Nurse (by day) Mary Eleanor Wallace was hosting “Scrap Heap II,” an art sale, at her Tusk boutique in Logan Square.
Do you usually throw parties that intersect with art? I have also hosted an art auction as a fundraiser for my friend Sara Hunter’s residency “Summer Forum.” I love the opportunity to transform a space and support a friend’s creative endeavors.
Tell me more about “Scrap Heap II.” I heard people came early and lined up outside to get the best scraps. “Scrap Heap II” was organized by Sofia Leiby, a local artist and SAIC grad. I was excited about the idea since I love the concept: studio scraps of both emerging and established artists at an obtainable price. People have already been putting up pictures of their scraps (some even framed) on Instagram!
Who is your favorite local artist right now? I really love Sofia’s work and also the work of Chad Kouri.
Why do you think your shop became so successful so quickly, even though you aren’t open during regular hours? How do you define success? There are many days when I don’t have a single person come in. But I am so happy to have a shop, I don’t even care. It has been a lot of work but also a lot of fun. I didn’t know anything about having a business but I wanted to create a special-feeling retail space that wasn’t intimidating or too expensive.
Can you tell me more about your dress and about your aesthetic in general? The dress is a very early Guess piece found by my friend and fellow clothing curator India McQuoid of Some Like Us. I love the interesting structure of it and the material—a heavy cotton canvas. I would say my aesthetic leans toward easy-to-wear and sculptural.
Journalist Isa Giallorenzo was born in São Paulo, Brazil and has elected Chicago as her beloved home since 2009. She runs the street-style blog Chicago Looks and wants to see this town become one of the fashion capitals of the world.
