The origins of the enormously popular and oddly-named celebration of mud, local potters, good food and community spirit, in Old Town Bay St. Louis. 
- story by LB Kovac, photos by Ellis Anderson 

This SOUPer Mudfest kicks off Saturday, March 10, at 4 p.m., near the corner of Main and Second streets. Early bird sales of bowls begin at 3:30 p.m. 

Specially themed Second Saturdays, like "Dolly Should" in January and "Frida Fest" in July have become beloved highlights of the year.  

And there's SOUPer Mudfest each March, now in its ninth year.  It's expected to attract more than one thousand people to the Old Town district during its one-night-only stint. 

​And, with just $20, you can be a part. 

Despite Moynan’s positive attitude, she and the rest of the Bay St. Louis community had a steep hill to climb in the wake of one of our country’s worst natural disasters. Before SOUPer Mudfest, there was just a “mudfest.” Moynan said, “It was disgusting downtown” in the days after Katrina.

​The streets downtown, where Moynan and other community members had their businesses, were practically rubble, and “everyone was wearing shrimp boots to get around,” she said. 

With conditions so bad, it was difficult to attract shoppers. 

But business owners embraced the dirtiness and grittiness, turning it into a chance to celebrate the spirit of living and survival.  People decorate their shrimp boots and come out for Second Saturday.  The soiree went on.  

Eventually, though, the streets were repaired, and downtown Bay St. Louis returned to something that seemed more or less normal. There was no more mud, no more shrimp boots.

​Moynan saw the void left by the old mudfest. “I owned a gallery at the time, and I represented a lot of potters,” she said.  Potters, being “mudslingers,” could provide the “mud” part of a new mudfest. “I got with the potters and said, ‘Let’s make bowls and sell soup with the bowls,” Moynan said. 

It was a chance for the Bay’s restaurant and business owners, herself included, to show off some of their best recipes, and the town to show that, despite the destruction of the last few years, it was still alive and kicking. Mudfest, like Bay St. Louis, experienced a rebirth. 

That first year, Moynan’s gathered a team of six potters to make 280 bowls, as well as a host of local businesses to serve soup. They set up shop under a tent at the corner of Main and 2nd streets. With a price tag of $20 per bowl, the Mudfest’s entire stock sold out in the first hour of the event. It seems that Bay St. Louis residents were hungry for such an event.

0Every year since, SOUPer Mudfest has grown. This year, Moynan says that 8 to 10 potters will create more than 800 bowls and attendees will be treated to soups from 30 local businesses. In the past, tomato basil, white bean osso buco, corn and crab bisque, and the Southern staple gumbo have all been on the menu, but Moynan said, “You have no idea what you’re in for this year. It’s always something cool and interesting.”  

SOUPer Mudfest continues to be a chance for visitors and community members to “see how fantastic our town is,” Moynan said. The $20 fee doesn’t just buy a bowl or free soup. The money, split among the potters, Old Town Merchants’ Association, Hancock County Food Pantry, and the Hancock County Tourism board, goes to maintaining the indomitable, Bohemian spirit that makes Bay St. Louis great. 

This SOUPer Mudfest kicks off Saturday, March 10, at 4 p.m., near the corner of Main and Second streets. Early bird sales of bowls begin at 3:30 p.m. If you join in, Moynan said, “You might find a new artist you fall in love with.” Or a business. Or a whole town. 

Mosaic artist Elizabeth Veglia is best known for her award-winning public mosaic projects - extraordinary pieces of public art.  Now she's focusing her artistic energies on smaller scale works of art-to-wear. 
- story by Denise Jacobs, photos by Lisa Loth

Elizabeth’s jewelry collections will be on sale at Bay Life Gifts in celebration of its grand opening at The Shops of Century Hall (112 S. Second Street, Bay St. Louis) beginning February 2. Elizabeth will be also be available to discuss her process of making jewelry at Bay Life Gifts on Second Saturday, February 10.
​

In the past, Elizabeth stood to assemble the mosaics for a project, then in the installation phase, she worked in the hot sun, on her knees, elbow deep in a bucket of mortar.  In the present, she sits in her studio, a spare bedroom shared as an office area with Billy, her long-term life partner.

​And in this small space, the magic happens. Here Elizabeth meticulously designs unique hand wrought jewelry using semi-precious stones, silver, and bronze—small materials, small storage space and small tools. 

“At this time, all my mosaic supplies and tools are in storage,” she says, “And making jewelry is a welcome and lightweight creative counterpart to making mosaics—wonderful for now!  And painting, I have always painted, and it doesn’t have to take up a lot of room.”

Most recently, Elizabeth has been spinning and twisting silver and bronze wire around semi-precious stones like Labradorite, Apatite, Agate, and Amethyst in the process of creating necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.  Listening to the stones and feeling their energies results in a blending of her creativity and the stone’s attributes.

​One collection is heavily influenced by the fluid, watery Caribbean blues of Aquamarine, Amazonite, Chalcedony, Lapis Lazuli, and Jade. At the other end of the spectrum, the Primal Collection features contrasting blacks and whites. Elizabeth also works with crystals. “I am so glad that crystals are popular now,” Elizabeth says. “I love the sparkle.” 

As to the transition in art forms, Elizabeth possessed many “transferable skills to work with.”  She taught herself what she needed to know, beginning with beading, and moving on to wire creations.  She plans to eventually learn to solder and set stones. 

At this time, her creative space has transitioned from the 700-square-feet studio in a Bay St. Louis property she and Billy sold in June, to a small house.  Earlier in the year, the couple sold a home on Rotten Bayou that they had lived in for 13 years, a place that included a 1,600-square-foot studio. 

Elizabeth says that downsizing feels good. “We have a living room, a kitchen, one bathroom and two bedrooms.  My part of our shared space is perhaps 50 square feet.” She laughs and says the move has been a test of their long-standing relationship.

“Could we share a bathroom? Yes, we could.”

“Could we work together in one room, this jeweler and her contractor/realtor partner? Yes, we could.  Sharing a small space is a testament to our relationship.”

And, as to the art, life in transition has offered Elizabeth the opportunity to focus on the solitary artistic mode of a jeweler and sometimes painter. It suits her. 

Elizabeth’s collections will be on sale at Bay Life Gifts in celebration of its grand opening at The Shops of Century Hall beginning February 2. Elizabeth will be available to discuss her process of making jewelry on Second Saturday, February 10, and later in March. Check with Bay Life Gifts for updates and details. 
​​
Plan to be dazzled. 

During the Second Saturday Artwalk each month in Old Town Bay St. Louis, you'll find cool deals, fresh meals and lots of art and live music. 

Be sure to visit Hot Spot businesses The Mockingbird Café, 110 South Second Street, and Strandz Salon, 203 North Second Street. 

- stories by Denise Jacobs, photos by Ellis Anderson and Denise Jacobs

The Mockingbird is so integrated into the fabric of the community, that it is sometimes hard to tell where it begins and where it ends. That’s especially true when the cafe collaborates with neighboring Smith & Lens to host art shows, the Mr. Atticus’s Night Market, and festivals such as last month’s Dolly Should look-alike contest. The Bird has evolved from a group of people gathered to rebuild the city after Katrina into a lively community hub.

More than just a coffee shop, “the Bird” has been dubbed the living room of the Bay. It is a place reminiscent of the house in which Alicein Wonderland Schwabacher, sole proprietor, grew up, a Bay St. Louis home overflowing with colorful out-of-town travelers who taught Schwabacher that she was a citizen of the world. 

While the Mockingbird is more than a coffee shop, it does serve a great cup of coffee. Beans are roasted at Coast Roast in Long Beach for a special Mockingbird blend. “We aren’t a cookie-cutter town, so we aren’t a cookie-cutter coffee shop,” says Schwabacher. “If we can source anything nearby, from coffee to art to live music, we do that. That’s important to us.”

Schwabacher credits her success to the people who have supported her and the business along the way, noting that, “Since we opened our doors, Laura Hurt and Whitney LaFrance have been key to the success of the Mockingbird.” 

Schwabacher says, “Our Mockingbird team gets it—we are all ambassadors of Bay St. Louis.” She adds that the Bird’s success is also due to her supportive partner Rebekah and her tireless work.

No time is a bad time to experience the Bird’s menu, and the weekend brunch is especially popular. Signature alcoholic drinks such as a trio of mimosas made with fresh seasonal juice, Lushy Lemonade, Irish coffees, and the Tequila Mockingbird are always available but are hits with the brunch crowd.

The idea behind the Mockingbird is that a community is stronger if everyone works together—from staff to city planning. That idea still holds. “We may not all want exactly the same thing,” Schwabacher says, “but we can always find common ground.” 
​
With that, she invites everyone to stop by on Second Saturday, February 10, between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. “All are welcome," she says. “We welcome any and all neighbors.” 

​• Delivery from the Mockingbird is available within Old Town on all orders $25 or more between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily. 

• The Mockingbird is now taking Mobile/Online orders! Check it out at https://squareup.com/store/mockingbird-cafe-llc. 

Strandz Salon
203 N Second St
Bay St Louis, MS 
 (228) 216-2460

On February 10, Second Saturday, Strandz will host an open house between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Stop by for a snack and introduce yourself. 

Not one to struggle with what she would do with her life, Brenda Curet Cuevas, sole proprietor of Strandz Salon, began her career as a hair stylist and business owner right out of high school in 1976. She never looked back. 

Cuevas says that owning a business was never that important, that it just happened. Nevertheless, she says that it takes business acumen and loyal customers to sustain a business through a hurricane the proportions of Katrina, a diagnosis of breast cancer, and single parenting. Cuevas has done just that. 

Strandz was originally housed on Highway 90 near Hancock Medical Center. At that time, Cuevas employed seven stylists. When Katrina hit in 2005, the building flooded. Rather than admit defeat, Cuevas moved her salon into her house.

