Little Cakes originally opened in the summer of 2003 in my apartment on East 4th Street. We were idealistic about how we wanted to show art by unknown artists in an unconventional but friendly way. On weekends when we had shows up, I would move all the furniture into the bedroom to make space, and afterwards move it all back. After a year and a half of this self-imposed life disruption Little Cakes the physical gallery went on hiatus as I put shows together elsewhere.

The gallery is back with a new space and new goals. Little Cakes Little Gallery is now located in the front portion of our new ground floor apartment on East 6th Street. In a way it will be more traditional. We will have shows on a consistent basis and there will be no more moving around of furniture as the front area has been designated as the Little Cakes HQ. But we also have new aspirations which attempt to reach beyond the role of the traditional art gallery. We are taking our tag line "Home to the Gentle Arts" very seriously. Little Cakes will be showing artwork that we believe is capable of bringing inspiration and hope for a better world in a setting that brings honesty and intimacy to our viewers. As a business, Little Cakes will be run the way I choose to run my own life and I hope we will lead by example instead of just being preachy.

Little Cakes has social and environmental standards that are consulted when making day to day operating decisions as well as long term goals. We are committed to making the most responsible decisions that we can and also pledge our loyalty to working with like minded companies. As a fledgling business though, we will hardly be perfect. We will, however, maintain transparency of our business practices and make concerted efforts to move in positive directions.

We are using an eco-friendly printer, Rolling Press, who prints our postcards on 100% recycled, chlorine-free paper with soy and vegetable based inks, using a chemical-free computer to plate production process. We have used green certified paints and varnishes in renovating the space with low or no VOCs (volatile organic compounds). All of the light fixtures in the space use compact fluorescent light bulbs to conserve energy with the exception of the gallery spot lights which I need to do more research on. Our energy supply is 100% wind generated and comes to us through ConEdison Solutions. All cleaning products we use are from eco-friendly companies like Seventh Generation and Method.

We would like to work on partnerships with non-profits and have started by working on a "humane wool" project with Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. We've taken the fleece shorn from their sheep and will be partnering with volunteers and artists to turn it into artistic pieces that will be given back to the sanctuary as gifts and used by the animals or as decorations in their barns. A free lesson on carding and drop spinning this wool will be given at the gallery on September 24th for anyone wishing to learn and help spin the wool into the yarn that will be used later. Anyone can sign up for this by emailing us to reserve a spot.

I've asked all artists showing at the gallery to be aware of their choices in materials and to the best of their ability, make the most "gentle" choice that they can make. Currently, the only materials not allowed to be used in pieces for sale at the gallery are leather and fur. Beyond that I have not decided whether to expand that list. My choice in artists to show have much to do with their views on the world around them, not just the aesthetic value of their work. Lucky for Little Cakes, the quality of both seems to go hand in hand with the artists I like.

Lastly, customer service will be highly stressed as one of Little Cakes' values. This includes the way we have chosen to show the artwork, in a small, intimate setting, and will go beyond that to individualized care and concern.

Little Cakes believes we are lucky to live in a free society but that many of us have forgotten that with that freedom comes responsibility. We believe that not only do individuals have responsibilities to our greater society but that businesses do as well and that businesses can even have a larger effect. We are very disturbed by the current state of the world and feel that more people need to be doing something about it. In an interview with Tokion magazine last year I said that I didn't want to consciously make a living off of Little Cakes. That it was too much of a burden and that I wanted to keep it pure. Well, I've changed my mind. I imagine a business that thrives on positivity and that is able to put its resources to good use, supporting other businesses and artists that we think are on the right track, introducing what I thought to be progressive thinkers (come on art world!) to progressive action, and in general a business that births more good in to the world than bad. To my thirty-three year old mind this is more pure minded, punk rock, and revolutionary.

Soon on our website you'll be able to check out what other measures our household is taking to advance goodness in the world as well as resources to the great businesses we work with, support, admire, and buy products from.

Hope to see you soon.

Hanna Fushihara Aron - Director of Little Cakes
August 2006