Page 209 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2022

based art business. “I have always been amazed when I see art and I know exactly who created it. How did the artist develop a style that is instantly recognizable? For
the first time, I can explore my own style. I enjoy multiple mediums and now I have time to dabble in all of them! I have struggled with anxiety most of my life and for so long I didn’t feel like I was appreciated in the workplace. Now
I know I have to appreciate myself and recognize my own value.”
That’s good advice for any working woman. Changing direction is never easy, particularly when it comes down
to the big forks in the road. “I had savings that allowed me to start this new chapter in my life, but not a year after my decision to work from home, I’m paying the bills. It has changed my life. It has been challenging and I work hard every day, but I have flexibility now that allows me to balance my work and my family. And I have a great boss!”
From jewelry to fine art paintings, to creating clay vessels, Harrison is finding a variety of ways to express her talent. She sells her goods online, as well as in shops along the Gulf Coast. “Most of my sales are from Mississippi. People tell me they see a southern flair in my work that appeals to them.”
She also does commissions. Pet portraits from photographs are one of her fortes. “I love collaborating with clients that have an idea of what they want but need to fill in the details. I really enjoy the brainstorming process.”
Communication is one of the strengths women bring to
the marketplace and it’s no different when working from home. “I want to give clients what they dreamed of when they reached out to me. It brings me so much joy when I get feedback from customers, and they are so happy with what I did. One customer recently shared with me that the piece I painted for them was a gift for a parent and the parent walked around the house for days looking for the perfect spot for the art because they were so excited about it.”
Harrison looks forward to each new day. “I have always tried to be a positive person, but now I wake up and can’t wait to see what the day will bring. I get up, get my son to school, fix a cup of coffee, and see what inspires me. It is pure bliss.”
She has a home studio where she works but admits sometimes it spills out into the living room floor. “I sit on the floor a lot,” she says. She also encourages her soon- to-be-five-year-old son, John, to sit with her. “John is so creative. He loves music and building things. He sees me working and he wants to ‘work’ too.”
Being a mom is every Mompreneur’s priority. “I always knew I wanted to be a mom,” says Harrison. “Now I am
a better mom. John is in school five days a week, but he knows where I am. I’m home, there for him if he needs me, but I’m doing what I love every day.”
And there’s the key to every woman’s successful career. We can define what success is. That’s the only way women who can do it all, can have it all.
Holly Harrison has been a licensed interior designer for over 35 years. Shannon Stage has spent nearly 20 years in the giftware industry. Together they own Sassy Bird Interiors in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
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