought from Susan at the previous market in April. She was keen to show Susan what she’d created. Susan’s delight was palpable:
“It’s made my day seeing how pleased the girl is with the journal she’s created. I can’t wait to get home and tell my husband and the family, and my six year old granddaughter who loves making journals. She loves my journals so much I have to hide the ones I make to sell!”
The girl’s mother went on to tell Susan that her daughter had actually bought four journals—one for herself and one each for three of her friends. This led to them having journal parties where the friends put all their papers, pencils, bits and pieces on the table to share, and spend time creating in each other’s company, filling the books with their treasures, stories and drawings.
Hearing this prompted Susan to tell Natalie, “It feels so good to inspire someone who loves making journals like me.”
It may be tempting to fall into gendered thinking about scrap-booking and journal-making but Susan went on to tell Natalie that on the same day two men bought her books. One was a high school teacher who was going to use it in his classroom as an example for students to create their own journal to keep pieces of work. The other man bought one to put on his bookcase as an engaging piece of art.
When you visit the Christmas Huskisson Artisans Market on Sunday 29 November, seek out Susan and say hello. You’ll find Susan’s stall of hand made journals side by side with a stall of charming, irresistible hand-knitted characters made by her long-time friend, Sharon Wallis.
Susan and Sharon have been stallholders at every Arts Muster Huskisson Artisans Market since Samantha Tannous established it in 2023, when it was a few stalls in one room of the Huskisson Community Centre. It now occupies the whole building, presenting 40+ stalls of wares by makers, artists and providores.
Susan says she and Sharon keep returning to Huskisson Artisans Market because, “Oh, we love it. We have so much fun. We have so many laughs and we enjoy seeing Rosie, Maureen and the others and meeting new stallholders.”
Making Community
Samantha and Natalie, the Arts Muster volunteers responsible for organising and sustaining Huskisson Artisans Market, are makers themselves. They share both a special interest in creating affordable opportunities for artisans to show and sell their work, and in creating an enjoyable, supportive environment for stallholders—one that encourages makers to meet each other and form connections.
As a visitor you’ll see artisans showing and selling a wide range of handcrafted items—everything from ceramics, jewellery, textiles, homewares, books and toys, to art, to bread, honey and spirits. What visitors cannot see but is equally real is the inspiration, joy and delight generated by what the artisans make. What is also not seen but felt is the artisans’ generosity of spirit towards each other, regularly investing their takings in buying and commissioning work from each other.
The sense of community that comes from all this is another take on the Arts Muster motto, “Let’s make things together.”
The Arts Muster volunteers and stallholder artisans are already doing everything they can to support themselves and each other. You can give this creative community a welcome and valuable helping hand. Come along to the Christmas Huskisson Artisans Market. Purchase unique gifts crafted with care and chat to the makers who create them.
See you there.
WHEN / WHERE
Huskisson Artisans Market
Sunday 29 November 2026 / 10am-3pm
Community Centre, Dent Street, Huskisson
Free entry. Family friendly.
Enquiries can be sent to markets@artsmuster.com.au
