Meet Holly Keller | Toy and Fiber Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Holly Keller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Holly, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I’ve been designing and creating things with what I had around me for longer than I can remember, but at some point, I decided that doing something arts-based with my life was impractical and probably impossible. It took the birth of my son to bring it back out into the light. I was inspired and wanted to make beautiful and unique toys for him. When he was a baby, I took him to the thrift store with me and it was then I started seeing the clothes differently–the racks of brightly striped tees became a rainbow of fat little bunnies, the yellow wool sweater was a chicken plushie, a wool tweed jacket was a toad …and that’s how Beeper Bebe began. Over time it has also evolved to include new organic and other fabrics produced in a more environmentally responsible manner, but thrifted, secondhand clothing still form the heart of my designs.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I want kiddos to experience the magic of rainbows, make-believe and sweet dreams. I want to be kind to the earth and use what already exists. I want big people to know that childhood doesn’t have to end just because they’ve grown up–these are the ideas that fuel my designs. My art is all about creating joy for both children and adults. I always say I design for little people, and the little people inside of big people–and I am most proud when an adult comes into my tent at an art show and lingers, examining my work with a smile, and maybe even an occasional squeal of excitement. And my favorite sales are to adults who are buying for themselves. I mean, children are wonderful and I definitely design for kiddos, but adults are the toughest critics and when I can help them to reconnect with the kiddo inside, that’s when I feel most proud.

I loved making toys as soon as I began doing it, everything about it–picking out secondhand fabrics, hand drawing my patterns, sewing the item, building my online shop, photographing my toys, and selling at markets. Today, every time I set up my tent at an art fair, I look around me at the other artists and craftspeople and think, “These are my people.” I feel simultaneously at ease and invigorated doing this–something I never even remotely felt at any other job I had. I am grateful for the other professional experiences I have had, how they have helped me to grow as a person, and the amazing people I have met, but those jobs were never me. It was like a coat I had put on that just didn’t fit right and I was always shifting around and tugging at it, trying to make it feel better.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would definitely get them on a bicycle first so we could experience Minneapolis via our many bike lanes and trails. The Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center would definitely be on my list on stops because it is iconic and just so lovely to walk around on a sunny day. I would also take them my favorite place for cocktails–Petit Leon. It is a small restaurant with a great feel inside, and they make magical tasting cocktails. Then maybe onto Pizzeria Lola for wood-fired pizza. Lola makes some great Korean fusion pizzas. I also love Surly Brewery on a beautiful day for their wonderful outdoor gathering and dining space and their Hog Frites with one of their beers can’t be beat.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Perhaps a bit cliche, but I have to give credit to my mom. She is a non-stop creator and maker of all manner of things and growing up around that always gave me permission and inspiration to make things myself. And, of course, she was admiring my earliest work and calling me an artist in 2nd grade.

Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/beeperbebe

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beeperbebe/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beeperbebe/