GRAND OPENING FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 12 FROM 6-8pm!
In the Strange Beauty series of articles I focus on the unique creative processes of Bisbee artists, their businesses and practices, or goings on. In art I believe that developing your own technique is the handmaiden of original style, even with historical genre’s of craft like loom weaving. Adding that extra unique stretch of thought is where the rule-following craftsperson becomes an artist in their own right. Bisbee arts are known for a number of textile artists who re-envision found and vintage clothing and other objects. It is most ancient of forms if you think about it, with quiltwork re-using scraps of cloth to create a larger blanket, and even tell a story. Regional artists often embroider, paint on, knit into, or collage found clothing, as though a sound object of musique concrete, works of functional art. It is a creative logic that Bisbee has come to feature so much clothing design, related apparel and curated vintage.
In looking at original clothing design and apparel in Old Bisbee we soon discover that taken as a whole, the old Bisbee retail market can actually compete in a very inspiring way with any shopping mall of the larger cities and suburbs. The difference is one of going on an adventure from beautiful building to beautiful building, shop to unique shop, built into the lower basin of the Mule Mountains.
Allen & Co. Curiosities is a vintage market with friends. The space will feature Kelsey and John Allen, who have already developed the Allen and Co. Coffee Shop next door, which is filled with contemporary local art. In the future keep your eye out for John’s photography. John and Kelsey themselves will be carrying vintage clothing, hats, belts, nostalgia driven collectibles like plushies, pennant flags and more.
Amelia Doll’s Dollhouse Collection is what you will encounter when you first walk in the door. Amelia is known for their music with significant releases in recent years, just off of their Alaska Tour which generated a lot of interest. When I wrote about altering found vintage clothing I was thinking of Amelia, a polymath who stitches, paints and dyes on found clothing. You might not make off with one vintage piece you buy in the shop past wanting Amelia to alter it into art. A visual artist who became known for their painting in pre-flood-destroyed Ashville North Carolina’s Arts District, who fortunately (if not broken-heartedly) was adopted by Bisbee after many tours on the road. Bisbee is famous for touring artists coming back or never wanting to leave. Find Amelia’s latest album on Bandcamp.
Fernando Serrano’s Shop Queen Rodeo space is one you will also want to repeatedly return to. With Guest Artists that Fernando is curating into their installation-art like presentation; original artworks by Fernando including brilliant handmade jewelry, fiber works, and many unique items Fernando has marketed and produced such as their original Queen Of The Rodeo Fragrances, bags and other apparel.
Karen Schumacher, a noted fiber artist, maker of custom hats at Bisbee’s Optimo Hatworks and Milliner, and a Bisbee City Counsel woman, along with her partner Kenny “Junkorama” McLain of the band The Exbats, and who is our kindergarten teacher for Bisbee, will have all kinds of art, band merch, vintage junkarama, and other magical detritus of photo embossed ephemera to artsy trinkets.
Additionally there will be fundraising items of all kinds for sale by Gimme Shelter — Friends Of The Bisbee Animal Shelter, who helped found the Bisbee Dog Park, and are infamous for having sponsored many truly art inspired fundraisers, balls, and benefits. You may buy something or donate financially.
It is also announced as of press time that the one and only Elle “The Stitch Witch,” who has given many a vendor space in Bisbee occupied with hand-made items, who is known for her hand-made handbags among other things, and repair services including furniture and interior design. Definitely take the time to see and touch her artfully and professionally made handbags, and other items.
John writes: “We saw an opportunity. The spaces connect and have a door in the back that opens making the shops feel like one. We always wanted to have a sip n shop type of place. Coffee + Thrift was our original concept but couldn’t make it work in the current space. Once we caught wind our previous neighbor was vacating the space we took our shot. Our awesome landlord loved the idea and we got started on the plan. Businesses being open really helps the surrounding businesses. This helps to hopefully continue the already growing foot traffic on Subway Street while also having another space for other fellow creatives in town showcase their skills and awesome collections of things for sale.”
Friday September 12th will be their opening party, and they will be open for sales, so people can get a glimpse, and already start purchasing from 6pm – 8pm.
Saturday will be the kick off of our regular hours. The curiosities shop will be open 7 days a week. Monday – Saturday 9-5 Sunday 9-2.
Thank you for reading another installment of Ken Boe’s arts and creativity blog Strange Beauty.
Ken Boe is a Bisbee artist, writer, teacher and community arts activist. Support his work at patreon.com/kenboe including his Poem At Night series, his new blogs and videos, and his soon to be relaunched Bisbee Poetry Normalization Project (#BPNP) infamously normalizing a presence of poetry all over Bisbee, and beyond. Find a poem on an old telegraph or telephone pole, in a shop window, or on a bulletin board. You may see where to get his artwork locally at kenboe.com, or buy directly by scrolling down at the online artfarmiowa.com/store where he held a residency summer of 2024. He also have a large exhibition of his large “whip paintings” at The Lyric Soda Fountain and Gallery in Miami AZ where he was a founder of the Miami Loco Arts Festival in 2009. See his work there at the Miami Art Works Gallery, as well, also in the 500 block of W. Sullivan Street.