Maker space, store and magical museum: The Illustrious Order of Makesmiths has opened in Blawnox

Photos by Melissa Rayworth

An unassuming storefront in Blawnox is now home to something remarkable: The Illustrious Order of Makesmiths is part art gallery, part home decor store and part creative maker space, welcoming adults and kids who want to immerse themselves in all things visually remarkable.

The Makesmiths shop is the brainchild of Squonk Opera co-founder Steve O’Hearn and his wife, the artist known as Chief. The shop is filled with their creations, which include everything from feather dusters with handles made from old hammers to remarkable sculpted mobile phone holders called Monstrances (see below) that also serve as sound amplifiers.

It’s a remarkable place for kids (and grownups) to get creative inspiration.

And along with offering a stunning array of cool things for sale, Chief and Steve will be hosting weekly Show and Tell sessions (first Wednesday of each month) when people (including kids) are welcome to bring in creative things they’re working on. And Drawing Day events will welcome community members to come in and sketch.

Prehensile Pencils and Prehensile Utensils are crafted from wood and have wonderfully floppy prehensile tails. O’Hearn has also crafted wooden boxes for keepsakes that discourage people from poking into your treasures because they have teeth. (Don’t worry: They’re not real. Creative reuse is a priority here, so the boxes are studded with false teeth bought from a dental office that went out of business).

Here’s a peek at some of the other incredibly inventive things you can discover at the Illustrious Order of Makesmiths: