After nearly two decades in the Milwaukee arts scene, Emily Downes recognized a recurring problem.
“Art materials were becoming really expensive to purchase,” she says, noting the prohibitive costs for the next generation of creatives. “I was constantly thinking of ways to keep materials in circulation and keep them in the hands of makers.”
Now Downes is setting out to solve that problem by opening Magic Hands Creative Reuse, a secondhand store dedicated to sprucing up and finding new homes for art supplies. The brick-and-mortar showroom (Studio B & Co., 2478 N. Murray Ave.) will have its grand opening on Tuesday, Aug. 25 from 2-7 p.m.
For the past 18 months, Magic Hands has operated as a pop-up around Cream City, including at local markets. “I launched on 414 Day as a gift to Milwaukee,” Downes says. “I just looked at local markets where the vending fee was pretty low or free because I’m selling stuff for like 50 cents or a dollar. … I would see kids and young people come up to my booth and their eyes would light up. Even they know how expensive art materials can get. So hearing me say you can buy two googly eyes or one pom pom for this little project was awesome and really gratifying.”
Check out the City Guide!
Downes, who is also a lecturer at UW-Milwaukee’s Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres, sees her art reuse store as a way to bring communities together around creativity and promote ecological sustainability.
“I have always been making stuff, whether it’s music or animation or photography or illustration or sewing; I like to do it all,” she says. “It’s been a part of my fabric, for as long as I can remember.”
With the furniture and fixtures in the new space being thrifted, Downes is practicing what she preaches. “I’m a firm believer in driving around and finding stuff on the side of the road to refurbish to make new again,” she says.
From people searching for an outlet for everything hoarded in their attic or looking for lower-cost art materials to keep creating, she says, “Magic Hands is that bridge, that middle point between.”
At the new storefront, there is a drawing and painting section, with canvases, paints and brushes, in addition to many more treasures and trinkets throughout the store, like pastels, charcoal, yarn, fleece, knitting materials, clay for ceramics and more.
The local art supply scene seems to be having a moment. Magic Hands comes to Milwaukee just one month after the opening of 414 Art Revival, a new art supply thrift store that opened in West Allis in late July.
Now that Magic Hands has its own brick-and-mortar, Downes says, “It gets a lot of foot traffic. People are looking into the windows and really curious about what we have.”
The secondhand collective will also be offering classes and workshops for all ages and skill levels. Artists and creatives interested in hosting courses can submit an application here.
Donations for Magic Hands Creative Reuse are open every Sunday and Monday, with some select Saturdays as well. There is also a student and educator discount, with anyone showing their school ID receiving 15% off their purchases.
