Lonely Hearts Art Market
And (Personal) Thoughts on Community (Especially) in Trying Times
PARTS PECULIAR
Last year I decided to do something scary. I signed a lease on a commercial space in downtown San Francisco in a leap of faith. The leap is called Parts Peculiar and it is an 1100 square foot flexible creative space offering opportunities for Art, Community and Magic to all those who rejoice in visiting.
Being honest, I should have known better astrologically than to take on this additional project in 2024/ 2025 due to Jupiter’s transit in scatter-brained Gemini (my sun sign), but it happened anyway and it’s probably for the best. The state of the world, and in particular, American “society” is in a state of decay & destruction and if you’re anything like myself energetically, you can probably feel the overwhelm, despair, collective fear and panic.
I created Parts Peculiar to be a space of refuge. A space where all types of people belong, and need not feel the strain of exile or isolation. A space to come together whether that is for art, classes or simple community connection.
Parts Peculiar will never be about gatekeeping or traditional establishment structures so often unfortunately found (by me anyhow) in many artist communities. Parts Peculiar is about openness, connection, acceptance and love. It imagines what is possible when the ideals of working collectively can be upheld, at least to the best of our human abilities.
INSPIRATION & IDEA OF COMMUNITY
I moved to the Bay Area in June of 2012. I chose Oakland in particular, inspired by the vibrant community of Art and Artists that I found in the East Bay when I lived there in the Summer of 2011. I was drawn back to the East Bay based on that same Summer experience and the people and ideas it connected me to.
As a native East coaster, and NYC Art School kid I was really moved by the initial acceptance I saw in the Arts community particularly in Berkeley to start. It stood in sharp contrast to the block at W27th Street in New York City that the Fashion Institute of Technology calls home. You see, in NYC Art School Culture there are a lot of cliques and a lot of scenes. There are even some people who would cut a circle in your apparel project in the middle of the night just because they were deprived and jealous and wanted you to feel the same.
So by contrast, there was this house in Berkeley at Fulton and Derby called Santa Rita (named after the patron Saint of Lost Causes). I’m not sure I was a lost cause, but I was certainly lost- and this was the first place I truly began to find myself. It was here I first witnessed what it was like to be received by people who wanted you to feel accepted. Draw a shit doodle on a paper? Amazing! Keep going. Want to debate internal mental philosophies? You can count on me. Want to exist and marvel at humanity and creation in general? Hell yeah! They were all so DOWN. I never saw anything so loving in my entire life. New Yorkers are a lot of things, but they are not the most open lovers.
Santa Rita would host open mic nights and parties in general. They hosted house shows and group crafting activities. The door was always open (literally) and you could stroll in or through at any time you pleased. Someone was always there, or their space was there waiting to welcome you up the stairs to “The Attic” where any thing and any dream was possible.
While I am not connected to many of those people today, there are still a select few who I keep in touch with and I am honored to still be a part of their journey in this life and them mine. This fateful meeting of this community in the Summer of 2011 changed the trajectory and course my life would take forever.
AS AN OUTSIDER
From 2012 - 2020 I lived all across Oakland in all kinds of houses. Some shitty pre-fab all dude homes, some majestic “hood” Victorian homes where I chose some bad roommates and some historic Victorian Mansions run by troubled trust-fund assholes turned to ghosts. I even had the pleasure or fortune of living at the Cotton Mill Studios in Fruitvale. Gosh, I had so much hope for that place. I had gone to an Open Studios night there- and was moved again by witnessing that familiar feeling of “community” which oddly seemed to somehow be missing from my life ever since I had moved back to the Bay. I was looking for a place that I could belong, and more than any place- I had hoped this would be it. Unfortunately, by the time I moved in, the Open Studio night had disbanded and the partnership of hosting community events in that space waned. People had become more insular and individualistic. And then, my Saturn Return hit like a ton of death giving bricks- but that’s a story for another time.
