Our StOry
Curio Room was founded by artists and writers with shared interests in literature, fables + folklore, alternative histories and ecologies, mysticism and music. We co-create the space with intention to share stories that expand minds and bewilder borders, and to showcase artwork from those who inspire us.
We acknowledge that we live and operate on land which was traditionally under stewardship of the Lenape people. We believe it is important to honor pre-colonial histories and cultural practices, and we commit to keep learning and supporting First Nations tribes in the area today.
Director / Curator
Frog (Elaine) Wing
Frog is a visual artist/ performer from Monterey Park, California, the firstborn of Taiwanese-American musicians. Frog also goes by “Elaine” “Rana” or “Dava” and has lived + worked in LA, Providence, Baltimore, NYC, and seasonally at Lijiang Studio (Yunnan, China). In 2016, Frog/ Elaine received the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) Visual Arts fellowship to observe Mongolian shamanism. Prior to the pandemic, she/they made books, puppets, and artwork while traveling, but since 2020 has become more stationary within Mount Kisco. Frog/Rana is founder and editor of SunDogs Studio.
Store Manager / Audiophile
Ray Mak
Ray (a.k.a. Gerry) is an artist/ musician/ performer who was born in NYC and raised in Westchester County (Briarcliff, Tarrytown, Ossining), currently based in Mount Kisco. He has lived in Chicago, Beijing, Brooklyn, and Baltimore. Ray formerly toured with a doom-metal band called Bloody Panda; he has also worked as a journalist/ writer, cook, ice-cream cake decorator, tv-show host, radio DJ, delivery driver, and a florist. He is passionate about good food, and supporting public health through culinary awareness and food-based activism.
E-support / water-librarian
Simone Johnson
Simone Johnson (she/her) is an interdisciplinary artist, researcher and cultural worker mostly making work about water. She currently curates "Simone's Water Library", an emerging digital library filled with media about all things water. Simone is also a baby zine maker and is excited to join the world of indie lit.
Find her on IG: @sjj.nyc
COMICS CONSULTANT
Patrick Cocket
Patrick Cocket is a motivational speaker and fitness trainer from Brooklyn and Jamaica, presently living in Mount Kisco. Preceding his role as Curio Room’s Comics Consultant, he worked upstate at Fat Cat Comics (the oldest comic book store in the Northeast region). Patrick is accepting clients for 1-on-1 personal development sessions; contact him via email at patrickcockett6@gmail.com
OUTDOOR MARKET COORDINATOR
Isaac Bauer
Isaac Bauer was born in Minnesota, and grew up here in Mount Kisco, New York. He enjoys spending his time listening to live music on the weekends as well as working as an after-school instructor teaching science to K-2nd graders at local elementary schools in Westchester County.
BOOKSTORE CLERK / RAY’S MOM
Angie Mak
Angelina “Angie” Mak is a professional ice cream cake-decorator and holds the unofficial World Record for Most Ice Cream Cakes Decorated in a Lifetime, clocking in at approximately 250,000 cakes total (not recognized by Guinness, but we have receipts). Angie is former folk-dance performer who taught dance classes in NYC Chinatown in the late 70's-early 80’s. These days, when she’s not decorating cakes, Angie practices Tai Chi and attends poetry readings. Angie also happens to be Ray’s mother.
