On Thursday, March 21 from 3:30 p.m. to sundown, fourth-year general studies major and collage artist Lauryn Fenigstein will be hosting the first-ever Bosilhaus Market, a market for local artists to sell their work, sponsored by Kon Tiki Trading Post. It will feature both student and non-student artists.
Fenigstein, whose business is called With Love By LO, has considered herself an artist for around two years and got her start vending at the now-defunct campus market. After it was announced that the market would no longer happen, she wanted to fill the hole that was left.
“I was inspired by The Gallery and Opera House Collective and, also, the lack of a campus market. People are missing it, for sure,” said Fenigstein. “I haven’t led similar things, but I’ve led other events, so I was like, why not try it?” Fenigstein said.
Her housemate, Lavender El Banna, works with Maryanne Tozzi, owner of Kon Tiki. After Fenigstein suggested the market, El Banna brought the idea to Tozzi, who was on board.
“I have personal events experience from New Paltz… and I work with Kon Tiki as the event coordinator and arts consultant, so I suggested that Kon Tiki would take it over and assist with sponsoring the event,” El Banna said.
The name, “Bosilhaus,” was chosen to represent Fenigstein’s home and her housemate’s contributions. The four of them have a poster of herbs in their house, and on it, “basil” is misspelled as “bosil.” Because of this, their house became known as Bosilhaus.
Thursday Market vendors like Gert’s Merch and Solar Lunar are going to be selling at Bosilhaus, as well as clay artist Loafie Baked Goods, snakeskin jewelry artist Reptile Rapture and many more. Kon Tiki will also be vending.
What is notable about Bosilhaus is that Fenigstein and Kon Tiki are not charging a vendors’ fee, nor are they requiring vendors’ licenses. Vendors only need a table or blanket, and she has no formal vetting process for choosing vendors.
“It was whoever reached out, with a preference for student vendors,” Fenigstein said. “But honestly, we’ve had space and we’ve been able to open up. It’s probably half-and-half for students and non-students now.”
While Fenigstein isn’t sure if the market will be a recurring event, she’s open to seeing how it goes and hopefully hosting one again. She is most excited for the sense of a collective that she hopes to create through the market.
“I have this fantasy of coming out of my back door and seeing my yard full of people,” Fenigstein said. “Like, wow, I did that. I created this community.”
The original planned location for Bosilhaus Market was Fenigstein’s backyard, but a permit to host the market was denied by the village. With Kon Tiki’s permit, they are now looking into having the market take place at Hasbrouck Park.
Fenigstein is still accepting potential vendors, and they can reach out to her on Instagram, @_withlovebylo. Kon Tiki plans to host more pop-up events on and off campus as well, and student artists can be on the lookout for future opportunities.
