From upcycled clothing to homemade candles, Brighton Bazaar, an art, vinyl and antique pop-up market located in the Brighton Elks Lodge, highlights a wide range of talented local artists from the Boston area.
Their mission is to be a marketplace run by sellers, for sellers. The community of sellers, of which there are 40 from a variety of niches, has become a support system for small business owners, said Emma Peacock, a Brighton Bazaar artist, seller and owner of Leaf Pile Studios.
“We’re all small business owners, which can be really isolating, especially in the pandemic, so we all end up becoming co-workers in a lot of ways,” Peacock said. “The community is really huge. And I’ve also made a lot of meaningful connections with other artists and creators in the Boston area who attend the events.”
Peacock is a two-dimensional felt artist from Marlborough, Massachusetts. At Leaf Pile Studios, he creates and commissions art using ethically sourced wool.
Two-dimensional needle felting is a “niche” hobby, they said. Peacock also found a Facebook group where 2D fiber artists can connect with each other.
His work includes portraits of pets, gnomes, mushrooms, and jewelry.
Brighton Bazaar also features various vintage and upcycled clothing. Brighid DeAngelis is the owner of the House of Salvage, a second-hand clothing business.
“The name comes from the idea that I want to salvage items that people might otherwise throw away or throw away or think are no longer useful,” DeAngelis said.
Shopping for thrift and vintage items is always something she said she loved, which led her to be a customer at Brighton Bazaar before starting her own business. When she created the House of Salvage, DeAngelis knew that she wanted to be a part of the bazaar.
“Having small community events like this really opens the door for people to get interested in trying new things. I’ve always loved vintage clothing and that kind of market, but I never thought it was something I could participate in until it was here on my back door,” DeAngelis said. “I wouldn’t have built this business without events like that.”
Since it’s just getting started, having events like the Brighton Bazaar has been a great source of community and inspiration, he said.
“To… be able to talk to vendors who are next to me, and not only get their input on how their business has been, but also get encouragement that people are interested in the kinds of things I’m doing… there’s a community really good from artists who want to support each other,” said DeAngelis.
Senisa Studios and Gardens Sephra owner Anisa Mohammed is another vendor in Brighton Bazaar and her small business has two parts: a studio and a garden. Her studio is where she sells her handmade botanical gifts, artwork, and jewelry and, through her garden, she offers homegrown flower arrangements.
Giving gifts is her “love language” and sharing quality artwork is important to her, she said. For Mohammed, art is something to be explored and passed on.
“I make a lot of pieces that could be kept for generations,” Mohammed said. “Some of the art that I’m creating in my studio is also very involved in storytelling, and it really just brings people together to learn more, talk more to have, I guess, that sense of joy and wonder that we have in nature. . ”
She described the atmosphere of Brighton Bazaar as comfortable, amazing and modern.
“I’ve always noticed that the aura at these Brighton Bazaar events is much more welcoming and accepting of many different backgrounds, different types of representation of people,” Mohammed said. “And I really love that.”
The next Brighton Bazaar at the Brighton Elks Lodge will take place on April 10.
