Running around town and schmoozing with designers...

A few weeks back, I found a flyer on the tram for an upcoming design market, organized by a collective who go by the name of Designkollegorna.

This design market was on tredjelånggatan which is a very funky, arty little area, so I knew it would be worth checking out!

The only problem was how to get there, as it happened to be on the same day as Göteborgsvarvet...

This is a massive event, and this year there was 75,000 people running or walking in the half marathon one way or another!

It was hard to capture with my wide angle camera just how many people are filling up the Avenyn, all the way as far as you can see!

I had to ride the long way around town, to find a spot where I could get through to the other side... as it turned out, the only way to get across was to run with the flow with my bike for a bit!

There were lots of people sitting on the sidelines, clapping and cheering everyone along.
A brass band playing outside the Röhsska museum on Vasagatan, and at one point I got stuck behind a 10 person bike! 

And, just when you thought it couldn't get any more exciting, there were a couple of fighter jets zooming overhead too! 

Well, I finally made it to the house of win win, what a cool place!!
(I love discovering awesome little corners of Gothenburg like this) 

I was very impressed with the creativity and products for sale, and had a nice chat with a few of the lovely folk there.

My personal favourite was definitely Julia Åhrman's paintings, here's a link to her website with some more of her work.
I loved the frames she'd chosen for her paintings, and if I had a job right now, I would not hesitate to buy, probably this one!

Another favourite, was Linn Bjelkne who does wonderful things with winebottles.
Not only does she re-purpose the bottles in to a new product, but one bottle becomes 3 different things all in one! Flower vase, candle holder and a drinking glass. So simple, so genious!

Here's some more awesomeness by Åsa Norberger.

I had a good chat with too with Gotheburg based New Yorker Kurt Lightner about the many words which cross over between Swedish and English and mean totally different things... Once again I wish I had the money to purchase a few of his prints!

Over all it was a very inspiring day and got me thinking about what I might be able to contribute to the designmarknad next year!?