We are excited to announce the return of the Muggles Market, just in time for Valentine’s Day! This year’s theme is Muggles Market: Love and Plunder, combining our adoration of pirates and love. As usual, you have a wonderful opportunity to get to know our artists, writers, artisans, and entertainment through our Muggles Market Spotlights.
Kenna and Bryan Covington of Modern Goldfish are returning artisans and long time friends of our Muggles Markets. We asked them a few questions about their life, work, and what treasures they’ll be bringing to Muggles Market: Love and Plunder.
Please tell us all about the plunder you’ll be bringing to Muggles Market.
Ahoy! We’ve plumbed the briny deep of our hearts and imaginations to create the most amazing wands, potion décor, and other handmade items of pure magic and fancy.
How did you get started making your glorious plunder?
Avast Ye. Me (Kenna) and me Seadog (Bryan) started making wands 10 years ago. The first wand was a gift for a magical friend. Over the years we’ve been fortunate to share our booty with so many people and we are eternally grateful to be able to explore this art.
What’s an item you are bringing that you are really excited about?
Shiver Me Timbers, we’re so excited to bring Kenna’s latest passion in wands – mushrooms and moths…ooh, ooh, also rabbits and eyeball wands.
Being an artist is about exploring and learning for us and I’ve been reaching into what Autumn teaches me about my garden and myself – how beautiful it is to rest.
The rabbits are in honor of the coming Chinese Year of the Rabbit. Bryan is a rabbit and next year is Kenna’s year of the Dragon! And eyeballs, ’cause their awesome!
What else would you like everyone to know about your wares?
Yo Ho Ho, you should know that we’ve found that our energy and how we’re feeling really affects our art and the final piece we want to go out into the world. This means that we don’t really create work when we’re feeling sad, crappy or angry – those are not the wands you’re looking for. As a married couple, of course we argue and have sadness (Kenna works really hard managing her depression), but there is so much more joy and passion in our lives that we are proud to make our work and share it with you.
What’s your favorite love or pirate story and why?
Bryan says Princess Bride. It’s a great book, movie, and love and pirate story. Y’all have no idea how often we say in our best Andre the Giant voice, “I’m here for your soul!”
Kenna says for pirate stories, it’s a toss up between Treasure Island and The Count of Monte Cristo. I remember shaking while reading Treasure Island as a kid and as an adult, I shook with rage for the injustice. I’m not a vengeful person, but man was that a great story! My favorite love story (and my favorite book) is Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston. Please read this book y’all! I read this at a time in my life when I was deciding what kind of love I wanted and the main character goes through two marriages before she finds the love of her life.
You can find Modern Goldfish on the interwebs!
Website: https://moderngoldfish.com/
Etsy: https://etsy.com/shop/moderngoldfish
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moderngoldfish/
And, of course, you will meet them in person at Muggles Market: Love and Plunder on Sunday February 5, 2023 from 10:00AM to 4:00PM at Queen’s Sports Complex, 2229 Tyvola Rd. Charlotte, NC 28210! It’s always a good time for pirates! So dress in your finest, sea-worthy garb, and come check out these awesome treasures!