​She continued there and operated a full-service salon for ten years before moving to her current location on the corner of deMontluzin and Second Street in the same building as The Ugly Pirate. 

“You have to have a town to have a business,” Cuevas says, “and this is my town. This town helped me maintain a business as a single parent. It helped me through my battle with breast cancer, and I am happy to say that I am a 13-year survivor. My customers support my business, and I appreciate every last one of them.”

Cuevas loves working in Old Town, taking walks around town, and meeting new people.

Strandz is a full-service salon featuring Joico and Matrix professional hair care and hair styling products. Cuevas offers haircuts, color, perms, blow dry, flat iron, and relaxers.

Prepare to flaunt both of your inner divas — Country AND Western! — during a themed Second Saturday Artwalk in Old Town Bay St. Louis on January 13.  “Dolly Should.  The monthly art event takes on a Nashville spin by celebrating Dolly Parton's birthday with an art show, hayride, square dancing and an astonishing costume contest! 
​
- stories by Denise Jacobs, photography by Ellis Anderson 

Here's a full schedule of "Dolly Should" activities in Old Town on January 13

• 10 am - 8pm - Michael Foster tin types at The French Potager, 213 Main St.
• 11 am - 6pm - Dolly Should eat at Starfish Cafe, 211 Main St.
• 12pm - 4pm - Hayrides at BayTique, 125 Main St.
• 12pm - Dolly themed Pop Up on the Patio, fine art show opens at Smith & Lens, 106 S. 2nd St.
• 4:00pm - Bay Ratz Marching Battery performs all over Old Town
• 4:00pm - 6:00pm - Pop Up Beauty Shop on the patio at Smith & Lens, 106 S. 2nd St.
• 5:00pm - 6:00pm - Square dance NOLA at the green space on Main at 2nd, 161 Main St.
• 5:00 - 7:00 - Dolly Look Alike contest registration, in costume, please, at Smith & Lens, 106 S. 2nd St.
• 6:00 - Hadley Hill LIVE at the Mockingbird Cafe and Dolly's Favorites on the dinner menu, 110 S. 2nd St.
• 7:30 - Look Alike Contest begins on the porch of the Mockingbird Cafe, mc'd by the amazing Reba Douglas and dj'd by superstar DJ Bella with celebrity judges (Melanie Spencer, Monique Champagne and DJ BELLA) 110 S. 2nd St.
• 8:30ish Clearbranch Cloggers for Christ take the stage at the Mockingbird during deliberations
• 9:00 - Dolly themed karaoke contest and after party at Gabbie's Bar, 119 Main Street 

Carroll House B&B
304 Carroll Ave. 
Bay St. Louis
​866.300.2704

Carroll House will be hosting an open house on Second Saturday, from 4pm - 6pm.  Refreshments will be served. 

​For Jane Kulpeksa (formerly Alford), owning a bed & breakfast was a long-held dream. When the big house on Carroll Avenue, an historic seaside home in the heart of Old Town, became available after Katrina, Jane, who lived around the corner on Toulme at the time, bought the house. She also bought a camper trailer, which she lived in while making renovations on the Carroll House. It was a bed & breakfast in the making.

About a year and a half later, the house was livable, and Jane moved in. However, she continued making renovations, including the addition of two bathrooms. Then, in 2011, Carroll House Bed & Breakfast opened its doors. Jane notes that the house was one of only a few accommodations open in Old Town at the time, so she developed a loyal customer base from the beginning.

The house is a short stroll to the center of Old Town and the beach. In addition to overnight or long-term stays, Carroll House is an elegant setting for an intimate wedding and/or baby and wedding showers. Be sure to check out the Carroll House online for a gallery of photos.

​Guests can enjoy an early morning cup of coffee on the private porch as the birds serenade them, or join other guests in the parlor for friendly conversation. Most often, guests gather to eat breakfast together, a traditional bed & breakfast element that Jane holds dear. Sometimes guests even congregate in the kitchen to chat as breakfast is prepared. It’s that kind of place.

​Jane cooks with the vegetables she grows in her garden, and she serves and sells lemon, satsuma, and kumquat marmalades made from the fruit trees grown around the house. “It’s a beautiful home with a comfortable atmosphere,” Kulpeksa explains, and “people tell us that they feel at home here.”

Originally from Louisiana, Jane has lived in Bay St. Louis for 21 years. She attributes the success of Carroll House to her capable, loyal, and trustworthy staff—a bit of a challenge to find in the early years but entrenched now—and to her involvement with the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce.

According to Jane, repeat customers turned friends have made her bed & breakfast a dream-come-true. In fact, Jane is gratified to report that many of her previous guests are now permanent residents of the Bay.

​“They come here and fall in love with the area,” she says. “I like to think we here at Carroll House had something to do with that.” 

Hancock County Historical Society
108 Cue Street
Bay St. Louis 
​228.467.4090

Bring one-page bio sketches (see below) with you to the Second Saturday Open House between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Your name will be entered in a drawing for a copy of Bay St. Louis: Celebrating The First 300 Years. In addition, your bio sketch will be featured in one of the monthly newsletters. 

For Charles Harry Gray, it was love at first sight.

The year was 1984. The event was the Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge. Gray, now director of the Hancock County Historical Society, had driven in his Rolls Royce from New Orleans to the Bay to observe the annual sailing event. Within a week, he had purchased his first home in his new hometown.

Not long afterward, Gray attended a meeting of the Hancock County Historical Society, became a member, and was made vice president the very day he joined.  This was before the Lobrano House was bestowed to the Historical Society, a time when members held their meetings at local restaurants. 

Gray knew all about restaurants. He had operated Corinne Dunbar’s restaurant in the grand parlor of her home on St. Charles Avenue. At Corinne Dunbar’s, customers were treated as if they were dinner guests at a party in her home. I suspect that those who visit the Hancock County Historical Society experience a similar sense of welcome. 

The society is headquartered in the Kate Lobrano House, described on the Historical Society’s website, as “a delightful 1896 shotgun cottage that was donated to the society in 1988 by the grandchildren of Katherine Maynard Lobrano.”

The original house at 108 Cue Street is used as a turn-of-the-century museum while an addition to the rear of the house provides office and storage space. Depending on the day of week, guests will find either Gray or Eddie Coleman, newsletter editor and staff person, running the operation along with one of the society’s officers or a community volunteer.

Membership in the Hancock County Historical Society is 1,000 strong, and membership is nationwide. In fact, Gray marvels that a contingent of out-of-state members commit to months of volunteer service onsite while vacationing in the Bay area.

In the pre-Katrina years, visitors traveled to Hancock County regularly via tour bus, often to visit the 728 Bay St. Louis houses on the National Registry. The Hancock County Historical Society functions in many ways as a guest or travel center for those who want to know what to see and do while in the area.

At its heart, however, the Historical Society collects, preserves, and maintains a collection of documents, photographs, memorabilia, and artifacts designed to help future generations understand their heritage.

As a private institution with no state funding, the Hancock Historical Society relies entirely on charitable contributions and memberships and is only as strong as its community involvement. To that end, the Historical Society has a standing invitation to anyone who has lived in Hancock County to share their family histories.

​If you bring in photographs, volunteers will copy and file them in color-coded binders labeled Waveland, County, People, Tony Scafidi, Hurricanes, Cemeteries, Registered Trees, Bay St. Louis Houses, and so on. The photos will also be scanned and saved online. 

As any survivor of a natural disaster can tell you, few things are as important as preserving personal artifacts, memorabilia, and stories. With that in mind, the Hancock County Historical Society invites those whose loved ones have lived in Hancock County to complete a one-page bio sketch of a deceased loved one or family member with roots in Hancock County.

It would be appreciated if you would follow the suggested template. Label and attach a photograph, and include your contact information. All original photographs will be returned to you.
​
A word to the wise: Don’t let the “Story/Anecdote” section intimidate you. Your story might be a paragraph long and focus on a family holiday, a childhood memory, a rite of passage, a military experience, an encounter with nature, a sports triumph, a religious awakening, or a professional accolade. 

Suggested Bio Sketch format

A trio of artistic leaders and businesspeople have ambitious plans to grow The Arts, Hancock County to enhance creativity, local culture - and the economy.
- story and photos by Ellis Anderson 

One of Barney’s more recent community projects, the Magnolia Bayou STEM art project, worked with the local Boys & Girls Club to create a video and multi-media exhibit.  ​

Madden is a designer and professional photographer, in addition to being co-founder of the Bay’s Smith & Lens Gallery, 106 S. Second Street, BSL.  Madden and her business partner, Sandy Maggio, have garnered national attention for the Bay by creating two events celebrating the birthdays of women in the arts.  Frida Fest, held in July, honors Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, while Dolly Should in January, focuses on singer-songwriter Dolly Parton.  Both events have been poular area business boosters. 

Barney says that plans are already underway for a raft of new and updated programs in 2018.  He says that the long-range goal is to create partnerships with the Chamber, the Old Town Merchants Association, and local governments - collaborations that will promote economic development throughout the community. 

For instance, a series of public art projects are already in the works with the Hancock County Board of Supervisors.  Barney’s also working on plans to host a one-day “economic/arts summit,” to explore ways The Arts can coordinate efforts with other organizations to attract more visitors, residents and businesses over the long haul. 

Look for Arts Alive! – a popular multi-media event that takes place in March (March 24, 2018) – to get a face-lift this spring.  Produced by The Arts in coordination with Old Town merchants, this year, the event will bring more fine art to the streets.  The film festival segment, introduced last year will be expanded as well.  

