One of the things we love most about being a Bushwick cafe is that the neighborhood is full of artists. The walls of Café Mia rotate work from Bushwick-based creators every couple of months. This post is a small spotlight on five we've featured — what they make, why we showed it, and where you can find more of their work.
How the rotation works
We rotate art on the cafe walls roughly every 8–10 weeks. Each rotation is curated around a Bushwick-based artist whose work fits the room — usually mixed media, painting, or photography. The pieces are for sale; the artist sets the price; we don't take commission.
The rotation has two purposes. First, it keeps the room visually fresh. Second, it gives Bushwick artists a non-gallery way to show work to a daytime audience that wouldn't normally walk into a gallery. Customers see the art over coffee; if they want to buy, we put them in touch with the artist directly.
Five artists we've shown
We're not naming specific artists by name in this post, because the artists themselves prefer different levels of public visibility — some want the press, some don't, and we respect both. Instead, here's a description of the kinds of work we've featured, with enough detail that you might recognize the style if you've seen it.
The painter who makes neighborhood portraits in oil
Large-format oil paintings of Bushwick streets, parks, and people. Hyperrealistic with slight color exaggeration that makes the paintings feel both familiar and dreamlike. A painting of Maria Hernandez Park at dusk hung in the cafe for two months and was the most-asked-about piece in our entire rotation history.
The photographer documenting the social clubs
Black-and-white documentary photographs of Bushwick's long-running Italian and Puerto Rican social clubs — the institutions that predate the gentrification wave. The work is quietly political; the framing is generous to the subjects.
The mixed-media artist working with thrifted fabric
Wall-hanging assemblages made from secondhand textiles found at Bushwick's thrift stores. Each piece tells a multi-decade story through fabric — a 70s polyester next to a 90s flannel next to contemporary nylon. Highly tactile work that photographs poorly and looks great in person.
The illustrator who draws Brooklyn coffee shops
Detailed pen-and-ink drawings of NYC cafes, including one of Café Mia we now have framed in the cafe. The illustrator's broader portfolio covers cafes across all five boroughs and has become a kind of historical document of the borough's cafe culture.
The ceramicist making functional objects
Hand-thrown mugs, plates, and small sculptures from a Bushwick studio. Some of the cafe's drinkware is from this artist (we don't put it on the customer floor — too easy to break — but the staff use them and they appear in our family meals). The functional pieces feel weighty and thoughtful in the hand.
The job of a cafe in a neighborhood like Bushwick is partly to be a vehicle for the neighborhood's art — not the cafe's art, the neighborhood's.
How we choose
The criteria, roughly:
- The artist lives in Bushwick or has a deep connection to the neighborhood. Not a hard rule but the strong preference.
- The work fits the room. Cafe walls have specific lighting and dimensions. Some excellent art doesn't translate to our space.
- The artist is approachable about pricing. Fair pricing for the customer, fair return for the artist. We don't host work that's priced for collectors only.
- The work doesn't compete with the cafe. Subtle is better than loud.
How artists can submit
If you're a Bushwick-based artist interested in showing at Café Mia, email CafeMiaBk@gmail.com with: a short bio, links to your portfolio, the dimensions and quantity of work you'd want to show, and your preferred timing. We're booked out roughly 6 months in advance.
How customers can buy
If a piece in the cafe catches your eye, ask any staff member. We'll connect you with the artist directly. Pricing is set by the artist; payment is between you and them; we just facilitate the introduction.
Why we keep doing this
The honest reason: we like the room better with art in it. The slightly less honest reason: a Bushwick cafe with no Bushwick art on the walls is missing one of the things that makes Bushwick worth being a cafe in.
The current rotation runs through August. Come see what's up. Café Mia, 1128 Broadway, daily 8 AM – 5 PM.
Frequently asked questions
Does Café Mia show local Bushwick artists?
Yes — we rotate work from Bushwick-based artists roughly every 8–10 weeks. The pieces are for sale; the artists set their own prices.
How can I buy art from the cafe walls?
Ask any staff member. We'll connect you with the artist directly. Payment is between you and the artist; we don't take commission.
Can I submit my work to be shown at Café Mia?
Yes — email CafeMiaBk@gmail.com with a portfolio link, bio, dimensions of work, and preferred timing. We're booked roughly 6 months out.
How often does the art rotation change?
Every 8–10 weeks.
Do you take a commission on artwork sold?
No. The artist sets the price and keeps the full sale. We just connect customers with artists.