By 2018/ 2019 I lost my faith in finding an accepting community in the Art Scenes of Oakland. I had skirted along the edges of a few. Fine Art, Tattooing, Craft Fair folks and more. What I found in these spaces discouraged me. I was never “x” enough to be fully welcomed into any of these scenes. There was always a way I was made to feel adjacent, but definitively outside.
In 2020 I moved to San Francisco for the first time in my history of inhabiting the Bay Area. There were a lot of ways that I couldn’t believe I was moving in the opposite direction as most people during that time, but the pandemic made it possible financially. I moved to the historic “Arts and Theatre District" of San Francisco because I love Art and Theatre but again, I was disappointed by what I found.
The galleries on Geary nearby my house felt stale, stuffy and unwelcoming showing the tired work of the “Masters” such as Rembrandt, Picasso and Banksy. Not that those artist’s weren’t great at one point- but what about the local arts community? What about NEW contemporary artists? They weren’t represented in those galleries, or those gatekept spaces.
As it turns out “cool” kids can be gatekeepers too. I stumbled in plenty of small galleries in this city that don’t want to have much to say or do about you if you don’t fit their lifestyle starter pack. I think it’s a shame too, because Art should have way more ability to connect all of us rather than exist inside of some toxic echo chamber. That’s just my hot-take for you, as an outsider to most everything.
I have never been normal enough for the normies, hip enough for the hipsters, cool enough for the cool kids, punk enough for the punks or weird enough for the weirdos. I’ve always been an amalgamation of all those scenes and I’ve always strived to be authentically myself- as much as I’ve known myself in any given moment anyway.
Now, as an Astrologer, I have come to understand my own natal chart much better. I understand this Wound of the Outsider is just a part of my journey, and without it I am not sure I would have sought to make a space like Parts Peculiar, so for that I can be grateful to this wound even though it often still stings through continued life experience.
MY PROMISE TO YOU
Because of my journey, my promise to you as the Proprietor of Parts Peculiar is to always make the kind-hearted feel welcome. To always be openminded to WHO you are and HOW you exist. To practice non-judgement in the way you choose to share your life with me and that space. Parts Peculiar exists for you as a BEING and I welcome the Outsider, in who I can see my own reflection.
The “fine print” lies below…
Make no mistake, these 34 years of life have taught me about boundaries too. Vampires and cruel intentions will never be tolerated- and people who seek to take advantage of this space and community for their own diabolical reasons shall be expelled. Magic and wards are always in place, and challenging those safety wards shall be to the peril of any who attempt it!
But for those of you who in these times of crisis seek to show art, gather with friends, build community, support one another and imagine what is possible together- I welcome you to this space. I welcome you to this world. My wish for you is that you feel belonging and may you share it with all those around you.
MAKERS AT LONELY HEARTS ART MARKET
After sharing with you some of my Lonely Heart journey, without further adieu, I’d like to introduce you to the talented makers who will be participating in the Lonely Hearts Art Market on Feb 6, 2025 3 - 8 PM at Parts Peculiar. I hope you will join us that evening not only to support this budding vibrant community, but to shape it with your own vision as well. If there’s one thing I know for the future it’s that we will need each other, we will need community, so there is no sense in going it alone.
Holly Bobisuthi Jewelry
It’s been a pleasure to know Holly for almost as long as I have lived in the Bay Area. Holly is one of the first artists and makers I ever had the good fortune to meet. She’s a working artist, metalsmith, woodworker and jewelry-maker and her studio is at Werkshack located on 25th Street in Uptown Oakland. Holly’s work explores the intersections of ritual, history, and self image through her interactive sculptures, adornments, and installations. She prioritizes the physical, human experience in wearable work that is fine art with a strong grounding in craftsmanship.
Thila Thom
Another incredible facet of thee unstoppable Lili Pham, formerly co-founder of beloved Nettle Studios. Lili is one of those people who, you aren’t ever sure how she gets it all done, especially with her full time job! Always dreaming up new projects, Thila Tom represents the scent side of her business ventures creating perfumes, candles and incense. For the Lonely Hearts market, Lili will be bringing handmade incense for you to enjoy!
