In life, you're encouraged to avoid clich‚s. There are always more descriptive, less hackneyed ways to explicate one's thoughts and ideas. Nonetheless, just like your racist uncle's point that stereotypes exist for a reason, sometimes a clich‚ does the job. Art Star, a part-boutique, part-gallery gem in Northern Liberties, is a fantastic breath of fresh air.
Megan Brewster and Erin Waxman, now co-owners of Art Star, were young, ambitious artists in search of venues to display their work. With limited options, the two first teamed up to create the Art Star Craft Bazaar, a series of Saturday craft shows held at the First Unitarian Church in the summer of 2004.
"Young, ambitious artists in search of a venue" are not exactly a rarity. Waxman and Brewster's Craft Bazaar was a success. Encouraged by rave reviews from fellow up-and-comers, the two decided to create their own space. Several months later, Art Star was born.
Aside from sharing youth, talent and the quest to get their Converse/Vans in the door, many of the Art Star artists share creative influence. Much of their work displays a self-conscious reflection of pop culture and anime, be it an original silk-screen on a T-shirt, the crayon colors of felt jewelry, the childlike cutouts and needlepoint of a one-of-a-kind handbag, or the playfully ironic b urnt toast stuffed animal. Many of the pieces successfully blend Japanese-inspired whimsy with a darker, grungier edge.
This mix is evident in the work of Jason Sho Green, whose "Mustaches and Other Musts" is currently on display at Art Star. The collection, showcased from October 7 through November 19, is made up of roughly 50 blocks of found wood, each piece with its own eccentric character or creature that has been transformed from doodle or sketch into painting. Brewster and Waxman appreciate and uphold affordability. They keep most items under $100, a small price to pay for originality. T-shirts range from $24 to $36; most jewelry and accessories are around $50. Go and get something jealousy-inspiring, before Urban Outfitters sends their spies to crash this fiesta of originality.
