by Amber Helsel
Patty Patterson’s business, RePurposed Projects, takes up 5,000 square feet of space in the back of a flea market. Photo courtesy Imani Khayyam
Patty Patterson says the place where her studio is located is a business incubator; the other vendors and tenants just don't know it.
"I just told them the other day, 'Do y'all know this is an incubator?' Because they're closing down the (Jackson) Enterprise Center, so we're getting a lot of those people (that) are trying to come in here," Patterson says.
Patty Patterson (left) and Don White (right) prepare wood for Patterson’s repurposed wine racks and other products. Photo courtesy Imani Khayyam Wood pallets form a border around Patterson's 5,000 square feet, though she says she actually works in a 12-feet-by-12-feet space. The rest is for her materials and other projects she is working on. She moved into her space in the back of a flea market near Ellis Avenue and Raymond Road in October 2015.
Before, she had been in The Hangar in midtown but says she wanted to be in a place where she could give back more to the community and help kids stay out of trouble.
Before, she had been in The Hangar in midtown but says she wanted to be in a place where she could give back more to the community and help kids stay out of trouble.
Artisan Patty Patterson keeps her material for her projects in her workspace near Ellis Avenue and Raymond Road. Photo courtesy Imani Khayyam In her business, Patterson repurposes wood into items such as wine racks. She also works with the State of Mississippi and Revitalize Mississippi to help citizens who want to refurbish state properties and get them into the hands of citizens.
"We're just trying to information the community that they can purchase these properties and put them back on the land-roll," she says. "We take the recycled material and try to get it to another person that wants to put them on their home." She has also built Little Free Libraries in the community.
Currently, she is training a local man, Don White, to help her make items from pallets. They make about five wine racks a day, which she then sells wholesale to local home-decor company Kalalou. Her products are in the company's catalogue, At West End. "Basically I'm just trying to use this space to engage the community," Patterson says.
"We're just trying to information the community that they can purchase these properties and put them back on the land-roll," she says. "We take the recycled material and try to get it to another person that wants to put them on their home." She has also built Little Free Libraries in the community.
Currently, she is training a local man, Don White, to help her make items from pallets. They make about five wine racks a day, which she then sells wholesale to local home-decor company Kalalou. Her products are in the company's catalogue, At West End. "Basically I'm just trying to use this space to engage the community," Patterson says.
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