Frye Staff Store Faves

Madison Wareham

Maddi's pick: Candles by Calico Botanicals

You might recognize this familiar face—Maddi (she/her) has been working as a part of our small but mighty team in the Store since 2023. She is a working artist like many at the Frye. Maddi’s practice is in copper printmaking and illustration, she loves to create large life-like images in her work. Outside of the Frye and her practice, she loves thrifting, cuddling with her tuxedo kitty Frida, and going on as many adventures with her friends as possible! When we asked Maddi what her favorite product was in the store, as a Scorpio, it was evident that she was obsessed with one exact item, well, an army of items:  

“One of my favorite items we sell in the store is any one of Calico Botanicals’ hand-dipped and sculpted candle creations (but especially the snails). Shannon Phelps is so talented in her colorful and unique designs; she pushes the boundaries of what you can make with just hot beeswax. I love the balance of artistry and functionality in her work, even though I would personally never light one of her pieces, it's too precious to burn away.”  

Alexis L. Silva

Alexis's picks: Crescent Candle Holder by Cuevas Metalworks, greeting and note cards

Alexis L. Silva (all pronouns) is the Curatorial Assistant at the Frye and has an expansive role here, curating exhibitions while also supporting other museum programing in different capacities. “I think what I love most about my position is meeting all the artists we work with,” says Alexis, reflecting on cultivating meaningful relationships with artists at the museum. “They all come from different backgrounds and work in a variety of ways. It’s always great to connect with them and get to know them a little more personally.”

“Having a studio art background has really helped me in my journey as a curator,” Alexis says, describing their own art practice and how it has evolved in tandem with their curatorial career. “While I will always say that I am an artist, I know my primary practice is in curatorial work,” they explain.

When asked about their favorite objects in the Store, Alexis says they’re drawn to chain linked pieces, as well as the vast selection of greeting cards we carry. “I really love anything chain linked,” says Alexis, “it reminds me of my brother and his love for chains. So all of the chain works are just *chef’s kiss.* I will say though, the number one thing I always go to the Frye Store for is greeting cards. We just have such a fun variety, perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, Thank Yous, I truly love getting cards at the Frye Store.”

Lila Thomas

Lila's pick: Purple Market Tote by Anna Learns Things

Lila Thomas (she/they) is a part-time Teaching Artist and also a member of the security team at the Frye. She supports and helps facilitate programs like Field Trip to the Frye, Small Frye, and Community Field Trip to the Frye. Lila loves building relationships with youth, adults, and elders through artmaking and storytelling, and being part of an environment where curiosity and exploration are encouraged. “It’s rewarding to help create a space where people of all ages can feel seen, inspired, and connected through art,” she says.

Outside of the Frye, Lila is a figurative painter focused on intimate, light-filled scenes that reflect Black and queer experiences of ease and belonging. “My work often draws from personal and communal narratives, and I explore themes of identity, memory, and cultural exchange through food, music, and everyday objects,” they explain. Lila is also an instructor at Gage Academy of Art and Cornish College of the Arts, where she teaches drawing and painting.

Caitlyn Edson

Cece's picks: When you Find the Right Rock by Mary Lyn Ray and Felicita Sala, art prints by kwonny, Blue Ceramic Horses by Christiana Hedlund

If you’ve visited us since the fall, chances are you’ve met Cece (she/her), our newest addition to the small crew that runs the Frye store. Cece is a Libra who is passionate about gathering community around food, writing big-feelings essays on motherhood, and zine making. In her life before the Frye she co-ran the tiny art gallery Soft Spot in Beacon Hill and apprenticed as a cement mason. When we asked about her favorite piece in the Store there was no way she could pick just one.   

“Whenever I look around the Store I see the perfect design book for my partner, a gorgeous pair of earrings for my girlfriend, the sweetest children’s book for my toddler, and a dozen other handcrafted works by local artists that I covet constantly,” she says. “I’m particularly obsessed with the blue ceramic horses by Christiana Hedlund, all of the prints we carry by kwonny, and When you Find the Right Rock by Mary Lyn Ray and Felicita Sala.”

Cece has loved the Frye Store long before coming on as part of the team, and she feels delighted to spend her working days surrounded by beautiful bespoke objects in our jewel box space.