MorYork

A Working Craftsman’s Wunderkammer

Walking into MorYork feels like entering someone’s private obsession made public. The 7,000-square-foot former grocery store houses nearly four decades of Clare Graham’s work, from small cabinets to room-sized installations. Sculptures hang from exposed rafters. Towers of organized materials rise from the floor. Everywhere you look, familiar objects appear in unfamiliar forms.

Graham describes himself as a hunter-gatherer, spending weekends at flea markets and garage sales collecting materials. He’s threaded over 5 million buttons into chandeliers and wall hangings. He’s welded 15 million aluminum pop tabs into benches and chairs that catch light like chain mail. Wooden yardsticks become folding screens. Scrabble tiles cover entire cabinets.

The repetition creates unexpected effects. Up close, you see individual bottle caps or tin can lids. Step back and patterns emerge, like looking at a digital image resolving into clarity. Graham’s childhood in a mining town in Northern Ontario taught him to find new uses for worn-out things. That resourcefulness shows in how he works, using simple techniques like threading, sorting by color, and careful arrangement to transform common materials.

What You’ll See

Cabinets play a central role in the space. Graham invites visitors to open them and discover what’s inside. One covered entirely in Scrabble tiles has interior walls lined with dictionary pages. Another displays collections of found photographs or vintage objects. These work like chapters in a larger book about collecting and meaning-making.

The installations change constantly. Graham rearranges the space, adds new pieces, and lends work to exhibitions. What you see during one visit may differ from the next. This living quality keeps the space from feeling like a static museum.

The building itself adds character. As a former roller rink and grocery store, it has the open floor plan and high ceilings Graham needs for large-scale work. The industrial bones suit the materials he uses. Nothing feels precious or fragile. You can move through the space freely.

Events and Performances

MorYork functions as more than a gallery. Graham and co-owner Bob Breen host the monthly Secret Songs concert series, where musicians perform in this unusual setting. Dance companies use the space for rehearsals and performances. Art exhibitions feature work by unrepresented local artists. School groups visit for educational tours.

These events happen throughout the year, transforming the studio into a gathering place. Check the website or social media for current schedules, as dates and offerings vary.

The Maker at Work

Graham still works daily in the studio. During your visit, you might see him sorting materials, threading pop tabs, or assembling a new piece. He spent 25 years as an art director at Disney before dedicating himself full-time to this work. That background in design shows in his precise arrangements and attention to visual balance.

His process moves slowly. Some projects take years to complete as he accumulates enough materials. A single chandelier might require sorting and threading thousands of buttons. This patient, meditative approach to craft becomes part of each finished piece.

MorYork offers something rare in Los Angeles: unfiltered access to a craftsman’s complete creative universe. The space challenges you to look harder at what usually gets thrown away and see the potential hiding in plain sight.