The juried exhibition for The Arts members will be moved to a higher visibility venue (TBA). 
“We’re going to focus on more hands-on demonstration type things for the 2018 Arts Alive,” says Barney.  “For instance, I’m also working with artist Vicki Niolet to do a big Steampunk build-out.  In real time, we’ll actually be welding together a kinetic sculpture while people watch.”  

Also on the table is a tour of artist studios in the fall, and more arts workshops. 

“We’re having more classes offered here at the Bay Creative Arts Center all the time,” Barney says, citing everything from pottery classes to flower arranging workshops.  “It’s part of a bigger initiative to bring snowbirds down here for the winter for artists in residence opportunities.” 

Barney points out that local B&Bs and vacation rentals will benefit by the endeavor, as well as local shops and restaurants. 

Membership benefits will be making a huge stride forward in 2018, according to Barney.  The Arts is updating its website, integrating more social media and streamlining the members community – making it easier for artists to join and sign up for committees or events.  

“We have big social media initiatives planned, including Instagram “takeovers,” and artist of the month features,” Barney explains.  “Donna Martin will oversee our gallery exhibitions, standardizing the system to manage gallery openings at the Waveland City Hall and other venues.  Our educational outreach will also be expanding.” 
​
Barney says that the Magnolia Bayou project has already borne positive and long-lasting fruit:  The Arts has teamed up with the Raw Oyster Marching Club to bring a weekly after-school arts program to the local Boys & Girls club.  

To join The Arts, Hancock County, click here!    You can even pay online.  

During the Second Saturday Artwalk each month in Old Town Bay St. Louis, you'll find cool deals, fresh meals and lots of art and live music.  The December one offers a magical family experience, with lots of holiday lighting, decor and good cheer!

Be sure to visit Hot Spot businesses Gallery 220, 220 Main Street, and  Southern Accents Boutique, 125 Main Street!

Special Holiday Happenings for Second Saturday

Caroling through Old Town by Coast Chorale

Gallery 220 - A December Hot Spot:  work by 20 artists, refreshments and live music:  220 Main Street

Southern Accents - A December Hot Spot:  125 Main Street

The Mockingbird Café - Hadley Hill performs 6pm - 9pm: 110 S. Second Street

Smith & Lens Gallery Pop-up on the Patio - Gallery A Go-go with work by 20 artists! Amanda Bennett show in gallery: 106 S. Second Street

The Shops at Century Hall - hot chocolate bar w/cookies: 112 S. Second Street

Gallery Edge (inside Century Hall) - Special Off-the-Edge Holiday Shop: 112 S. Second Street

Starfish Café - Selfies with Santa, porch of the Starfish Café, 4pm - 6pm! Free, but accepting donations for Food Pantry: 211 Main Street

First Baptist Church - Christmas program of sirited music by the adult and children's choir, 6pm:  141 Main Street

Bay Books - Alex North signing his 2018 calendars: 131 Main Street

Bodgea Spirts & Liquor - Beaujolais wine tasting 5pm - 7pm: 111 Court Street

Bodega Parrot Head Bar - George Mills & the Invisibles, 7pm til...: 111 Court Street

Misfits Classic Car Club - Cruise-in at the Bay St. Louis Harbor, generally held in the afternoon.  ​

​Now an Old Town fixture, Gallery 220 was conceived on the heels of Katrina and born out of necessity to accommodate the many artists who lost their studios to the storm.

Within two months of Katrina’s arrival, Jenise McCardell created a space for Gallery 220 in the front of her Clay Creations building, and an artist’s cooperative was born. Eleven years later, the concept remains the same: member artists rent space and give time. 

The business model supports the artists--all 25 of them. As artists take turns working one day a week, visitors may stumble upon clay, wire, paint, or mosaic in process. McCardell credits this interaction between artist, craft, and customer as a real draw.  “Customers love to watch a work in progress,” she says. 

McCardell marvels that 25 artists get along so well. In fact, they help each other. When one artist is featured in a magazine or on a television show, he or she invariably promotes the other artists in the Gallery. That camaraderie is one of the aspects of running a business that Jenise finds rewarding. The repeat customers, however, are the most rewarding aspect.

“A lot of customers tell us they have a blank wall. They are interested in a piece of art, but they want it in a different size. Maybe they want it to fit behind their sofa,” McCardell says. “We try to accommodate.” 

Indeed. Shoppers will find a multitude of choices. 

Usually, one artist is featured a month. That artist gets the center aisle. As a Hot Spot, though, every artist will be a featured artist. Be sure to stop by and pass a good time.
​
​Gallery 220 is hard to miss; it's the building with the Coca Cola sign on the side and an eclectic sampling of local art lining the front windows.

​Jenny Shubert, Southern Accents owner, has an abiding love of the Deep South. She always wanted to run her own business. Southern Accents reflects the combination of her two passions: The Deep South and small business ownership. Southern Accents is perhaps the only Southern-themed store on Main Street. 

Shubert opened the Southern Accents about the time her children were in school full time. First housed on Second Street, the shop soon migrated to the old Masonic Temple in the first block of Main.

Jenny, a Pass Christian gal who now resides in the Kiln, says she loves the Bay area and couldn’t ask for a better place to work. She manages the store herself with occasional help from her daughters.

If you ask Jenny Shubert what she finds most rewarding about owning her own business, she will tell you, location, location, location. "I love this quiet, friendly community," she says. 

From the beginning, Jenny knew she wanted her store to reflect the Southern charm that has enveloped her from birth. No surprise there; a browse through the shop will put the most Northern visitor in mind of a sweet iced tea or a slice of pecan pie.

At Southern Accents, shoppers will find local pepper jelly, tees from the Anna Grace Southern Tee Company collection and Southern Accents' own special tee collection, boutique clothing (including plus sizes), hats from the Southern Dog Company, beachy jewelry, soy candles from Southern Accents, frames, and home décor with Southern charm.

As the sign says, "It’s a boutique and more." As such, Southern Accents is the perfect place for visitors to purchase a memento of their trip to the Gulf Coast . . .  and for locals to find that special something for that special someone, especially if that special someone happens to be you. 
​
Southern Accents is housed in the old Masonic Temple, a neo-classic Revival style building a half block off the beach in historic Old Town Bay St. Louis.

When ten of Mississippi's top contemporary artists open a cooperative gallery in the heart of Old Town Bay St. Louis, expect to find work that's exciting, fresh and a far cry from ordinary. 
- by LB Kovac 

The group of artists had no firm outline for their gallery, but they managed to sketch out a few details in one long meeting. It’s an uncommon story in business for the things to progress so quickly. At the end of one night, they had a check for rent and a killer name: Gallery Edge. 

  ExpeThe gallery is only three months old, but it is already creating big buzz. Gallery Edge has  already hosted three show openings – spotlighting of the works of Kat Fitzpatrick and Bill Nelson, as well as a group show with works from all the artists.  It's  now in the middle of its final show for 2017. 

And even bigger things are on the horizon in 2018.  Expect to see the unexpected at Gallery Edge.
​
“Since this is a not-for-profit gallery, we make experimental work that wouldn’t work in a normal gallery setting," says Grabowski.  

Grabowski, herself a renowned fiber artist and originator of the “deconstructed screen printing” method, has been a fixture at area galleries and art shows for years. 

In the past, Grabowski made a name for herself with her wearable art, but the pieces she is currently working on are not always so functional.

“There is a freedom in having our own space,” she says. 

The ten artists, whose styles are incredibly distinct, have a palette of art styles, and personalities, that blends well. Marian Knobbe, Bill Nelson and JJ Foley, all are masters of paint. But their subjects run the gamut –smooth Mississippi coastal landscapes, soft and feminine figures, bold and evocative shapes.

Kat Fitzpatrick specializes in encaustic, a type of “painting” that has been used by artists since as early as the 1st century BC. Fitzpatrick uses melted beeswax mixed with pigment to apply color to her canvases. The applied beeswax can be sculpted on the canvas before drying, producing vibrant images that have as much in common with oil paintings as they do metal sculptures.

Stacey Johnson creates fully-realized sculptures using metal, clay and wood. Vicki Niolet, Mary Hardy and Joey Rice incorporate mixed media into their works.  

Finally, Elizabeth Schafer is heavily influenced by music. Her paintings incorporate paint and musical artifacts, like CDs and cassettes, in order to demonstrate the relationship between auditory and visual arts.

Grabowski says, “The cool thing about this gallery is that it is all of us together.” 

And, like any good work-in-progress, the gallery is constantly changing. “Every month, we refine it a little bit more,” Grabowski says.  “It’s like that old quote… Marking art is walking the edge. Good art happens at the edge.”

Gallery Edge’s current show, which hangs until December 23, represents work from all ten artists. Check the gallery’s Facebook page for upcoming shows, special art market pop-ups and new exhibits.

Gallery Edge will be open in Century Hall six days a week, closed Monday. 

Gallery Edge Artists: 
(most names link to websites where you can see samples of their work)

• Kat Fitzpatrick
• JJ Foley
• Kerr Grabowski 
• Mary Hardy
• Stacey Johnson
• Marian Knobbe
• Bill Nelson
• Vicki Niolet
• Joey Rice
• Liz Schafer

Two artists with a proven track record of helping revitalize New Orleans neighborhoods  through arts centers they've created may soon be moving to Waveland.  
- story by Ellis Anderson 

​Waveland Mayor Mike Smith says that he’s visited Studio Arabi twice and both times was “amazed” by what he saw.
 
“They [the Gaudets] have their own studios, but they also lease out spaces to other artists,” said Smith.  “I can see how what they’ve done has revitalized the community there.  They’re proposing doing the same thing in Waveland.  I’m really excited about the possibilities.”
 
Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke agrees. 
 
“Coleman Avenue has never really come back after Katrina,” Burke said.  “This could breathe new life into Waveland.  It’s the outside-the-box project that we’ve been looking for.”

