Snag One-Of-A-Kind Handmade Gifts At Root Division's 'Misfit Toy Factory'

Snag One-Of-A-Kind Handmade Gifts At Root Division's 'Misfit Toy Factory'Bay Area artists creating handmade gifts at the 2014 Misfit Toy Factory. (Photos: Root Division/Facebook)
Brittany Hopkins
Published on December 01, 2015

Holiday shopping can be stressful, especially if you're looking for a one-of-a-kind item that screams "San Francisco-made." But with the advent of Root Division's Misfit Toy Factory, shoppers will have access to a one-stop shop full of unique giftables, crafted on the spot in SoMa.

"It beats the heck out of buying something on Amazon," Amy Cancelmo, art programs director for Root Division, says of next Saturday's event, which the arts nonprofit is hosting for the fifth year and for the first time in its new space at 1131 Mission St.

More than 40 Bay Area artists will bring supplies to Root Division at 6pm on Saturday, Dec. 12th, assembling their workspaces in a horseshoe shape in the middle of the rear gallery. As they finish a creation—with guests milling about, watching them work—a price will be set. The items will be placed on shelves around the gallery for guests to purchase instantly, cash-and-carry.

Many of the participating artists are have worked with Root Division's subsidized studios program or have exhibited in the nonprofit's galleries. All will bring elements from their diverse practices to the Misfit Toy Factory, Cancelmo said. Artists can set their prices ($20, $40 or $60), and can opt to take home 50 percent of the proceeds or donate it all to Root Division.

"A surprising number of them end up donating 100 percent to Root Division," Cancelmo noted. "But it's also just a great way for them to make a little extra holiday money."


While artists quickly craft and guests rush to snag their favorite creations in the rear gallery, a host of additional artists will showcase their local goods in the front gallery, as part of Root Division's first Creative Marketplace.

"We found that more and more emerging artists have also been pursuing some kind of creative commerce in order to sustain themselves in the arts right now," Cancelmo explained. To help support these growing local businesses, Root Division has invited Bay Area makers like Open-Editions, which commissions artists to make handmade goods using scraps from industrial factories, and Jenny Lemons, which offers handmade garments crafted by San Francisco artist Jennie Lennick, to host craft-fair style booths in the space that evening.

Finally, for those who prefer creating their own holiday gifts, the second-floor mezzanine will become a 'Marshmallow Dream World.' Root Division studio artist Rhonda Weppler will lead an all-ages workshop, creating miniature Victorian houses that will be lit with LED lights. As they work, guests can enjoy hot cocoa with homemade marshmallows. 

The Misfit Toy Factory's doors open at 6pm on Saturday, Dec. 12th, and artists begin crafting at 6:30pm sharp. For those who can't make the event, unclaimed creations will be on display at Root Division from 2-6pm Wednesday-Saturday, through Dec. 18th.