Community is Created With Many Hands

Meet a few of the humans who made the Bazar Á La Carte tour stop in Miami so unique and collaborative.

By Tyler Francischine

As the old adage goes, if you’ve been to one Bazar Á La Carte, you’ve been to one Bazar Á La Carte. No two Bazars are alike, because each event takes its shape from the unique contributions of its vendors, workshop hosts, staff, DJs and attendees whose points of view coalesce to create a vibe that’s collaborative, curious and inclusive of all.

Like the tropical storms that South Florida is famous for, the Bazar Á La Carte held at Riverset Studios in Little Havana on August 16 slowly picked up steam throughout the first hours, eventually reaching a thrilling peak. Thanks to the ingenuity of its organizers, this Bazar seamlessly absorbed its large number of attendees by spreading out its offerings over three distinct spaces: on the first floor, vendors selling Palestinian shawarma and Korean hot chicken greeted attendees as they filed in, while a DJ perched above the stairwell kept guests’ hips swaying to the beat as they explore vendor stall.

70 vendors selling jewelry, records, clothes and candles and offering energy readings and prom-style photography gave attendees much reason to stick around despite the August heat, while an upstairs airplane hangar area served as a mini-Little River Flea market. Here, guests scoured rows of vintage clothing, bags and shoes as a lineup of DJs from Miami’s Jolt Radio kept the energy levels high and a pair of visual art exhibitions gave many a reason to pause. Just underneath this area, OPEN: SOURCE, a pop-up production studio by Akomi, invited guests to contribute their own creativity to an ever-evolving soundtrack of the night. Those who signed up for workshops were able to climb to the second floor of the venue, where areas were partitioned off for figure drawing classes, ceramics activities, workshops in creative writing and sewing, a film festival and more.

As I strolled through each of the spaces, I recognized how different this Bazar felt from the one held in this very venue this time last year. Sure, the essential elements of any Bazar were present, but this one felt more familiar, more friendly, almost like a family reunion. I decided to find out why. I spoke with a few folks throughout the night to discuss why they decided to attend, what their Bazar experiences were like, and how they feel about creating spaces for creative collaboration in their city. 

 

Zaleigh Dixon

Bazar Á La Carte officially ended at 11 p.m., but a few minutes after 11, Zaleigh Dixon was still flitting around the large oval table upstairs, attending to folks sitting at individual sewing machines and making custom keychains during her beginner-friendly sewing workshop. At 20 years old, Zaleigh already has years of experience in sewing and custom clothing alterations under her belt. She and her brand, Sonder Sewing, are based in Gainesville, but she made the six-hour drive down to Miami to host this workshop because she believes in the power of sewing to build both individual confidence and collective connection.

“I initially got into sewing because I’m very small: I’m 4'9” and I weigh less than 100 pounds. So, at 14, I had this idea that maybe I could learn how to sew to alter my clothes. The first thing I did was alter some pants I got from a thrift store, and I fell in love with it. I started posting my sewing journey, and people began asking me for custom orders. For the first three to four years of me teaching myself how to sew, I was also creating things for lots of people,” Zaleigh said. “I created my first sewing workshop with the How Bazar community, and it took off from there. With these beginner workshops, my main goals are to get people past the intimidating part of learning how to use a sewing machine and to inspire them to continue to sew afterwards. I provide sewing kits with a motivational, ‘continue your sewing journey’ card in there.

“Sewing has allowed me to express myself, to have the confidence to try to create a little sewing community, and to know that I have some type of skill that I can offer in community. Even if I had nothing to offer to How Bazar, being able to witness something like Bazar Á La Carte and seeing people do something that they really enjoy that brings people together just fills my heart,” Zaleigh added. “It's so important for How Bazar to create gatherings like this because of how separated everybody is. Some kind interactions can be seen as awkward or feel weird these days, because everyone is just on social media. Yet, no matter the event How Bazar puts on, you somehow bond with someone that night. I think this creates a lasting positive impact, because the people who they bring together can then create further community. How Bazar is creating something that you don’t see in Florida or anywhere else.”

Brock

Like a flower that turns its petals toward the sun without need for direction, I was drawn to Brock’s vendor booth, Mental Gardens, almost involuntarily. Their plentiful smile and elegant way of motioning to the intricate jewelry pieces created with real plant materials (and bugs!) had me eager to learn more. Brock — who told me the ‘k’ in their name stands for ‘kind’— wasted no time explaining the ethos behind the Fort Lauderdale-based small business founded and owned by his partner, Vanessa Leon, which garnered national recognition this winter when actress Ayo Edebiri wore a Mental Gardens grill to the Golden Globes.

