Moms à la mode

Since last November, the corner of H and 21st streets has drawn a crowd of both the artsy and the curious, the tattooed and the non-tattooed, the youthful and the not-so-youthful every Second Saturday. That’s when Deep, an art gallery and yoga studio, hosts its monthly art shows.

Last weekend’s Deep festivities included the semi-regular fashion flea market, held from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m., as well as a launch party for the new online magazine Mamazine (http://mamazine.com). Founders Sheri Reed and Amy Anderson explained that the site is meant to help build a stronger “mom community” by providing honest discussions of mommyhood and breaking down judgment barriers between mothers. As the site’s fliers bluntly stated, it’s a place where “Mamas can get real and get happy.”

Speaking of getting happy, after helping themselves to a nice cup of merlot, along with breadsticks and hummus, visitors were ready to feast their eyes on an eclectic mix of reasonably priced goodies at the fashion flea market. Anyone who spends hours at bath shops snorting fragrant lotions would easily have been content with Naturally Lucile products by Catherine Fraga. Made from scratch with 50 percent spring water and 50 percent grape-seed and sweet almond oil, Fraga’s lotions defy other lotions (which typically are 99 percent water). They’re a much better investment for the moisture-happy fiend.

On the other side of the room was a display of purses by Chimpspank. Made from animal prints and Cookie Monster-like material, each was lined with Star Wars, My Little Pony or Batman sheets. Designer Michele Whitnack described her pieces as fun, affordable and entertaining.

Next to Whitnack was painter-designer Sunny Langley, who hand-paints images, from vintage-tattoo-inspired sugar skulls to Frida Kahlo and Josephine Baker, onto slips. Wearing one is like wearing hand-painted artwork on your body.

Then again, “Love, Coco” features screen-printed tanks, tees and undies displaying sweet objects of affection—like guns and knifed human hearts. Designer Nicole Kennedy marked each on the back with red hearts and the signature “Love, Coco.” If guns and knives were too much, you could go with sequins and angel wings, hand-sewn onto silk slips by designer Alicia Johnson, along with her specialty scarf tops and recycled T-shirt halter tops.

After another wine refill, with a couple of crackers in hand, it seemed like a good idea to mosey back outside and catch some other artists. At one table was Paige Marino’s nifty gemstone art—including bejeweled mirrors, flowerpots, candle holders and wooden jewelry boxes.

The next station, though, was where the colors started flying. Kassandra Grossman isn’t kidding when she describes her art as “vibrational painting.” Paintings of all sizes raged with colors, glitter, “two-headed monsters” and geometric as well as abstract shapes. For more information on the market, you can call (916) 448-DEEP.