​The building under consideration was completed as the Waveland Business Center in 2012.  The 10,000-square-foot facility has a striking contemporary design (by Bay St. Louis firm, unabridged Architecture). 

​Although a few tenants have come and gone and three businesses currently lease small sections of the building, Mayor Smith says that for the most part, the business incubator has not been utilized as was originally hoped. 

Earlier this fall, Waveland published calls for proposals to lease the entire facility.  The Gaudets, who have been scouting out Waveland for some time as a possible location for their next project, thought the Coleman Avenue building met all the requirements for another thriving arts center.  They submitted a bid.  It turned out to be the only one. 
 
But Mayor Smith is not disappointed.  “My expectations are high for this particular proposal.”
 
Smith says that he hopes the bid will be formally accepted at the first Alderman’s meeting in December (December 5th).  Then negotiations will be entered into for the lease, which could be finalized later in the month.  All parties stated that they hoped the Gaudets – under their Studio Waveland, LLC - would have possession of the building by the first of January 2018.
 
“The minute we sign the lease, my wife is packing the truck and moving her studio over,” said Mitchell Gaudet.  “Or rather I’ll be packing the truck and she’ll be telling me what to pack.”

​“We envision a quick build-out and then beginning our programming in March or April.  We’re already arguing over what the theme of the first art show will be,” he said, laughing. 
 
“We see this also as a place where the public can interact with workshops and classes and lectures and art openings, with a cool gallery space.  Nothing hoity-toity.”
 
Since the city built the incubator in partnership with other government entities, they won’t own the building in entirety for another year.  According to Mayor Smith, that necessitates a one-year lease at this time. 

The Gaudets are hoping that after the initial year, they’ll be able to secure a longer lease that would warrant the $120,000 investment required by the Gaudets to build-out and equip the building for Mitchell’s glass-making. 
 
“Erica will move her studio over this first year,” said Gaudet. “And then we’ll move over full time…  If we can really crush it that first year, we can create more live-work spaces in the area.  It could be huge.  We’re really excited.”
 
Gaudet says that the New Orleans art community is buzzing as well.  Bay St. Louis is already seen as a popular arts center and the Waveland facility would add to Hancock County’s reputation as an arts destination. 
 
The Gaudets have already driven artist friends over for tours.   Gaudet points out that New Orleans and the Bay-Waveland area are “sister cities of sorts,” so many people in the city already have familiarity – and fondness – for the area.  
 
“There are still a few hurdles ahead, but they’re getting smaller,” said Gaudet.  “We’ll do whatever it takes.  I’m already growing a beard and mustache to look more like George Ohr.” 
 

Meet Mitchell Gaudet

Talk of the Town - November 2017

Artists are the backbone of our community - bringing vitality to our economy, improving our quality of life and attracting visitors, new residents and businesses. Find out what you can do to support the artists who keep on giving! 
- story and photos by Ellis Anderson 

​Art events throughout the year build the sense of community, as well as boosting the local economy.  There’s the annual Arts Alive!, Frida Fest (celebrating the birthday of artist Frida Kahlo) and the Mermaid’s Arts & Crafts show.  

The monthly Second Saturday Artwalk (a veteran event that’s more than 25 years old!) pulls a lion’s share of weight for community enhancement and prosperity.  New events like the Downhome Blues Music Series work double-duty too, entertaining locals, as well as  building our reputation as a desirable place to live and do business. 

The Bay is a shining example of Mississippi's creative economy.  

Incredibly, not a dime of local taxpayer money is budgeted by local governments for producing or promoting any of the arts events listed above (although they may help out with extra patrols, etc.).  These events are self-supporting and self-funding for the most part, with Hancock Tourism lending a hand when they have available grant funding. 
 
These events occur only because of local organizations, like The Arts, Hancock County, the Old Town Merchants Association and the Alice and Tim Moseley Foundation and dozens of artist volunteers and generous merchants, who donate time and money and a creative can-do spirit (to name only a few - Smith & Lens Gallery, the Mockingbird Café, The French Potager, Gallery 220 and Bay Life).
 
So how can you help support this self-sufficient cultural community that uplifts our lives and generates enormous economic benefits for us all?
 
Easy.

1.  Join in and roll up your sleeves.  You don’t have to be an artist or a merchant – just an appreciator of all these organizations do. Volunteer to help.  If you're more a left-brain type, these groups always need help with things like clerical work, delivery, event staffing.  You can also purchase a membership or simply donate.  They’re all 501c3s, so donations are tax-deductible.  ​

• The Arts, Hancock County ($35 annually).
• Old Town Merchants Association (inquire about associate memberships and donations)
• Alice and Tim Moseley Foundation (levels start at $25 annually)

2.  Spread the word.  Social media sites like Facebook and Instagram make it simple to share news about our artists and local events with friends and business customers.

“Liking” or "loving" an arts-related post helps, while taking a moment to "share" with a brief introductory comment really has a long reach.  On social media, comments are king.  You’ll have more impact than you could imagine.  

​On Facebook, follow:

• The Arts, Hancock County, MS 
• Old Town Bay St Louis
• Alice Moseley Folk Art and Antique Museum
• Hancock County Tourism Bureau
• The Shoofly Magazine (yep, that's us!  We'll keep you up with all the cool happenings!) 

On Instagram: 

• Hancockarts
• Baystlouisoldtown
• Bslshoofly 

3.  ​Buy Art.  Take "shopping local" one step further by buying a painting, a photograph or a piece of pottery from a neighborhood artist or one of the galleries/shops in Old Town that make Bay St. Louis the place you’re proud to call home. 

Have a loved one with a creative hankering?  You can even purchase gift certificates for lessons with local artists (see our list at the end of this story!). 
 
Below are art-related holiday happenings – we’ll be adding to it throughout the season.  You can also check in at our Community Calendar or our Upcoming Events page at any time. 

Holiday Second Saturday Artwalks
November 11 & December 9
Things are lively all day, but really gear up between 4pm - 8pm 

During the Second Saturday Artwalk each month in Old Town Bay St. Louis, you'll find cool deals, fresh meals and lots of art and live music.  It's the way we throw a family-friendly party here in the Bay and you're invited! The holiday ones are especially fun, so invite your friends and family from across the coast and beyond. 

Bay Artist's Co-op 22nd Annual Open Studio and Sale
November 18 - 19
Saturday, 10am - 4pm, - Sunday, 11am - 3pm
415 S. Necaise Ave. 
​Bay St. Louis 
This working art studio cleans up for the annual Open House held the weekend before Thanksgiving.
Artists in Clay : Regan Carney, Gayle Andersson, Mark Buszkiewicz, Nina Cork, Jeanne Richardson. Painters: Janet Densmore and Jerome Anderson. Photography: Per-Owe Andersson. Vintage  Jewelry: Iris Naomi.  Handmade books, collage: Noni Johns.  Mosaics: Jo Slay.  Live Music by "Ivory Bill," featuring Billy Ray Hammond and David Sallis playing blues and ballads.

Entirely undercover,  so "rain or shine". Wheel chair accessible. Art demonstrations.

4th Annual Waveland Christmas Bazaar
November 17-18
335 Coleman Avenue, Waveland, MS
Friday, 10 am – 7 pm 
 Saturday, 9 am – 4 pm
Saturday 8am -  Pancake Breakfast With Santa
Shop for great Christmas gifts, clothing, jewelry, and home decor items.  
Find the event on Facebook: Ground Zero Hurricane Museum
Clu1964@gmail.com

Thanksgiving Weekend in Old Town
Friday & Saturday
Really.  Forget the mall scene.  Spend Friday, Saturday and/or Sunday meandering through the locally owned shops and dining in one of our indie eateries.  Walk along the seawall, or along the piers.  No parking hassles, no long lines, no pushy crowds.  You'll be glad you did your holiday shopping the BSL way.  

On Friday evening, there's the Second Street Art Trifecta:

• Mr. Atticus's Night Market (Mockingbird Cafe, 110 S. Second Street) - live music, artisans, a special menu and lots of BSL style conviviality!  
• Smith & Lens (106 S. Second Street) Opening Reception for Amanda Bennett - 6pm - 8pm
• Gallery Edge (112 S. Second Street, inside Century Hall) group show opening reception, 5:30pm - 8pm 

​
On Saturday celebrate all day in Old Town in conjunction with Shop Local movements across America!  

​Walk in the Woods Art Event and Sale
December 2
Saturday 
10 am to 4pm
228.255.4019
22591 Rue La Terre  Kiln, MS
rain or shine

A short walk from parking to Fine Art, Fine Craft, demonstrations and refreshments.
Located under the pavilion on the beautiful wooded property of La Terre in Kiln. Working in clay are Gayle Andersson, Regan Carney, Mark Buszkiewicz, Danielle Inabinet Runnels and Margaret Inabinet.  Weaving - James Inabinet.  Photography - Per-Owe Andersson. Multiple Media -  Janelle Alys Mullen.  Gourmet Soaps -  Greg.   Cookies -  Kathleen 
Painting -  Chloe Harville. Hand-sewn items -  Patty Lockleer.

Holiday Bazaar at the Bay Waveland Yacht Club
December 1 & 2
Friday, 10am - 6pm, Saturday 10am - 2pm
Bay Waveland Yacht Club
666 N. Beach Blvd.
Several local artists usually sell at this annual show, when the membership only Bay-Waveland Yacht Club is open to the public for the event.  Great views, wonderful hometown holiday feel.  
www.bwyc.org (228) 467-4592

The BSL Creative Arts Center Annual Holiday Show and Sale
December 9 - 10
​Saturday, 10am - 8pm, Sunday Noon to 6pm
101 Central Ave.
Bay St. Louis
Starting at 8pm they'll have a studio party with refreshments, live entertainment and dancing.  Be prepared for artistic revelry! 

