The numbers are impressive. At the past eight markets, artists have earned more than $12 million dollars. Last year, 90 percent of the market’s $2.3 million in sales went directly to the artists, or an average of $17,300 per booth, according to the release.
“I’ve followed the story of a family of women in Kabul who sell their embroidered goods at the market. These women can’t really leave their houses; they went from having rights to not having rights at all,” Cerny said.
“They told me, ‘Our silk embroideries are our voice to the world.’ I find that the interconnection of creativity and economic freedom is unbelievable. We have 1,600 volunteers now; this is no longer a grassroots effort. We want to express our gratitude.”
One artist spoke of his family’s tradition of glassblowing. He’s from the city of Hebron, on the West Bank, south of Jerusalem. He traces his craft back to antiquity between the 2nd and 4th century B.C. His family has earned a substantial amount of money at the market and helps other family members back home.
A Niger silversmith made enough money at last year’s market to buy three months’ worth of food for over 500 people in nearby villages.
International Flavor
A wide-open view of the Montana sky and Sangre de Cristo mountains is the backdrop for these master artists to present their creations amid a global whirlwind of food, music, and dancing.
The scent of Ethiopian lamb stews and coconut shrimp waft through the mountain air while Greek dolmas and other foods from around the world top off the available menu.
The experience is similar to world travel: Mind-opening and inspiring, it helps to develop one’s sense of what it means to be human and an appreciation for the journey we’ve traveled as a race.
Visitors last year included “ambassadors from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, representatives from UNESCO and the Clinton Global Initiative, and scores of Peace Corps volunteers.” “Designers from Donna Karan, Martha Stewart, and West Elm also shopped the Market,” according to the press release.
Obviously the market is much more than a shopping opportunity. People of different nations that otherwise would not extend the olive branch to each other share an exchange of riches.
“I had the chance to share information, knowledge, and experiences with all of the staff and participants from all over the world,” said Karim Oukid Ouksel, an Algerian jewelry maker who attended last year’s Market. “I also had the chance to discover firsthand the works produced by the American Indians, which have left a remarkable impression.”
