“It feels less like a shop and more like being invited into a collector’s home.
“We would like to be a gathering place for the community.”
“When I visit Isles Studio, I know I’ll find things I won’t see anywhere else in the Twin Cities. Even the space itself is unique, from the tropical plants in the courtyard to the beautiful handmade pieces inside. It feels less like a shop and more like being invited into a collector’s home. That’s a reflection of Jeff’s talent for finding intriguing and unexpected pieces.”
In that statement, Eileen Troxel, one of the many artists featured at Isles Studio, captures the essence of this artistic Uptown shop.
On Thursday, Sept. 24, from 5 to 7 p.m., the public is invited to explore the artistic menagerie over drinks and food and to meet many of the artists who bring their one-of-a-kind creations to the neighborhood.
Rekindling a lifelong dream to work in a natural history museum, Jeff Bengtson left corporate retail and opened Isles Studio in the fall of 2015 to sell handmade products made by artisans from Europe and the United States. One will not find similar products elsewhere in the Twin Cities.
Visitors immediately notice the bright plumage and inquisitive looks of taxidermy birds. Created by two naturalists in Amsterdam, these birds transport the shopper to exotic worlds.
Jill Michell, an Isles Studio artist, was inspired by those birds. “I was intrigued by Jeff’s collection, in particular, his impressive display of exotic taxidermy birds,” Michell said. “I offered to create a series of paintings for the studio. I’d say our mutual admiration for preserving birds in a way that blends aesthetics, science and interior decoration is what motivated me to become involved with the Isles Studio.”
The COVID-19 pandemic, the unrest following the murder of George Floyd, crime and road construction all took a toll on Isles Studio. Bengtson wants to stay a part of Uptown, so he has added new ways to connect with the neighborhood.
“Our focus now is to continue selling the products we believe in but also expand our store events and include gallery openings and classes,” he said. “We would like to be a gathering place for the community.”
Linda Bachman, a painter and ceramicist, said, “It is one of the most unique destination shopping experiences in Minneapolis. Sometimes I just come to see what’s new or sometimes I come to pick out gifts for my husband to buy me. My house is filled with treasures from Isles Studio that I have bought over the years.” Bachman is currently creating a stork platter that will soon be for sale at the studio.
Many items are from afar: milky white French homeware by Astier de Villatte; ephemera, ceramics and furniture by New York decoupager John Derian; candles by Trudon, once the official supplier to the French court; and hand-embroidered home textiles and accessories by German designer Anke Drechsel.
Shoppers can also find and support local artists. Troxel, who is one of them, said, “I hope the neighborhood recognizes what a gem Isles Studio is. I especially appreciate Jeff’s commitment to introducing his customers and the community to new artists and their work.”
Josie Owens writes for the Hill & Lake Press. She lives in Lowry Hill.