“We work with a lot of plants and flowers you can find here in South Florida. My partner, Vanessa, started Mental Gardens about two years ago, creating custom, handmade grills, but as a jeweler, she’s always expanding and finding ways to help people express and adorn themselves in new ways, or ways that they might not be too comfortable with at first. I feel her style bridges the abstract and the traditional, which fits for all the little fairies and my weirdos who live here in Miami,” Brock said. “I’m a gardener by trade, and I’ve been helping to make the jewelry alongside Vanessa — I’ve been doing all the preservation of the natural materials we use, and she taught me how to create the rings, bracelets and necklaces. I’m happy to be at How Bazar today, because the vibe is fitting for my persona. I'm always trying to push the agenda when it comes to gender fluid expression. I feel like our jewelry also gives that vibe: cis, hetero people and people who are visibly queer, different or just like weirdos, aliens, or little plant people all come up to our table and find something they love. How Bazar creates an amazing space to meet people, connect and get inspired. As artists, we can be too hard on ourselves and get trapped in our own creations, but seeing other people doing what they like and finding their own niche is really sweet and eye-opening.”

Karla Marcelino

I first met Karla Marcelino at last year’s Miami Bazar, when she took home the trophy for Best Vendor Booth for her small business, Old Affairs Costume Jewelry. This year, Karla and her father were eager to reclaim their spot, which sells vintage American and European pieces in a variety of styles. Karla took a short break from assisting her customers — most of whom she refers to as “beautiful,” “gorgeous,” or other sorts of pet names that make you feel like a real belle of the ball — to speak with me about her passion for her work, and why she returned to vend at Bazar Á La Carte for the second year in a row.

“I curate my collection piece by piece, and I research all my pieces. I include the date, the maker and the material on each, so that my clients not only get a piece of jewelry, but a piece of history,” Karla said. “I was so welcomed at Bazar Á La Carte last year that I decided to come back. The coordinator, Laila, is absolutely a sweetheart, and the crew, clientele and vibe are amazing. I love the ambience they create with the music. It’s been one of the greatest experiences I’ve had as a jewelry vendor who goes around the city doing markets, because this team greets all the vendors with such open arms. That's why the Bazar is so successful: they communicate with vendors, the fee is super affordable, and the treatment feels like an open-heart experience. It’s so beautiful.”

Tiffany Tompkins

When I happened upon Tiffany Tompkins, she was enjoying a brief moment of repose. About midway through the night, she took a seat in a director’s chair positioned in front of a lightbulb-framed mirror, not far from where a group was creating linocut prints with Miami's Pana MIA Club. She looked like an actress or singer gathering herself to go out on stage, but her warm smile invited me closer for a chat. I found out she had attended Bazar Á La Carte to support her friend whose paintings were being exhibited, but she had stayed because creative expression is what drives her, both personally and professionally.

“My impression so far is that this event is intricate, complex, stimulating and exciting. I’ve seen lots of fun faces and styles and good energy,” Tiffany said. “I'm a second-grade teacher, so this kind of vibe definitely goes hand-in-hand with what I do for work. We were all kids at one point, and we all have that creativity in us. Then, at some point in time, that goes dormant. But, as adults, we can come back to that place when we find new ways to play and explore that part of ourselves. I feel like we're really doing that work for our inner child tonight.”

John Persaud

About an hour after the Bazar doors opened, John Persaud led a creative writing workshop in conjunction with his work with the Poetry Potluck, a quarterly gathering of poets and creatively minded South Floridians that uses art-based activities to center culture and connection. Convening around a large, oval table on the second floor of Riverset Studios, John’s workshop invited a handful of attendees to respond to quotes from thinkers like Maya Angelou and James Baldwin, or to create a piece based on an unpopular opinion they hold. One by one, the attendees shared their thoughts in verse and rhyme, and by the end of the workshop, a couple shared threads emerged: each budding poet had focused on themes of authenticity, responsibility and connection in an increasingly isolating world. John told me he didn’t expect the group’s ideas to dovetail so perfectly, though cultivating a deep dialogue was always the name of the game.

“I was a little bit nervous doing this workshop, because everyone has unpopular opinions, and some different viewpoints can clash. Yet, every time I do it, it's always a beautiful, comforting environment where everybody comes together and piggybacks off each other’s ideas,” John said. “I believe that every great story or artistic expression is anchored in something real for us. Sharing something unpopular that most people won't believe but that you’re willing to stand on makes for such a powerful artistic message. This workshop flowed so organically and beautifully. I loved when everyone shared their positive feedback of each other’s pieces without me even suggesting it. It was perfect.” (Photo by John Persaud)

Tina Murcia

During the creative writing workshop, Tina Murcia shared a poem that elicited fervent snaps from the rest of us. A laundry list of poignant, self-reflective questions ended in an enthusiastic expletive: “If I’m the problem, what if I’m also the solution? Fuck,” Tina read to us. A couple hours after the workshop, I caught up with Tina to capture their first impression of Bazar Á La Carte, which they learned about through its Miami-based creative partners like Man, I Love Figure Drawing and Buen Provecho Collective. I also found out just how critical spaces like Bazar Á La Carte are for South Florida’s creative communities.

“Oh my gosh. My first impression was, ‘How have I not been here before?’ Then, I was just kind of overwhelmed, in a good way. I love the chaos; it’s got some organization to it,” Tina said. “Miami is changing so much. I think we're all a bit scared for the future of Miami and what that looks like for creatives and artists who want to still afford to live here and be in community in these spaces. Miami is, in its essence, artists, and it always will be. A lot of the vendors here tonight, I’ve known personally. It’s so important to have these spaces for locals. It’s just so nice to feel safe and in community.”

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