Westbeth Flea Market

Courtyard Garden funded by Westbeth Beautification Commitee

Courtyard Garden: design and maintenance by Westbeth Beautification Committee. Terry Pruinton, gardener

The Westbeth Beautification Committee, a subcommittee of the Westbeth Artists Residents Council, has been a Westbeth tenant volunteer organization for the past 35 years. Since 1984, the Committee has held an annual WESTBETH FLEA MARKET dedicated to fundraising for projects that benefit Westbeth, the neighborhood community, local charities and disaster relief.

Flea Markets are held twice a year.

Winter Flea Market . Always held on Election Day, followed by a weekend to include Veteran’s Day, and then the following weekend with a one-day $10 Bag Sale. Dates are dependent on the Election Day calendar for each year.

Spring Flea Market. Dates usually in May for one weekend. $10 Bag sale the following weekend.

SALE AND DONATIONS INFO: westbethfleamarket@gmail.com
We welcome clean, usable donations. We do not accept large TVs, upholstered furniture, pillows and anything that is torn, stained, broken, or not in working order. You can leave your donations in the blue bin in Westbeth basement, or contact us by email. Generally we cannot pick up donations. For donations of affordable art, please contact Parviz Mohassel at bravoparviz@yahoo.com

A TRADITION OF GIVING

Entrance Canopy. Design and Installation - Beautification Committee

Entrance Canopy. Design and Installation – Christina Maile/Parviz Mohassel

Since 1984, the Beautification Committee not only uses the funds raised by the Flea Market to enhance the public areas of Westbeth, design and maintain gardens, and provide low-cost or free classes and workshops, but also as a way for donors, customers and Westbeth residents to give back to the community.

We have formed relationships with neighborhood charitable organizations such as the Migrant Families Project at PS 3, Project Renewal an organization that takes care of homeless men and women, Holy Apostles Church, Dress for Success, disaster relief organizations and others to provide after our sales, free clothing, housewares, toys, books and health aids.

After every sale, all books are given away free, some to prisons and neighborhood community centers organizations, etc. All remaining items are donated to the Salvation Army.

In this way, the donations to the Flea Market reinforce our ties to each other, to the cultural mission of Westbeth, and to the needs of the community.

HISTORY

The first Flea Market raised money to build cedar planters to protect the trees along Bethune St. Since then, the annual Flea Market has funded Westbeth’s public gardens, restoration projects, low cost Feldenkrais classes, and most recently a PEN Women’s Literary Workshop.

RECENT PROJECTS

Feldenkrais Class

Feldenkrais Class

PEN Women's Literary Workshop

PEN Women’s Literary Workshop

New racks for Bike Room

New racks for Bike Room

BARGAINS GALORE

Fine Art at the Flea Market

Fine Art and more at the Flea Market

Westbeth is a home to artists – painters, dancers, actors, writers, sculptors, musicians and more. What they donate to the Westbeth Flea Market are the things they have found to be amusing, beautiful, useful, and astonishing.

You will find here not just and incredible array of books, objects, clothes, artwork, etc, but an artistic aesthetic which reflects not only what Westbeth artists have collected passionately for themselves, but what they have created out of passion.

Our customers include families, techno nerds, artists, set designers, students, art collectors, bargain hunters, book lovers, musicians, people in need of cool (and warm) clothing, treasure seekers, and dreamers.

At the Westbeth Flea Market, you will find the extraordinary. At very affordable prices. COLLECT LIKE AN ARTIST!

Thousands of books: art, bio, history, novels, non fiction, poetry and more

Thousands of books: art, bio, history, novels, non fiction, poetry and more

Clothing and Electronics

Clothing and Electronics

Furniture

Household

Household

Linens and Christmas

Children's books and toys

Children’s books and toys

Jewelry and musical instruments

Jewelry and musical instruments

Original artwork

Original artwork

ORIGINAL ARTWORK
Regularly, families of deceased artists donate original artwork to the Flea Market where they find new appreciative owners, thus maintaining a legacy of the artist’s work, and their time at Westbeth.

The Flea Market has sold works by Ralph Dubin, Jane Bolmeieir, Patrick Sullivan, and more. Watercolors, oil and acrylic paintings, fine art prints, sculpture, at prices affordable for all art collectors.

HAPPY BUYERS

nANCY AND CUSTOMER

Customers from the neighborhood, across the city, and from around the world return again and again. Many have remarked on feeling a sense of community when they walk through the doors. The Flea Market has also acted as an introduction to the cultural events at Westbeth – art exhibits, performances, music and dance festivals.

We have been featured in Time Out, the NY Times, DNA Info, and the Villager. More recently Neighborhood Slice broadcast a TV episode featuring the Westbeth Flea Market. We are a neighborhood legend.

Buyer LIbrary

SELECTED PROJECTS FUNDED BY FLEA MARKET

Gallery Lighting for Lobby

Gallery Lighting for Lobby

Planter boxes and benches on Bethune and Bank Sts.

Planter boxes and benches on Bethune and Bank Sts.

Historic restoration of 19th c Westbeth lanterns

Historic restoration of 12 of Westbeth’s 19th c lanterns

Center Courtyard Garden Stone wall - design, and installation by Beautification Committee

Center Courtyard Garden Stone wall – design, and installation by Beautification Committee

Exterior Bulletin Board

Exterior Bulletin Board design Beautification Committee

Future Project - Wayfinding Hallway Signage

Future Project – Wayfinding Hallway Signage

Westbeth Beautification Committee

Westbeth Beautification Committee

Back L to R: Jennifer Cooke – co -founder, sculptor; Halina Warren – real estate; Inez Foose – muralist; Sandra Kingsbury – actor; Nancy Gabor – actor, director; Laura Klein – actor, star; Parviz Mohassel – architect, painter; Christina Maile – printmaker, landscape architect; Paul Binnerts – playwright, director.

Front L to R: Anne Brody – co founder, painter; Milda Vizbar – printmaker; Penny Jones- puppeteer; Gina Shamus – potter; Jane Klein – photographer.

Not Shown: : Jenny Lombard – writer; Blanca Harper – musician; Joya Staack – writer; Anne Weichberger – doula; Beth Griffiths – chamber music singer; Debra Jenks – multi-media; Ruby Ludwig – ethno-musicologist; Bob Ludwig – painter; Gary Friedman – graphic designer, Terry Pruinton – master gardener, Kate Walter – writer; Kiriki Metzo – volunteer; Wesley Pollit – volunteer; Jenny Tango – painter; Jan Leslie Harding – actor, puppeteer; Pawnee Sills – actor, teacher; Linda Marks – poet; Sheila Schwid – painter; Al Cooke – sculptor; John Turner – graphic designer, photographer; Geo Cominskie – photographer agent, community organiser, Roger Braimon – graphic designer.

CONTACT INFORMATION
If you would like to donate clean, usable goods to the Flea Market, or if you would to be on the email list for future sales and events, contact

westbethfleamarket@gmail.com

all photos Christina Maile