On Dec. 4, the Elizabeth Hackett Robinson ’84 Innovation Hub hosted a student-run Winter Art Market, which brought roughly 10 student artists into the Old Stone Mill and allowed them to display and sell their artwork. The Old Stone Mill, located at 82 Weybridge Street, is an incubator for students to pursue entrepreneurial and artistic projects, according to its website. The event was just one of several that the space has hosted recently, in an effort to ramp up its use on campus.
Sophie Maris ’26, a current Creativity & Innovation Intern at the Innovation Hub, told The Campus that some kind of student-run art market had been a hope of hers for a long time.
“I conducted a series of meetings early in the semester, at the Innovation Hub, with the [Old Stone Mill] Board and a few students who had expressed interest in a market in the past. The Innovation Hub provided funding and supplies for the night of the market, and I had the support of Dana, Heather, and the other interns throughout the planning process,” Maris wrote.
During the Winter Art Market, the student artists shared the space alongside a group of student musicians. The student artists brought a variety of art forms to their respective vendor stations, including crochet, paintings, ceramics, wood block prints and jewelry.
Leticia Crosby ’27.5 sold art at the event, having discovered the opportunity through the Midd Innovation account’s Instagram.
“The process for getting a spot at the Market was very simple,” Crosby explained. “The organizers were extremely communicative, helpful, and encouraging, which made me feel less nervous about selling my work on campus.”
Crosby noted how the in-person opportunity provided a fun change of pace for artists like herself, who typically rely on online stores to sell and distribute their work.
“I found the Winter Art Market really fun. It was my first time selling my work in person, as I usually maintain an online store, so it was definitely a learning experience. I was glad I had the opportunity to feel what it is like to sell in person at a market of that style,” Crosby wrote.
Lucy Finkle ’27.5 also sold her art at the Winter Art Market, and echoed Crosby’s gratitude for the opportunity it provided student artists.
“I loved the Winter Art Market and felt like it was very successful. It was such a fun way to showcase what amazing things Middlebury students are working on and invite the community into the space. Artists had the opportunity to sell their work, which allowed students to support one other while shopping for unique holiday gifts,” Finkle wrote.
Finkle has additional experience with the Old Stone Mill and the Innovation Hub as a member of the board and as an official tenant of the Old Stone Mill. She uses the space to fulfill orders for her small business, Lucy Sails, where she creates custom driftwood sailboats — an operation she’s been running since she was 11 years old.
“Having access to a workspace, storage, and a creative environment outside of my dorm has given me the opportunity to work on something non-academic that I’m passionate about,” Finkle said.
Annika Milliman ’25.5 sold her lino prints at the market, the first opportunity she has had to publicly display and sell her artwork. All 30 of the prints she brought were sold.
“I thought it was really cool, I’ve never sold my stuff before, so it was a cool experience to get to try that out,” Milliman said. “It felt like an easy way to put myself out there.”
The Winter Art Market was the fruition of just one of the many ideas Maris and other Innovation Hub interns and staff members have been working on, and the fall semester saw a busy list of engagements for the Innovation Hub. Other projects included TEDx Middlebury, the Gear Repair workshops, and Maine Gearshare. The M Gallery was also revived recently in the Old Stone Mill Space, and MiddCAT hosted a painting event there in the fall.
Looking forward to the spring semester, Maris hopes that more students will continue to learn about the OSM and engage with it, as tenants or visitors.
“I would like to host some sort of casual lecture/cozy chat series in the OSM during cold winter evenings, and we've talked about getting more student bands into the space. Many students didn't know that the OSM existed until recently, let alone that they can apply for and get free studio space, so I hope more students apply to be tenants. The Hub sponsors student creative projects through the Tree House Fund, so I look forward to what people might want to pursue in the spring,” Maris wrote.
Editor’s Note: Editor-in-Chief Madeleine Kaptein ’25.5 contributed reporting to this article.
Cole Chaudhari '26 (he/him) is the Senior News Editor.
Cole has previously served as a Managing Editor, News Editor, Copy Editor, and Staff Writer. He is majoring in History and English Literature, and spends his time outside of the newsroom reading about sound reproduction technologies and making field recordings. This past summer, he taught high schoolers at a summer program at a boarding school in New Hampshire.
