Open for business

Marion Bridge-based artists open kiosk at Port of Sydney.

SYDNEY — Angela MacLeod and Mary Marshe are hoping The Tiny Little Shop Art Gallery at the Port of Sydney will help them make full-time income from their work.

The shop opened on April 30 for the arrival of the Zaandam, the first cruise ship to dock in Sydney for the 2019 season. The married mothers from Marion Bridge said response was great and sales better than expected.

MacLeod, a mosaic artist who uses recycled materials, sold a framed piece of a rooster and three suncatchers. Marshe, a fibre artist who also upcycles and does her own wool processing, sold three of her dolls which range in price from under $10 to a few hundred, depending on the size, detail and time it takes to finish. All other materials the two artists need for their pieces is sourced locally.

The decision to open the shop came about relatively quickly as a way to keep their art affordable and get away from high commissions charged by some galleries and stores. MacLeod started toying with the idea of having her own shop two months ago and made arrangements to rent one of the portside kiosks during cruise ship season. A month ago, she asked Marshe to partner up and things rolled from there.

“It’s a good way to showcase our work,” said 40-year-old Marshe.

“The commissions in Cape Breton now are going higher and higher. Before it was 30 (per cent) now it’s 45 (per cent) … Plus I only get paid four times a year so I’m not getting paid right away. So, if I want to be selling my artwork and getting paid for it, the only way I can do it is by selling it myself,” said MacLeod, who is also 40.

Currently the shop is only open when cruise ships are docked but they plan to have The Tiny Little Shop Art Gallery open more regularly when the weather warms up. They’re also planning on having workshops for children and youth during the summer.

“We want to bring the community down, have family days and things like that,” MacLeod said.

Marshe added: “And inspire people … People are really interested in mosaic and fibre art and they’re always asking questions. It’s always good to inspire. You never know, you could be talking to a future doll maker.”

More information about The Tiny Little Shop Art Gallery can be found on their Facebook page by the same name.

NIKKI SULLIVAN/CAPE BRETON POST Angela MacLeod, left, and Mary Marshe stand outside their kiosk located portside of the Joan Harris Cruise Pavilion on April 30. The Tiny Little Shop Art Gallery will be open during cruise ship season, which is expected to run until November. MacLeod, a mosaic artist, and MacLeod, a fibre artist, both hope the shop will help them showcase their work and make a full-time income off of it.

NIKKI SULLIVAN/CAPE BRETON POST Some of Angela MacLeod’s mosaics are three-dimensional, like this one of birds drinking from an outdoor water tap.

One of the dolls made by fibre artist Mary Marshe. All wool used in the dolls is processed by Marshe, who has two sheep at home. This includes sheering, cleaning, spinning and dying. Other materials are recycled or upcycled and the dolls, which range in price from under $10 to a few hundred dollars, are considered organic. NIKKI SULLIVAN/ CAPE BRETON POST