Give Art Lessons! 

The Shoofly Magazine has put together an entire roster of local artists who give group and private lessons - in everything from pottery to painting.  

The ones below can arrange for gift certificates too - so you can give your loved one an opportunity to unleash their more creative side!  See our Art Teachers page for more information about these incredible local artists!  

The Pottery Studio at the BSL Creative Arts Center offers gift certificates for the holidays.   Instruction is offered in wheel throwing, hand-building and sculpture.  Gift certificates are available for single classes and five-class punch cards.  For adults, a single class card is $25 and the five-class punch card is $100.   For kids under 16, a single class card is $15 and a five-class punch card is $60.  For the month of November, all five-class punch card are discounted $10 in celebration of the holidays. (Adults $90, Kids $50 ).

Class cards can be used to drop-in during scheduled class times or by appointment any time during our open studio hours, with flexibility to fit any schedule. For more info visit the BSL Creative Arts Center Facebook page or call 228-342-7668.

Master potter Regan Carney gives her pottery classes in a series of five.  Gift certificates are available for a single class, or the entire series.  Regan has printed gift certificates available - just call her at 228. 216.0210. 

Mosaic artist Joanna Slay gives private lessons in her Biloxi studio.  Or sign up for a workshop scheduled in March, July or October of 2018 at Clay Creations (220 Main Street) in Bay St. Louis. Gift Certificates are available for the workshops ($95) or private lessons ($75 for 3 hours). Please visit www.joslay.com or call 228-217-9212 for additional information. 

Dale Pohl:  For gift certificates, holiday workshops for kids and adults, Grandkids Art Parties, Girls Night Out, Birthday Parties, Bridal and Baby Showers, and weekly children's classes, contact Dale Pohl (mother bird!) at 228-671-9123, or kdpohl@bellsouth.net. Relax, enjoy yourself, and Make Art!, in a quaint, historic building.  102 Blaize Avenue, BSL. (by the Duck Pond!)

Potter/sculptor Nina Cork is teaching short two-hour workshops by request. $50 per person, two people minimum per workshop (a perfect BFF gift!).  Gift certificates are available.  Contact Nina at (630) 918.1339 or ninamcork@gmail.com

Encaustic artist Kat Fitzpatrick offers two types of classes.  The first is a three-hour introduction to encaustic collage is available to you and 3 friends (may include wine byob). $65/person, all materials included.  There's also a two-day workshop at Katfish Studio in Bay St. Louis (4 people required) $300 per person/all materials supplied.  Contact her to arrange for gift certificates at ​ katfitzpatrick@bellsouth.net

Chloe Harville offers gift certificates for belly dance classes, in any amount.  People can email her for details at me@tabernabsl.com or they can call or text:  228-671-1656.

During the Second Saturday Artwalk each month in Old Town Bay St. Louis, you'll find cool deals, fresh meals and lots of art and live music.  It's the way we throw a family-friendly party here in the Bay and you're invited! 

Be sure to visit Hot Spot businesses Biz-zee Bee, 111 Main Street, and  Social Chair, 201 Main Street!

- stories by Denise Jacobs, photos by Denise Jacobs and Ellis Anderson 

Biz-zee Bee
111 Main Street
Bay St. Louis
228.467.1104

During the artwalk, from 4pm - 8pm,  Biz-zee Bee will be having live music and kid-friendly goodies. 

Biz-zee Bee has been a coastal favorite since relocating to Old Town from Hwy 90 in 2008.  The shop sells children's clothing and accessories - and embroiders.

“Biz-zee Bee is like two stores in one," owner Janelle Graham explains, gesturing toward three high-tech sewing machines behind the register. It’s where Janelle Hilliard, Janelle's aunt, operates the machines, adding custom embroidery and monogramming to items purchased at Biz-zee Bee and elsewhere. 

In addition to the best in seasonal children's clothing, smocked baby clothes, and nautical wear for the young crowd, Biz-zee Bee caters to local dance troupes, with shoes and clothes for ballet, jazz, and tap. And while it is a children's shop, two adult brands are also carried: Charles River raincoats and Comfort Colors BSL T-shirts. Gift-wrapping is free, too, making the shop easy for shower-shoppers.  

​After 12 years of serving the Bay area, Graham and Hilliard are most proud of their small-town personal level of customer service.

"It's what keeps people coming back," Graham says, adding that she has made a lot of friends through the years. "You really can't beat the Old Town shopping experience.” ​

For the latest in children's fall fashions, stop by Biz-zee Bee for Second Saturday hours and enjoy live music and kid-friendly goodies. Beat the rush on your special embroidery needs and holiday shopping. The embroidery drop-off deadline is December 15; don't miss it! 

Social Chair
201 Main Street
Bay St. Louis 
228.466.5853

During the artwalk, from 4pm - 8pm, Social Chair will be having live music, a pop-up park for kids, dip-mix samplings, and a gift w/purchase give-away.  

​At 201 Main Street, Social Chair is an Old Town fixture. Owned by Yuki Northington, who holds degrees in fine art and interior design, the store opened shortly after Hurricane Katrina demolished the town. Despite the devastation that surrounded her, she spotted a niche to be filled, and she filled it. 

Social Chair hums with positive energy year long, and those shopping for their homes will find furniture, tableware, and luxury bedding. Others will find trendy and sparkling jewelry to their liking. During the holiday season, the store sings with an eclectic variety of ornaments and seasonal decor. Yuki is especially excited to offer a new line of handmade Seagem oyster pottery out of Louisiana. 

​Get a jump on your holiday shopping at Social Chair, and stop by for live music, a pop-up park for kids, dix-mix samples, and a gift-with-purchase giveaway. At the end of the night on Second Saturday, some lucky person is going to walk away with a handmade Swarovski crystal creation, one of Social Chair's top-selling pieces. It might be you! 

During the Second Saturday Artwalk each month in Old Town Bay St. Louis, you'll find cool deals, fresh meals and lots of art and live music.  It's the way we throw a family-friendly party here in the Bay and you're invited! 

Make sure you visit Hot Spot businesses Heart of Old Town Vacation Rental, 109 N. Second Street and Sonny's Cypress Café, 300 S. Second Street!
- story by Denise Jacobs, photos by Ellis Anderson

Heart of Old Town Vacation Rental 
109 N. Second Street
Bay St Louis
228.493.6316

Be sure to stop by for a tour of The Heart of Old Town Vacation Rental on Second Saturday, October 14, between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Rest a spell on the new balcony and BBQ area, and enjoy the band, songs, and jokes courtesy of Sylvia and Ed. Food and drinks will be provided courtesy of the Ulman Tea Room and Garden. 
​

The Heart of Old Town Vacation Rental, a spacious 1300-square-foot cottage, nestles against the side of Antique Maison  at 109 N. Second Street.
​
Ed and Sylvia Young bought the building as a fixer-upper in 1990 and moved it to its current location. Living in New Orleans at the time, the Youngs embarked on a journey that will resonate with many full-time Bay residents.

After purchasing the home and making weekend trips from New Orleans for two years, the couple moved permanently to Bay St Louis in 1992. The building was fully renovated in 1995 and opened for business.  The vacation rental has been offered since 2009. 
​
Sylvia, the property manager, makes sure that guests enjoy all the comforts of home in her two-bedroom, two-bath, seaside-themed vacation rental. Guests will find a washer and dryer, a full kitchen, and even a crib.

Aptly named, the vacation rental is truly in the heart of Old Town, and guests will find it easy to navigate on foot to the harbor, the beach, and the local shops.

More information about the vacation rental can be found on VRBO.com/25621.

Sonny's Cypress Café
300 S. Second Street
Bay St Louis
228.466.4877

​On Second Saturday, October 14, Sonny’s Cypress Café will provide a band on the patio from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Second Saturday crowd will enjoy appetizers from the main menu. Think hummus, stuffed grape leaves, spanakopita, and caprese. Think delicious! 

Sonny’s Cypress Café is a dream come true. Literally.

When it was simply the Cypress Café, Sonny Wright stopped by every time he visited family in the Bay. Sonny's dream was to one day own the café and revamp it with a strong Mediterranean influence. When opportunity presented itself, Sonny and his wife Denise snapped up the restaurant, located in the historic city hall building.

Recent updates include spacious seating space for more than 70, white-brick walls reminiscent of Greece, black woodwork, and cloth-covered tables. The café lends itself to an Italian and Greek vibe—fitting, as Sonny’s heritage is both. 

Expect a wide variety of mouth-watering choices for every meal. A favorite breakfast entrée is Eggs Shakshuka—eggs cooked in a spicy tomato sauce with sausage, onions, and peppers.

For lunch and dinner, offerings include traditional Mediterranean fare, along with pasta dishes that rotate daily—Pasta Alla Norma, fried eggplant tossed in tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese; Pasta Carbonara, linguine with Bianco cheese sauce, bacon, caramelized onions, and peppers; and Pasta Spinach, sautéed spinach and onions with freshly grated cheese. Gary Veglia, local restauranteur, one of the cafe's first patrons, recommends the moussaka.

Guests can always find vegan and vegetarian dishes and gluten-free pasta. Classic burgers and paninis are also available. Leave room for bread pudding, baklava, or cheesecake.

And don’t forget the wine! Natasha Actuaymi, manager, encourages patrons to bring their own beer and wine for a cork fee of $5.00.

Hours are Monday through Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. On Sundays, a special brunch menu is featured from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Parking is plentiful in front of the building and along the side of the building toward the old City Park.

Coast Lines - Oct/Nov 2017

One man helped shaped the creative heart of Bay St. Louis in ways that will happily reverberate for generations to come:  meet Jerry Dixon. 
- story by Ellis Anderson 

​It read, “Something Wonderful Is Always Happening...” 
 
