PUBLIREPORTAGE

Francine Chamaillard’s Art Boutique

Be ready for surprises when you enter Francine Chamaillard’s Hand Made and Found Boutique at 805 Riverside Drive in Wakefield.

There you will be delighted to see featured accomplished mixed media works and a cornucopia of knick-knacks, figurines, and odd objects, all in one location.

And when you go beyond the larger room filled with myriad art and artifact, you may have a further surprise in seeing a vivacious hair stylist in full action, styling a client’s hair while chatting with others who are waiting their turn.

This enterprising young woman, you will discover, is Perside or, as she is professionally known, “La Coiffeuse Perside”, daughter of shop owner, Francine Chamaillard.

As you will see in this unique blending of art boutique that doubles as a hair salon, who could be bored?

This writer was attracted to visit it, lured by an outside sign that read “Vintage and Artisanat”.

Inside, my eyes popped like an animated children’s cartoon character at the variety and uniqueness of the offerings. Then my heart started to race when I saw some authentic English bone china tea cups (Royal Dalton, Prince Albert, etc.) – the kind my dear late mother had when hosting special company.

I bought four of them at a modest price, only to discover later from my savvy Googling-daughter Sarah that these are collector’s pieces worth many times more than what they cost. Attention, bargain hunters!

Sarah fell for a Turret brand old cigarette tin box, which she says she will use as a jewelry catch-all.

The caché quality of this art boutique is that all is delightfully hodge-podge mixed – be it the so-called “found” objects, largely memorabilia, along with the mixed media and textile works of Francine Chamaillard herself.

“I have been an avid collector and artist for 40 years,” says Francine, whose mother Carmen was a painter and clothes designer.

“I grew up in the 70s when there was this effervescence, a rediscovery and big push of arts, crafts, where ‘handmade’ was a watchword, and I caught the bug,” she says, smiling.

Doubtless, these original creations would make ideal gifts so much more prized than any same-same commercial store product.

And as this writer discovered on return visits, each time was a new experience with fresh discoveries.

Which is to say, come in and explore. You surely will want to come back again and again.