{image1} Faythe Levine's second Art vs. Craft Fair has since come and gone, but for those who missed it, or simply can't get enough of it, Levine and partner Kimberly Kisiolek have taken it upon themselves to provide a permanent craftster jackpot in Milwaukee, and they are calling it Paper Boat Boutique and Gallery.
Co-owners Levine and Kisiolek opened the doors of their Boutique and Gallery on June 19 in what is fast becoming a Bay View hot spot.
At 2367 S. Howell Ave, they are just south of Café Lulu, and walking distance from the July-opening Schwartz Bookshop, Broad Vocabulary bookstore, Hi-Fi Café, the Fashion Ninja boutique, and their soon-to-be neighbor, Sky-High skate shop.
"We sought out a Bay View spot not only because it is safe and comfy, but also because it is a very up and coming area," says Kisiolek. Surrounded by numerous other independently-owned local businesses, Paper Boat fits right in.
"Everything we sell is made by independent designers, crafters and artists," says Levine. The ladies have about 40 designers to start with, hailing from Milwaukee to as far away as Europe and Asia, and will continue to feature new items by new artists on a weekly basis.
Though some of the types of items they feature are common--clothing, jewelry, accessories, housewares, and paper goods--they are far from commonly-made.
"Each item is hand-crafted, making it literally one-of-a-kind, and nothing we sell has a major label," says Levine.
One Brooklyn designer in particular, Alyce Santoro, is offering Paper Boat an innovative take on the messenger bag. Under the label "Sonic Fabric," Santoro creates the bags from a weave made of 50 percent pre-recorded recycled audiocassette tape and 50 percent cotton.
The sounds contained in the weave can actually be heard by running a tape head over its surface, and Santoro's famed "Sonic Rhythms Dress" made its public debut in April 2004 when Phish's Jon Fishman wore and played it on stage. Paper Boat has its own "Sonic Fabric" listening device for curious customers.
In conjunction with the Boutique, the Paper Boat Gallery will host rotating shows, exhibiting work from emerging artists who incorporate non-traditional techniques into their work, such as textiles, silk screening and woodcraft.
Levine's previous gallery, Flying Fish, (which turned into the Web-based Flying Fish Design) was noted for its legendary Sock Monkey Show in 2002. Although the Riverwest gallery is now defunct, local artist Molly McKee's adorably crafted primates have found their way into Paper Boat and are accompanied by Black Bird Fashion's socktopus, the long lost cousin of the sock monkey.
But whether they are selling monkeys made of socks or messenger bags made of mix tapes, the owners say their shop has one goal: to support the arts and crafts community.
"The do-it-yourself community is really tight-knit, so as a designer, I've gotten to know so many talented people from all over who are now working with us," says Levine. "The trust they put in us to handle their work is amazing. We've been really lucky." Paper Boat is currently accepting items for consignment via e-mail at paperboatboutique@gmail.
The Paper Boat Boutique & Gallery is open every day except Tuesday. The Web site is paperboatboutique.com
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