Kat turned to her mother, Jean Hammett.  “Mom, you need to see this.  Something really interesting is going on.”  
 
Jean came to the window and the women waved down to the sign poster.   He waved back and the car pulled away.  
 
Bay St. Louis changed forever.  Jerry Dixon had come to town.  
 
At first, Dixon opened a small metaphysical bookstore in the enormous building he’d purchased.  He called the place “Serenity,” as if that's what customers could expect to find.  The small sign on the door was replaced with a large painted one mounted on the building’s roof.   It had the same message, writ large:  Something Wonderful Is Always Happening…  

The three ellipses trailed off, leaving it to the viewer’s imagination exactly where good things were happening.  But if you asked anybody in town to tell you what it said from memory, they’d forget all about the ellipses and swear it said “ in Bay St. Louis.” 
 
It didn’t matter what the sign said or didn’t.  Good things did start happening in the Bay.  Interesting things.  Flower baskets began appearing, hung from street lights. Informal gatherings were often held at Serenity, a wide range of speakers sharing their expertise and interests.  Jerry would often stand outside his front door and engage longtime locals and visitors alike in conversation, so Serenity became a community touchstone. 
 
The art gallery grew gradually, but eventually encompassed most of the building.  Dixon rented out individual spaces to artists or entrepreneurs who he wanted to nurture.  Nancy Blance opened a used book store.  John McDonald, the portrait artist, set up his studio there.  Kat and Jean became gallery mainstays, showing their work there for nearly two decades.  Artist Vicki Niolet remembers having one of her first shows at Serenity in the late 1980s, sharing the spotlight with fellow artist Brenda Randolph.  
 
“I was just starting out as a working artist and to be honest, my work back then probably wasn’t good enough to show in a gallery,” says Vicki, whose artistic career since has won her national recognition and awards.  “But Jerry wanted to encourage me.  He gave me the confidence to push forward.”   

Folk artist Alice Moseley credited Jerry Dixon for her decision to move to Bay St. Louis at age 80.  In 1989, Moseley and her son, Tim, came to exhibit in a Main Street art festival. Her booth was in front of Serenity Gallery and when a storm came through around noon, Jerry helped Alice move her paintings inside.  He invited her to remain set up in his gallery for the rest of the day.  
 
Tim remembers that Alice returned to North Mississippi with a Bay St. Louis real estate booklet.  About a month later, the retired schoolteacher called Jerry Dixon and declared she was moving to the Bay. 
 
“But Alice,” Dixon said. “You don’t know anybody here.” 
 
“I know you!” Alice said.  
 
Tim says it was a move his mother never regretted.  She became a fixture in Bay St. Louis and Jerry would visit with her every Monday afternoon when Serenity was closed.  
 
When Alice passed away at the age of 94 in 2004, hundreds of people attended her memorial service on the Depot grounds.  Today, the Alice Moseley Folk Art Museum in the Depot is one of the town’s major attractions.  It's  just one example of the amazing Dixon trickle-down effect.  

“Scores of people moved here because of Jerry Dixon,” says Tim. “He was the glue that held the early art community together.” 
 
“I can’t tell you how many times I heard the same story,” says Kat. “People would tell me that they found their way off the interstate into Bay St. Louis and then discovered Serenity Gallery and met Jerry.  By the end of the afternoon, they were shopping for real estate.”
 
I can testify to the truth of that.  In a large part, I’m in the Bay because of Jerry Dixon. 
 
In 1994, after fifteen years of living and owning an art gallery in the French Quarter, I was ready for a change.  I’d visited the Bay’s art galleries during a small event called “Second Saturday” and toyed with relocating.
 
By that time, a lively art colony was taking shape - Bay St. Louis would soon be recognized as one of 100 Top Art Towns in the country.  Jerry Dixon’s friends (and artists) Keith Karlson and Tony Eccles had opened Mississippi Gallery across the street from Serenity. Jerry and Keith had cooked up the concept for a monthly gallery walk.  

​They were joined by others, like nationally-recognized modernist jewelry authority, Marby Schon, and her husband, Andrew Tilden, who operated a gallery at 110 S. Second Street (where the Mockingbird Café is now). And Vicki Niolet - by then a Bay resident thanks to the influence of Jerry - had recently opened Paper Moon on Main Street (Gallery 220's location).

Every artist I met encouraged me to make the leap, but Jerry was especially welcoming.  I began combing Bay St. Louis for a building that could serve as my home, studio and gallery.  Finally, a decrepit Creole cottage next to the courthouse won my heart.  The problem?  It wasn’t for sale.  
 
I went into Serenity Gallery one afternoon, seeking Jerry’s advice. 
 
“Well, darling,” he said.  “I’ve always had great luck just knocking on the door and asking.” 
 
It worked.  Less than a year later, after renovating the building, I opened the Bay St. Louis location of Quarter Moon Gallery.
 
Through the next ten years, whenever I had a problem, Jerry lent a hand.  Whenever I became discouraged, he offered words that lifted my spirits.  I was only one of many, many people who counted on his wisdom and guidance.  
 
I teased Jerry back then by calling him the Godfather of Main Street.  Kat referred to him as the Mayor of Main.  “He sweetened the place in every way imaginable,” she says. 
 
Vicki has another honorary title for Jerry, "He's the closest thing to a saint I'll ever know."

Jerry sold the Serenity Gallery building months before Hurricane Katrina.  The storm destroyed his art-filled historic home in Cedar Point.  A few years later, his longtime partner, Wayne, passed away.  Trying to regain firm footing, Jerry moved to Natchez, where several other Bay residents had relocated.  
 
But the longing wouldn’t let up.  Jerry visited often, kept up with friends.  This spring, he returned to the Bay for good, to the delight of all who knew him well.  And to the delight of newcomers too.  
 
Recently, a woman who moved to Bay St. Louis a few years ago asked if I’d met her new neighbor yet.  
 
“He’s the nicest man!  His name is Jerry Dixon.” 
 
Startled, I asked if she was talking about THE Jerry Dixon.  
 
She had no idea what I meant.  She didn’t know that Jerry had lived here before.  Or that the town she’d fallen for had been shaped in pivotal, permanent ways by the love and dedication - and vision - of this humble, diminutive man.   
 
So I write this little history for her, and for those to come who will also give their hearts to this very special place. 
 
A place where something wonderful is always happening…

Arts Alive!  Oct/Nov 2017

Creating portraits by embroidering can take up to a year to complete a single piece, but as she works, Ruth Miller is redefining tapestry - one thread at a time. 
- story by LB Kovac, photos courtesy Ruth Miller

But they aren’t stately. By choosing domestic scenes and incorporating elements of African art, Miller is redefining tapestry, one thread at a time. 

Ruth Miller herself is an unexpectedly quiet woman. On the phone, she has a sweet voice. She’s easy to talk to and laughs a lot. I imagine her smiling all the time. At home in her studio she says, when she’s working on a piece, she listens to audio books.
​
“I need my mind to wander in two different directions when I’m working,” she says. “But it’s like driving—you get to a point where you don’t remember that you’re going somewhere, and then you’re there.”

But Miller didn’t learn embroidery there. She learned it where most girls of her era did: at home, from her female relatives, especially her mother and her aunt. “It was the end of those times where kids were universally taught sewing and embroidery.”

​She recalls riding the subway to school and someone crocheting in a seat next to her. It would be an odd scene today, with ready-made textiles being so readily available, and so few people attempting such time-consuming art forms. ​

Miller says that she was inspired to think of embroidery as an art form by a Senegalese weaver. He produced tapestries that included abstracted and figurative art.

“I didn’t warm to paint at school, but I liked the cleanliness of textile art.” This weaver had a big impact on how she saw her own art. “He influenced my early attempts at style.”

This is evident in pieces like “The Evocation and Capture of Aphrodite,” where a pattern that starts in background drapes before covering the back of the young girl’s shirt, or “Our Lady of Unassailable Well-being,” in which a smiling woman’s face is framed by a colorful pattern.

For much of her life, Miller lived in the northern states, but she recently moved to Mississippi for two reasons: “I was looking for a place and time to make art,” and “I was looking forward to getting to know my family.”

Miller’s mother was born in Meridian, and she herself had lived here once in the 1970s, before going back to New York. In a studio in an unincorporated area of Hancock County, Miller makes her art. The change of pace from fast, breath-taking New York to easy-going rural Mississippi no-doubt contributes to her art.

Miller’s works do have one major thing in common with Romanesque tapestries: time. Art historians estimate that the Bayeux Tapestry took ten years to produce.

​Miller’s pieces don’t take quite that long, but she does profess that the average piece takes 9 months to produce, and she spends as long as a year and a half on the larger ones. That’s with a schedule of sewing about five hours a day, five days a week.

 “If I thought about how long it would take, I probably wouldn’t do it,” she says. “It’s like doing a puzzle; you don’t think about how long it will take you. You just think about the thrill of the search.” It’s a much longer “search” than the average artist in other art forms—painting, drawing or writing.

Because every tapestry takes such a long time to make, subjects take on a focused air. The artist was committed, for quite a length of time, to capturing a moment. In the Bayeux Tapestry, it’s the Battle of Hastings, a moment important to the Norman Conquest of England. It’s the moment when the English monarchy, still intact today, began. It’s easy for us to see why the artist wanted to share that moment with generations to come.

What makes Miller’s works all-the-more interesting are her subjects.  She doesn’t embroider battles or knights or princesses. She focuses on people. People combing hair, people talking on the phone, people glancing at something outside of frame. Miller says, “I thought about my own interior life… I’m addressing it for myself, and it happens universally.” 

She finds inspiration in a young girl capturing a photo, a woman drinking tea, a laugh, a smile. These simple gestures take on a grand importance, a gravity even, that just isn’t tangible in a painting or a sketch. The works feel much more intentional, much more purposeful, if only because we realize how much time the artist spent making them.

