KU Illustration Club holds Valentine’s pop-up

President Mariah Prophet sits at an illustration table selling sweet treats, cards, and buttons to fellow students.

The KU Illustration Club held a Valentine’s Day pop-up on February 11 and 12, just days ahead of the holiday this Saturday.

The two-day event gave student artists the opportunity to showcase and sell their work while helping campus visitors find last-minute gifts for loved ones. Shoppers stopped by to browse a variety of handmade items, including Valentine’s Day cards, original prints, buttons, and even sweet treats.

Many said the unique, student-made items made their purchases feel more personal.

“I got a brookie and I thought this print was really cute so I had to have it,” said student Linda Liz.

Organizers felt the pop-up was designed not only to celebrate the holiday but also to support student creators and provide a space to share their art with the KU community.

“I have a few prints from last year,” said Mariah Prophet, student artist and president of the club. “I also baked some treats for it, I made crinkle cookies.”

Members of the Illustration Club spent days preparing for the event, creating new designs and products to sell.

“We went and we asked our student members to contribute artwork, whether that be resale prints or if they’d already made new things—button designs, sticker designs. Some members did other things,” said Gwynevere Buie, vice president of the club.

The club hopes the pop-up encourages more people to shop local and support student artists, especially around holidays like Valentine’s Day when handmade gifts can feel more meaningful.

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