In Marshall Preheim’s ideal economy, there would be no Target, no Wal-Mart, no Gap–no purchases of products whose origins are unknown. “It’s always seemed like something important was lost every time I spent money on something in a big store,” he says. “I want to feel good about purchases I make–not just a few things from a craft store once a year but the thousands of items you buy over the course of a year.”
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DEPART-ment, a quarterly sale of handmade items hosted by Preheim at Open End Gallery, is his attempt to put a friendly face on material consumption. Preheim’s been running the multipurpose gallery for three years–it’s in the same space as Ideotech, the large-format printing company he owns with Kevin Schuhl. Ideotech pays the bills (by doing fine art enlargements for clients like the Art Institute and blueprints for architectural firms) and Open End’s calendar is booked with art installations, record-release parties, fashion shows, and the occasional theme party, like last weekend’s Barn Dance Apocalypse and next week’s karaoke badminton tournament.
“The thing with stores is that they mark up the product 100 percent and they’re taking around 40 percent of the profit,” says Sarah Bortt, who makes riveted black rubber handbags out of old tires and has her own line of soap and lip balm. “With DEPART-ment they’ve said they would take a max of 10 percent to cover the costs, and less if they can. So…the artist makes more money and the buyer pays a lower price.”
