Festivities continued amid record-breaking temperatures at the Fourth Avenue Spring Street Fair from March 20-22 with live music and entertainment, carnival food and artisan tents spanning five blocks of historic Fourth Avenue.
Located about a mile west of the University of Arizona, the Fourth Avenue District maintains a thriving offbeat community of local artisans, expanding its reach bi-annually to artisans across the world with a street fair held in the winter and spring. Admission is free of charge to visitors.
Strolling the fair makes for a delightfully overwhelming experience for the senses — from the aroma of barbecue and kettle corn in the air, to the somber plucking of a busker’s guitar. But most striking of all was the vibrant art of Tucson native Ashley Chamberlain, who has been vending at the fair since 2018.
Showcasing an array of original paintings, giclée reproductions and handcrafted furniture, Chamberlain’s work encapsulates the boldness of the Southwest. Her main subjects include animals and cacti commonly found in the Sonoran Desert depicted in saturated red, blue, green and yellow. Pieces are contained within ornamented borders and simple wooden frames.
When asked about the intended experience for visitors to her booth, Chamberlain noted the theme of her artwork as something souvenir-worthy. “I think of my artwork as very ‘Tucson’ so […] if it’s people at the street fair which, we get a lot of tourists, [they] want to just take a little bit of Tucson with them,” Chamberlain said.
She has a degree in Theater and Set Design from the UA and had been crafting furniture since the early 1990s before expanding her collection to include canvas paintings.
“I was building furniture for about 25 years and then about 10 years ago I thought ‘what if I did some of my old drawings from college the way I do my furniture — layering, scraping over and over?’ So, I just […] started experimenting with that,” Chamberlain said.
Those interested in supporting Chamberlain’s business, A.C. Design Etc., may visit her website at www.acdesignetc.com.
Reading enthusiasts also received their fix at the fair. “A place to find all things Bookish” was the promise printed on the business cards of Ashley Amber, the creator and owner of Ley Amber Collective.
“My business is based off [of] my passion, I love reading. Any form, whether it’s Kindle, audio or physical books. So, I took my passion and made it into a business. […] I make all things bookish from Kindle accessories to covers [and] sleeves,” Amber said.
Among her most popular items is Blind Date With a Book, which includes a surprise book of the customer’s chosen genre and six mystery accessories, such as stickers and bookmarks. This item is also available as a mystery bundle, which includes two additional items: a book-themed iced coffee glass cup and a matching straw topper.
“I [also] sell DIY craft kits, so, book bedazzling kits, pressed flower bookmark kits […]. Every order is one of those, at least one or two” Amber said.
What began as a passion project for Amber has now grown into something larger, with a retail location set to open in mid-April of this year.
“It will be a gift shop based around books,” she said. “But, I also have about 12 vendors right now that are from Tucson that sell with me currently, and I’ll be expanding.”
The retail store will be located at 4664 E. Speedway Blvd. just across from Toast 101. Purchases may still be made through www.leyambercollective.com and updates can be found at @leyambercollective on Instagram.
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