Let there be art, Ariel Perkins thought.
Mondays are traditionally a night off in the dining industry. But Perkins, the assistant manager of A Basq Kitchen on Redondo Beach’s International Boardwalk, also happens to be an artist. And thus she had a vision in which her two worlds — art and dining — would collide.
“I just realized it was something easy enough to do — I had the connections, and the space,” Perkins said. “Not many people have that opportunity, to have that space, so I figured we may as well use it for something.”
The first Whatits Galore Art Fair took place two months ago and spilled out from the restaurant all across the boardwalk, a vibrant pop-up art art scene that included paintings, jewelry, skateboard decks, buttons, live music, and more. The name comes from “The Little Mermaid,” whose title character, Ariel, refers to her treasure trove as “Whatsits galore.”
Our local, somewhat terrestrial Ariel is a bit uneasy calling herself an artist, but she knows treasures when she sees them.
“I make buttons,” she said. “It’s a little graphic design, simple work, but I always wanted to be an artist as a child. I was never very artistic but I found soemthing simple enough to do. But mostly, I have really awesome friends who are great artists. I just piggyback on their artistry.”
The Whatsits Galore Holiday Art Fair takes place this Monday and features a wide array of artists and artesans, including jewelry made from sea life, tattoo-inspired art, ocean-inspired art, film, music, homemade jams and hand-crafted soaps.
“It’s going to be a good time, really cool people hanging out enjoying each other and their artwork, just making friends,” Perkins said. “There’ll be drinks and a little food in a nice environment, people meeting new people and local artists.”
The Whatsits Galore Holiday Art Fair takes place at A Basq Kitchen, 136 N. International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, from 5 to 9 p.m. $10 at the door includes hours d’oeurves and happy hour all night.
