Photo by Julia Watt
Magic Hands at Studio B and Co. - interior
The interior of Magic Hands at Studio B. and Co on Milwaukee's Upper East Side, looking out a sunny window onto Murray Street.
A pop-up at an artist’s market at Sugar Maple, an Instagram post that reads more like a Craigslist ad: that’s how Emily Downes had been selling her large, curated collection of craft supplies, compiled from what remained following each of her puppetry workshops and community art classes. Inspired by creative reuse storefronts like Scrap and The Waste Shed, Downes knew that fellow creatives would probably love to give these materials a new life.
Julianna Jackson, too, had her own experience with leftover art supplies from watching her mother run Art Revival, a creative reuse store in Alton, IL. Originally from St. Louis, Jackson and her partner Nate Carpenter were surprised to find that there were no similar shops to be found in artsy, blue-collar Milwaukee.
On July 30, Jackson and Carpenter opened 414 Art Revival in West Allis. Not a month later, Downes opened Magic Hands on August 25 on the Upper East Side. Where once were zero, two art supply thrift stores sprouted in Milwaukee this summer.
What is Creative Reuse?
Photo courtesy of Julianne Jackson
414 Art Revival - West Allis
414 Art Revival's shop front on West National Avenue in West Allis, Wisconsin.
Creative reuse shops collect and resell discarded art and craft supplies. “Discarded,” though, is really a misnomer, as these materials are still perfectly good; think an abandoned multi-pack of paint pens you only needed one color from, or an unwanted embroidery kit you’re still waiting to regift. Storefronts like these lower cost barriers to creativity, promote local circular economies and divert waste from landfills — and in recent years, they appear to have grown in popularity across the state.
Magic Hands and 414 Art Revival fulfill this mission abundantly. Jackson and Downe’s meticulously organized shops offer a huge array of supplies, labeled with charmingly handmade signs. Here, you’ll find anything from fabric scraps to jars of mystery buttons, loose leaf paper to stamps, many for less than $1 a piece. It’s a candy store for professional artists, casual crafters, students and upcyclers alike.
Both shops collect these orphaned supplies through community donations, usually from educational surplus or fellow artists with overflowing craft closets. Donations are then quality inspected and price assessed. Donors receive a discount off their next purchase as thanks for their contribution. Magic Hands perpetually accepts donations, meanwhile, 414 Art Revival has dedicated donation days to keep things a little more streamlined.
Sustainability and Affordability
Photo courtesy of Julianne Jackson
414 Art Revival - interior
414 Art Revival's colorful interior with a sign noting bulk pricing for yarn and fabrics.
For both Downes and Jackson, waste reduction is at the core of their work. Jackson acknowledges that confronting waste or clutter in one’s own home “can be really overwhelming.” She says she especially loves repurposing textiles, though “it’s a lot of work to go through [fabric donations] one by one.” Jackson and Carpenter have already noticed that by virtue of being a resale store, customers are already subscribing to circular use sustainability tenets, citing multiple early patrons purchasing a bolt of fabric, cutting what they need and re-donating the rest back to the shop to be used again. The couple also shares a story of a few patrons donating a deceased loved one’s art supply collection. Jackson notes that the act of donating appeared an emotional release for these families, knowing that the “junk” they felt overwhelmed by is being put to good use.
|
|
414 Art Revival aims to have affordable materials for artists at every stage of proficiency at their shop. Why? Simply put, Jackson says, “stuff is really expensive!” She argues the business model is far more practical than traditional craft shopping; instead of buying a giant multipack of a material, creative reuse shoppers can buy in smaller quantities and be much more specific about what they need. There’s also an inherent inspiration, she says, in some of the odder donations brought to 414 Art Revival, like discarded unfinished projects or, in the case of their stock on opening day, a bunch of artificial foam birds. Crafters who are game for a challenge can pick up where another left off or build a new project around something totally random.
As a film and animation professor at UWM, Downes brings a unique perspective on affordability and practicality. She knows the struggle of frugally stocking a class or workshop firsthand; conversely, she’s keenly aware of the burden high costs are on students. Downes says her students constantly ask her where they can find an art supply store near UWM’s campus, that they’d rather give their money to a local business than a big box and often want a better look at the materials in person. Until opening her own storefront and filling the gap herself, she laments that she “never had a good answer for them.” (Asked how she will balance teaching three classes at UWM and managing the storefront, Downes says she’s starting with two days a week at Magic Hands and expanding hours when possible.)
Community Connection
Photo by Julia Watt
Downes and friend - Magic Hands at Studio B. and Co.
Downes and a friend sort through donations for Magic Hands at Studio B. and Co.
Both 414 Art Revival and Magic Hands prioritize giving back to their communities. When at donation capacity, Jackson and Carpenter re-donate their materials to women’s shelters, art therapy programs and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Carpenter says 414 Art Revival’s broad picture mission is to support working artists, not just by supplying affordable materials, but by “creating community space where artists can congregate” and pursue art as livable and dignified work. Jackson is excited to start hosting local artists at the space, both through monthly artist features and ad hoc class instruction. (Apply to become a featured artist or instructor HERE.) Like Jackson, Downes looks forward to expanding Magic Hands’ class offerings in the near future, including becoming a permanent home for her puppetry workshops. The storefront also exists in partnership with Studio B & Co, an art studio third space with drop in crafting hours for kids and families. A percentage of their sales filters back to Studio B & Co, supporting the workshops and open hours they run.
Even in their early days, both 414 Art Revival and Magic Hands have already received tremendously positive responses from their respective neighborhoods as well as the city broadly. Both received an outpouring of support on their opening days, which has only continued in the weeks following — so much so that 414 Art Revival has temporarily paused donations. Downes says that Magic Hands is already seeing educational supply (whether K12 or college) becoming a central pull. Eventually, she hopes to offer a free surplus specifically for students and educators once Magic Hands is a little more established.
Jackson says that the connections she sees forged at 414 Art Revival “restore some hope and faith in humanity,” watching kids explore and ask questions while adults tap back into their creative side. Downes echoes this sentiment: “Post-Covid, people’s interest, need and desire to be creative has been revealed... I think people are really understanding the value of the arts.”
Perhaps the transition into autumn is as good a time as any to connect with creative community, regardless of your skill level—a visit to either of our two new creative reuse shops would be a good place to start. Magic Hands is currently open Tuesdays 2-7pm and Sundays 10am-4pm with plans to expand via pop up days; 414 Art Revival is open Wednesday through Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 10am-5pm.
