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NATURE AND
NURTURE
nearby
By Lauren m. Rush
Imelda
Mccain was a nurse for 15 years,
but she always thought about
opening her own business. The
birth of her 7 year-old son,
lucas, however, has had a
tremendous influence on the
direction of that business.
"When Lucas was born, everything
changed," she say. "I look at
the world differently, and I
want Lucas to be acquainted with
and aware of the global
community that he lives in, not
just his local culture and
surrounding neighborhood.
From that maternal desire, the
concept for Playing Mantis,
Mccain store in Nyack, began to
take shape. With support from
her husband, Dr. Donald A.
Mccain, a surgical oncologist in
Hackensck, N.J., Imelda began to
make her vision a reality. The
store which opened in September
2006, features "toys and craft
made by hand from around the
world inspired by children and
mother-nature. Each toy, each
craft, tells a story of a
heritage, of a culture, and of a
passion with artistic and humane
expression.
Originally
from Manhattan, Mccain and her
husband decided to move to the
Rockland area because it was
convenient for work and because
the general approach to life
here appealed to them. They saw
an emphasis in Rockland on
judgement made on their
individual merit, not based on
brand-name labels. They now live
in nearby Montvale, N.J., and
Mccain chose Nyack in particular
as the location for her store
because the village has "a
different feel to it; it is
creative, artistic." Visiting
Playing Mantis, it's easy to
understand what she means. The
whole area ia a welcome
environment for shops and
restaurants that are out of the
ordinary, in some ways
reminiscent of New York City's
Greenwich Village.
Stepping into the store, you are
immediately transported to
another world, a child's world,
but a gentle, fanciful place
filled with colorful, natural
sights and sounds - not the
hard, loud, neon plastic
displays in most stores. The
walls are decorated with soft,
nature-inspired murals and art,
and have many beautiful, carved
wood shelves, some in the shape
of trees. It feels like you've
stepped into a fairy woodland,
populated be handmade dolls,
stuffed animals and wooden
puppets, and their exquisitely
carved homes.
As a parent
shopping for toys for her son,
Mccain felt a lack of choice.
Despite extensive offering, she
found "a disconnect between the
artist and the consumer, between
economy and humanity, and
between children and nature."
Toys are purchased for children,
but there is little thought
about where they originate, how
they are made, what is the story
behind them, and how does this
affect or inspire me and my part
of the world?
Through crafts fairs at her
son's school, Mccain was
introduced to some of the artist
who were creating more unique
toys. From this exposure, she
found the way to combine her
inherent inclination towards
creative self-expression and her
maternal search for positive,
motivating play options for her
son. She and Lucas often spend
time together at the little log
table and benches in the store,
reading or doing craft together.
Lucas also takes piano leaasons
at the store, surrounded by the
fanciful dolls, animals and art
his mother gathers from all over
the world. Mccain's passion for
her store's concept is readily
apparent as she describes some
of the merchendise that she
carries and the artist who have
crafted them. Her obvious
admiration with, each crafter
and his or her craft allows her
customers to appreciate and
understand the creative and
productive process involved, and
explains the necessary
differences in price from
mainstream toy stores. For
instance, the large, cuddly
stuffed donkeys made from alpaca
wool take three months to
complete. Intricately carved
wooden tree houses, castles,
cottages farms and animals
require hours of painstakingly
detailed labor from a music
teacher in Hungary, as do the
wonderful musical instruments he
also fashion from wood. Other
wooden toys and woven crafts are
produced by people with
disabilities. The profit from
the sales of handmade dolls from
Argentina and Africa enable
women, the unskilled, and the
disabled to support and promote
better human conditions in their
communities. Teddy bears, made
from recycled fur coats, and
books of recycled paper allow
children and parents to realize
that all material can have more
than one purpose and that this
help people and the Earth. Other
merchandise created from
repurposed material includes
wall sculptures made from old
barn wood, tree blocks made from
discarded wood pieces from a
managed paper forest, and lamps
and shades crafted from vintage
shawls, hats, and wedding gowns.
Workshops
in candle dipping, felting, and
Fairy House-making are also
offered at Playing Mantis,
allowing children to experience
the sense of accomplishment that
comes from working and
completing something with your
hands, while also developing as
appreciation for the creative
work involved.
And Playing Mantis is truly a
family business. Mccain credits
her husband for having the grand
vision for the store,
recognizing that it would
eventually need all three rooms
that it occupies. All of her
family has been supportive in
helping her realize her dream.
One sister organized the
accounting system. Another
sister accompanied her on the
initial buying expedition, while
another stayed with her son
during the trip. Her parents
also spent time caring for
Lucas, while she set up the
business. Her brother currently
works at the store, allowing
Mccain to take her son to school
and to pick him up.
She has
been approached about possibly
expanding, bringing her concept
to other communities. She
continues to look for possible
additions to her merchandise,
plus, as Lucas grows and
changes, Mccain may introduce
other offerings that reflect his
new interest. Like children and
parent, Playing Mantis is
constantly evolving, growing and
improving, based upon the needs
of the customers it serves and
the family that conceived and
nurtured it.
Playing Mantis is at 140 Main
Street, in Nyack, on the corner
of North Franklin Avenue. For
more information, call (845)
358-5670 or go to
www.friendlymantis.com.
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