Page 37 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2016

BOATS OF PASSAGES created by Ocean Springs artist Kris Byrd.
BRIDAL TABLES: showcases the couples and items they selected for their new homes.
RESTRUNG DESIGNS is a line of jewelry by Naomi Celestin made of guitar strings.
THE FREE FORM STEMWARE by Prentice Hicks REFINED GLASS CREATED by Rick Hunter
“How many times in Pass Christian we used to talk about what we could do to change the existing space. We never had
the chance to do it all fresh,” Riley said. “It was awesome to get to design it from the ceiling appearance to the cabinetry and lighting.” Failing in health, her mother sketched how she wanted the interior and exterior to look. She died less than a year later.
In November, Hillyer House is celebrating its 11th anniversary
in Ocean Springs. Kris Byrd of Ocean Springs, creator of Boats of Passage, will be the guest artist from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Nov. 3 as part of Hillyer House’s birthday celebration. Byrd creates ceramic boats as metaphors for the human condition. She became part of Hillyer House’s stable of fine artists shortly after the shop relocated.
Also joining Hillyer House about 10 years ago was painter Jean McKee of Spanish Fort, Ala. She specializes in bright coastal paintings and is a top seller, Riley said. McKee will be the featured artist from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Nov. 6, during the Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival.
Hillyer House has many artists who have sold their work there more than 30 years. Among them are ceramic artist Connie Mickle of Pensacola, Fla., who hand-builds her pieces to be decorative as well as functional, and several glass artists. Rick Hunter of Upland, Calif., hand blows pitchers and fish that have a lot of personality. Blenko Glass of West Virginia
is made in an ancient European method. Though newer to Hillyer House, the blown glass by Prentice Hicks of Tennessee has become a best seller.
“We have other core artists
who are very popular like Carrie Brooks pottery and Bill Campbell pottery,” said Susannah Snyder, manager.
Artists who will be featured for the rest of November and December are relatively new additions to Hillyer House:
• Mixed media abstract artist Holly Mabry Poole of New Orleans will be there from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Nov. 12.
• Beaucoup Designs, a mother- daughter jewelry design team of Baton Rouge, will make an appearance from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Nov. 19.
• Naomi Celestin of New Orleans will be featuring her ReStrung Designs from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 10. Her popular line of jewelry is made from used guitar strings.
In all, more than 300 American artists are represented at Hillyer House, and the inventory of around 5,000 is composed of paintings, pottery, jewelry and glass. The artists who have their work there all help contribute to the shop’s distinct appearance with soft hues of blues and greens plus pops of color here and there.
“We definitely want to be coastal to remind people of the Coast, but items they can have in their home no matter where they live,” Snyder said. Riley is proud of Hillyer House’s longevity with its solid customer base and support of American made crafts.
“American made is not going away. It’s not a fad or a trend, it’s here to stay,” she said. “This is who we are.”
Hillyer House
902 Washington Ave., Ocean Springs 228.875.8065
shop@hillyerhouse.com www.hillyerhouse.com
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November 2016 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 37