Orris Water
Amy Bilodeau lives and breathes Art. That has only become more true since she launched her perfume business Orris Water last year. The Orris Water brand was created through Amy’s love of perfume making, where the inspiration for her perfume concepts led to daydreams of ethereal spaces that exude healing, peace, and utopia. The importance of self-care is a lifelong journey, and she believes that scent can be a tool we use throughout our lifetime to connect with our mind, body, and spirit. Here we can look into our subconscious to understand our desires, anxieties, and even ailments. The power of botanical scent in daily rituals can be healing and empowering.
Lena Lee
Lena is a painter who specifically works in watercolor in order to capture light and dark. Through her studies of different disciplines in art schools, she explored different types of artistic expressions and media, such as drawing, sculpture, printmaking, Korean traditional ink painting, and acrylic and oil painting. In middle school and high school, she focused on watercolor paintings most. During college, she worked on improving her techniques in acrylic painting, however, after she graduated, Lena returned back to her passion of watercolor painting. Out of all the different mediums, she loves watercolor the most because she believes watercolor painting captures the beauty and transparency of color brought out by light.
9AM Art
The artist behind 9AM Art works in mixed media creating works of art which feel playful, modern and easy to love and gift. Contemporary and sculptural florals and vegetation still life settings seem to speak towards hygge, and have a knack for adorning any modern space. Bright, optimistic and cheerful, these works of art offer hope for new growth and beginnings to come. For Lonely Hearts Art market, they will be bringing a selection of handmade greeting cards for all your sweet love notes this season.
O Hey Pokes
Whimsical hand poke tattooer Lia will be bringing a special Valentine’s themed flash sheet to tattoo you on a first come, first served basis at Lonely Hearts Art market. Silly and irreverent tattoos done in anti-style are as simple and quick to tattoo as they are in capturing your heart! “Why be serious all the time?” a frog from a lily pad asks? “Valentines Day can be mournful.” says the little tear who’s also crying. Don’t miss this opportunity to add a bit of lighthearted revelry to your body’s art collection!
San Maris Botanicx
Founded by Latina entrepreneur Alicia Marie, San Maris breaks away from conventional Botanica candles crafting clean, sacred aromas that embody the rich stories of Latin America. From oral traditions to captivating scents, each candle encapsulates the essence of her heritage and Mother Earth, offering a sensory immersive experience. Defined by clean lines and crisp type font San Maris would make an elegant addition to any household! Come and experience the aura yourself during the Lonely Hearts Art market.
Little Bowl (Lille Skaler) Ceramics
Nicole Levy is the artist and maker behind Lille Skaler (meaning Little Bowls) Ceramics. Nicole lives and works in San Francisco and draws inspiration from the beautiful nature that surrounds the SF landscape as well as her world travels. While living in Norway, Nicole found her signature ceramic style. Buyers can expect each piece completely handmade and unique thrown on the wheel, not slip cast and glazed by hand. This project combines Nicole’s love of making everyday functional work with the unique and delicate forms of Scandinavian and Japanese design. Even by first glance at Nicole’s sturdy and confident pieces you can see her education in architecture and interior architecture present. Just as beautiful as artful centerpieces as they are practical! Find her work this coming Thursday at the Lonely Hearts Art market.
Dee Chen Ceramics
Dee Chen, the artist behind the same namesake ceramics brand is a ceramicist with an intersectional background in art education, gallery management and community organizing. She creates stoneware pieces out of a high-fire reduction kiln studio. Her current work honors the land through clay, creating vessels that reflect a deep connection to Earth. At Lonely Hearts Art market you can expect to find her thoughtful and powerful yet understated pieces in the colors which reflect the landscapes of both our inner and outer worlds!
FINAL NOTES
As Parts Peculiar continues to exist and evolve, I would love to hear from you. Whether you’re an artist with a body of work to show, or a curator who needs a space for your own guest curation project, a teacher who wants to host a class and on and on and on. Please, reach out to me. I would be happy to hear from you and I’m open to discussing an arrangement that works for the space and all involved! You can reach me at mythofthewest.astro@gmail.com. May you be well, may you hold others well. Amen.