Miller’s thread art has a pulse. Skin tones take on a feathery quality, making the subjects feel alive. In pieces like “The Impossible Dream is the Gateway to Self-Love,” where Miller has to carefully choose where each color goes, you can be surprised what colors jump out. She works from a palette that numbers in the thousands of hues. It makes them feel alive. In amongst the chocolates and charcoals and beiges, there might be a stray blue thread. They have a soul.

The constraints of embroidery mean that Miller will never be as prolific as Picasso, but that doesn’t matter to her. Her art is simply a way of sharing her views with the world. “I want people to see that art is a way to life itself… Whatever grabs you about a singer, they’re making their heart visible to you.” 

Ruth Miller’s works hang in private collections and museums across the United States. You can find one of her pieces, "The Path to Enlightenment" on display at the Smith & Lens Gallery through October 22, 2017.

During the Second Saturday Artwalk each month in Old Town Bay St. Louis, you'll find cool deals, fresh meals and lots of art and live music.  It's the way we throw a family-friendly party here in the Bay and you're invited! 
​
Make sure you visit our Hot Spot businesses, Bay Elements, 112 South Second Street (inside Century Hall) and Lulu's on Main/Maggie May's, 126 Main Street.  

Bay Elements
inside Century Hall
112 S. Second Street
Bay St. Louis, MS 39520
504.810.7772

Inside the 100-year-old historic building, find an electrifying fusion of unique artifacts, repurposed findings, antiques, art, furniture, gifts and much more at Bay Elements.   The genius behind this amazing concept is Susan Peterson.  

​You can shop up and downstairs for furniture and accessories for the home, and seaside findings for young and old.  There is truly something for everybody, from small gifts to magnificently handcrafted furniture. Make sure to take notice of the impeccable craftsmanship of the building that summons the past-life.  

Peterson was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, but married a coastal boy and hasn’t looked back since.  She has been on the Coast for 35 years.  “My heart is here,”says Peterson “I love the people and friendly guests, and there is nothing better than being in Old Town Bay St. Louis.”

At 126 Main Street, Maggie May’s is located in another historic building, one that has been an Old Town art anchor for ore than two decades.  The building contains 5,300 square feet of art, jewelry, clothing, and home décor items.  The beautiful large gallery space is filled with five vendors throughout and showcases over thirty local and regional artists.  

The business features everything from beautiful paintings, sculpture, jewelry, hand-made crafts, unique clothing, shoes, home accessories and so much more.   Nested within is also a popular restaurant named Lulu’s, an amazing eatery.  

At Lulu’s they are cooking up innovative New Orleans influenced cuisine.  Crowd favorites are Moynan’s corn and crab bisque, her BBQ shrimp or “debris” roast beef po-boys, and Betty’s bread pudding, reputed to be the best on the coast.   People are drawn by the restaurant’s unique art gallery atmosphere, as well as the tasty breakfast and lunch.
 
“We’ve got an incredible group of businesses here, in a building that is showing great art,” says Moynan.  “You can feel the positive energy as soon as you walk in.  It’s the ultimate place to ‘shop local."

Stop by Tuesday thru Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. to check out of Lulu’s tasty cuisine.

Moynan, invites new customers and long-time fans in to, “Come and feel the love and passion that I have for food,” she says. “You’ll go home tasting the flavors of the Bay."

Celebrate the summer's end at the August Second Saturday, August 12th.  You'll find cool deals, fresh meals and lots of art and live music.  It's the way we throw a family-friendly party here in the Bay and you're invited! 

Make sure to visit Hot Spot businesses Antique Maison Ulman (317 Ulman Ave.) and The Shoe Boutique (inside Maggie May’s Art and Gift Gallery, 126 Main Street).

-  by Tracy Shields

Click here and scroll down to read archived Second Saturday columns  

​Antique Maison Ulman
317 Ulman Ave.
Bay St Louis
228-344-3128

Sylvia and Ed Young opened this branch of Antique Maison on historic Ulman Avenue, only a minute away from their Second Street location, in 2014. Not to be outdone, this Ulman store focuses on home, garden, patio décor, and shabby chic furnishings for your whole house. Visit booths from various dealers, and enjoy an open floor plan with three large showrooms and a Quonset hut with lots of wandering room and treasures to be found. Right now you will even find a large furniture sale. 

Discover a hidden treasure in the very back—Bay St Louis’s own English tearoom. Its vintage china and floral tablecloths set the scene for tea, made-from-scratch scones, and a decadent variety of desserts Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Choose from large dining room, deck/garden dining area, and a private dining area to host parties, bridal showers and all the special occasions that happen in your life. Antique Maison Ulman Tearoom offers 13 hot and cold teas, soft drinks, and iced or hot coffee. They also offer High Tea Windsor by appointments. 
​
Stop by this second Saturday for the dedication of the historical tree in their garden. “Heavenly Tea Garden” will be dedicated by a St. Augustine Seminary priest at 5 p.m. on August 12.    

The Shoe Boutique
inside Maggie May’s Art and Gift Gallery
126 Main Street            
Bay St Louis
228-467-7750

Someone said, “Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.” The Shoe Boutique may not be the largest shop in Old Town, but it just may be the best place to find the perfect ladies’ shoes in Bay St. Louis. This shop is slipped away in the sunny front window at Maggie May’s Art and Gift Gallery at 126 Main. 

Owners Bill and Joyce Whitfield have been retailers on the Gulf Coast since 1984, when they bought a store in Gulfport. They have been selling shoes here in Bay St. Louis for over 15 years. At its current Old Town Bay St. Louis location since February 2015, the store displays a large variety of styles and sizes of women’s shoes. Brands include Lucky Brand, Aerosoles, Volatile, Yellow Box, and Van Eli.

The Shoe Boutique offers the individual and attentive service that shoppers love. Joyce stocks each shoe with style, comfort and affordability in mind. One can never take too much care with what they put on their feet, and at the Shoe Boutique, the shoes are selected to be as comfortable as they are stunning. Cinderella is proof that a good pair of shoes can change your life. 

Get to know the very savvy businesswoman behind the glitter, the tutus, and the multiple tiaras - a design diva who never stops evolving. 
​- story by Trish McAlvain

Most know her as the hostess of her own series, the internet sensation “MS Congeniality.” Jaimee started “MS Congeniality” with a mission to defy the image of the typical Mississippian. Every Wednesday another webisode is released. It is a fresh, spunky spin of life in the state, always filmed live with Jaimee interviewing fascinating people living and doing cool things.

In 2017, Mississippi celebrates 200 years of statehood. Jaimee is the face of "Miss Issippi" as Mississippi Bicentennial Hostess. Miss Issippi was a character drawn up in 1917 to represent Mississippi during the state's 100th birthday celebration. Although the centennial festivities were ultimately canceled because of the First World War, Miss Issippi still paraded around the state in costume.
 
When state bicentennial historians gathered to speak of the mascot chosen 100 years ago, it was decided to have an updated version. Who better to fill those shoes than MS Congeniality? Everyone agreed that Jaimee was the perfect choice.
 
Jaimee hopes to always be completely approachable to the public in her role as Miss Issippi. "Ask me anything, I'll tell the truth. I hope I don't intimidate you.

She comes by her titles naturally. Jaimee was born in Bay St. Louis to Dottie and Daniel Goad, who are celebrating 43 years of marriage and who still reside on the coast. Her mother has always been a stay-at-home mom, while her father is a NASA rocket scientist. When she was young, Daniel instilled the importance of education when he would often stay up late teaching her chemistry and physics.
 
Dottie’s love of painting brought the artsy side to the mix. This mixture of science and art makes Jaimee a one-of-a-kind artist with an analytical style of thinking. She says she uses her brain to make decisions, not her heart.

Jaimee spent two years studying organic chemistry in college and made straight A's. However, she was never concerned with exact numbers enough to see this being her profession. She was the student who was a little too theatrical during class and had thoughts of something else in her future.
 
Her sister Michelle lives in Hawaii. She is Jaimee's best friend, and is a graphic designer and a wonderful belly dancer. Brother Gary Goad is a well-known local electrician here on the Gulf Coast.

As part of the graduating class of 1999 at Long Beach High School, Jaimee always enjoyed seeking the spotlight, first as a cheerleader and a singer. As a high school participant in the international exchange program in 1998, she traveled to Brazil. All she learned abroad helped to broaden her dynamics. Jaimee says, “In spirit, everyone knew me as Miss Brazil."
 
Jaimee has drawn strength from her husband Joel who has helped her appreciate the "typical Mississippian." Joel helped her to see that "we judge ourselves on how others judge us," she says.
 
This Hancock county couple lives by the simple belief that it is most important to pride ourselves on our strengths.

​"He is a fishing bayou rat," says Jaimee when she speaks fondly of her husband. “It took me 30 years to appreciate the ‘good ol' boy’-style man. Learning that who cares what people think? It's about how you feel."

"Joel knows how to treat me; he is a Southern gentleman, a provider for his family; he hustles as a businessman, and is an overall hard worker with strengths of the manly Mississippi man.”

​This is symbolic to Jaimee and instills state pride in her adventures and portrayal as Miss Issippi and MS Congeniality.

This busy couple are both in their thirties and are successful local business owners. Jaimee is celebrating a 10-year anniversary of Jaimee Designs Web Studio, located in Bay St. Louis. Joel has over 13 years invested in his local commercial and residential electrician business as contractor/owner of Dorris Electric Services of Bay St Louis.
 
Jaimee has been a member of the Rotary Club since 2013. She enjoyed helping fellow Rotarians to get the International Youth Exchange off the ground for Hancock County. Jaimee is fond of the program, knowing the attributes it created in her own experiences as an exchange student.
 
"I work for myself to give time for a clean, peaceful overall feeling for my family." Joel and Jaimee Dorris are celebrating their three-year wedding anniversary. They stay active with five children, ranging from ages 10 to 21 with Joel's kids from a previous marriage and Jaimee's biological son Micah (who can be spotted as boom mic operator and assistant in “MS Congeniality”).

 "I want to be that 90-year-old lady who is comfortable with me—always subject to change, to be even more fabulous!"  Constant change is a significant happening within Jaimee's life. "One day I'm eating meat; then one day I'm a vegetarian. That adds to my art element." This year she is excited to see a major transition bridging the family businesses together.
 
Jaimee is eager to share and lives by her own advice. "Each person's mission is different than everyone else. Inspired ideas are most important. The thing is to listen to your intuition. Oftentimes you must find your own way by listening to yourself.

"Everyone has their own path. Get to know yourself, what you do well. Sometimes, it is something special. Always trust who you are, naturally."

Seasoned reporter and new coast resident John Branston weighs in on two popular visitor attractions - with a fresh perspective.

I had a miniscule part in this deal. In 2003, 2004, and 2005 I was working as a freelance writer for the state of Mississippi Department of Tourism, writing stories for their annual magazine, which printed an astonishing number of copies in the hundreds of thousands and therefore paid an astonishing – by journalism standards – amount of money for a two-week paid vacation from my regular job in Memphis.
           
The Ohr museum, as it was then called, was just coming to fruition before Katrina hit. My editor had a gentle hand, and advised me to put a little something into the mix along with casinos when I got to the coast. I was one of the wordsmiths who jumped on the “mad potter of Biloxi” with the wild eyes and elegant handlebar mustache as eye candy for my hackneyed travelogue, just as casinos aspire to be more than, well, casinos.
           
As everyone on the coast knows, internationally famous architect Frank Gehry was hired and came up with those stainless-steel pods. Take that, Ocean Springs and Shearwater Pottery!
 
The trouble is, as even an art dilettante like me could foresee, giant pods trump giant pots every time.
           
You can drive by or park in the parking lot and walk around the grounds and admire Mr. Gehry's creations without setting foot inside the main building to see Mr. Ohr's creations.
           
Never mind, said the editor in Tupelo, the story is swell the way it is. Let Biloxi worry about the turnstile count and the balance sheet.

And this is where the O'Keefe name comes in. My guests (and fellow art dilettantes and crossword puzzle buffs) all assumed, as I did the first time, that art works of painter Georgia O'Keefe would be on display along with ceramics. Later on we learned about benefactor Annette O'Keefe. Good citizenship and good marketing, but not enough to make the museum a moneymaker going up against slot machines, singers, and sand. No snarkiness intended, but a benefactor named Elvis Anything might have helped more in the naming department. Believe me, it has worked in Memphis and Tennessee for 40 years.

Which brings me to another museum less than a mile away, the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum. What a glorious collection of schooners, trawlers, speedboats, and sloops. What a tribute to shrimpers, sailors, shuckers, immigrants, guts, unbelievably hard work, recovery, compassion, and the human spirit.
           
Worth an hour, an afternoon, a day of a visitor's time. Essential crash course in local history for any newcomer. And a triumph of substance over style and marketing.

Brice Phillips, founder, owner, engineer, station manager, DJ and talk show host at WQRZ 103.5 FM rules the airwaves in Hancock County by merging two passions:  communications and community service. 
- story and photos by Tricia Donham McAlvain

Listen to WQRZ 103.5 FM anywhere in the country with Tune-In - a free service that doesn't require registration.  

And check out the premier "On the Shoofly" radio hour by clicking here.  Listen for "On the Shoofly" on the first Wednesday of any month, 11am!

Since Chinese television stations were the only ones available when Brice was growing up in Taiwan, he turned to radio for entertainment, tuning in English-speaking stations from around the world.
 
As a boy, he was also a frequent visitor at the MARS (Military Auxiliary Radio System) base of operations in Taiwan. At the time, MARS allowed service personnel to connect internationally with family and other service people. At MARS, he learned the inner workings of radio and its power to facilitate communication — especially in emergency situations.
 
Brice also credits his mother for instilling a never-say-die determination. "When you have a sense of accomplishment, you can't stop trying. Mother said never quit. ... One day, you will succeed.”
 
His mother’s advice proved to be true. Today, Brice Phillips is president of Hancock County Amateur Radio Association, Inc. (HCARA). The 501c3 non-profit organization runs both WQRZ (serving Bay St. Louis, Waveland, Diamondhead, and Kiln) and the “station-in-progress,” WQRG, which will serve the wider Diamondhead area.
 
Due to his extraordinary community contributions during and after Hurricane Katrina, in 2006 Brice was awarded the Small Business Administration’s Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery by a Volunteer. That same year, he also garnered the Mississippi Governor’s Award for Volunteer Excellence.
 
Brice has called Bay St Louis home for more than 26 years, moving to the coast from Slidell. Former Bay St. Louis mayor Les Fillingame contracted with him as a bench technician to repair VCRs, radios and other electronics.
 
His first job at a local radio station was with WBSL AM in Bay St Louis. When Brice was hired, WBSL was off the air because of a broken transmitter. After repairing the transmitter, he moved on to a popular coast rock station. Working late nights on weekends as a DJ gave him on-air experience - until he violated protocol by playing a song not on the playlist. That experience merely reinforced Brice’s belief in freedom of speech.
 
Determined to launch his own radio station, Brice’s father cosigned a loan for his first transmitter. It became the workhorse for WQRZ 103.5 FM. In the early days, the transmitter was powered by solar panels. After Hurricane Katrina, Brice used car batteries to keep it going so he could inform his desperate listeners during the storm and in the long aftermath.
 
Deciding to stay on the air during Katrina reflects Brice’s dedication and his first-hand knowledge of how important communications can be during severe weather.
 
During the storm, WQRZ was only off-air for 90 minutes while Brice was fighting the hurricane to swap out antennas during the unprecedented tidal surge. He was one of 35 early responders who had gathered at the emergency operations center in Bay St. Louis. When the water in the building started rising, the situation looked so dire that the rescue workers wrote their assigned numbers on their own hands to make identification easier for compatriots in case they drowned.
 
He hasn’t missed a beat since the storm. The station has been on the air 24/7 ever since. Internet streaming allows listeners around the world to tune in.
(Click here to stream from "Tune In," a free site that doesn't require to sign up). 
 
WQRZ offers programming about gardening, politics, and community news. Every weekday, during the two-hour Morning Show, Brice and his volunteers read news from the local papers, connecting with residents who may be disabled or economically challenged, and with those who just like to hear neighborly voices.  
 
The music playlist varies with the day of the week. There’s Local Monday, for instance, when area musicians and singer-songwriters are featured. Blues Tuesday, Free Speech and World Wednesday (keeping listeners abreast of local civic meetings), Jazz Thursday and Rock-n-Roll Friday keep listeners entertained through the week.
 
Music from the ’70s and dance music are Saturday favorites, while Sunday is “Album Therapy,” starting with gospel, moving on to albums and ending with relaxing new age music: “The floaty stuff,” Brice says.

"Brice amazes me every day,” says Jennifer Sones, WQRZ volunteer of seven years. “He can take something that is nothing and build anything.”
 
Lynn Smith, a WQRZ volunteer of five years, explains the general philosophy. "The station maintains the ability to play anything possible, including 8-tracks, reels, cassettes, and vinyl. We have no rules other than those of the FCC. We also hold a ham radio license for official communications.”
 
"People are lost without communication,” Brice says. “Information is the key that binds our community together. I’ll do this for the rest of my life.”
 
“Rock on, dudes!”

Old Town celebrates the birth of one of North America's greatest artists, Frida Kahlo, with an extravaganza of color, music, dance and art during this month's Second Saturday Artwalk!

​July's Hot Spots:  Identity Vintage and Vinyl, 131 Main Street, and Gallery 220, 220 Main Street.  
- by Traci Shields 

Over the past twenty years, the monthly artwalk has become one of the most popular events in the region.  Old Town stays lively all day, with many merchants and restaurants offering specials. The pace picks up from 4pm – 8pm, when gallery openings and live music keep the streets humming with activity. ​

http://passmainstreet.com/businesses/All Afternoon :
 ~ Flower Crowns available at French Potager, 213 Main Street
 ~ Special menus at:

• Starfish Cafe, 211 Main Street

• Mockingbird Cafe, 110 S. Second Street

• Sycamore House, 210 Main Street
• Sonny's Cypress Cafe - 300 S. Second Street.
• Trapani's Eatery - 116 North Beach
• 200 North Beach - 200 N. Beach Blvd. 

 ~ Frida Punch at California Drawstrings, 216 Main Street, and special 25% discount on merchandise for all in costume.
 ~ Frida-themed door prize  at Hot Spot Identity Vintage, 131 Main Street (no purchase necessary to enter!), drawing at 7:30.  Taquitos and Punch served at Identity Vintage beginning at 5 til....
 ~ Roaming Luchadores available for photo ops
 ~ Community Mural at Social Chair, 201 Main Street
 ~ Frida inspired art and gifts all over town
 ~ Mexican Folkloric Dance from New Orleans Hispano America Dance Group (spontaneous start time)

Scheduled Events:
 
4:00pm - 2nd Saturday begins - listen for the sounds of the Bay's own Bay Ratz Marching Battery with the amazing Skinz & Bonez from New Orleans

4:30pm - registration opens for Frida Be You & Me Look Alike contest at Smith & Lens Gallery

4:30pm - Imagination Station at French Potager, 213 Main Street: make Papel Picado (Mexican cut out flags)

5:00pm - Loteria (Mexican Bingo) opens on courtyard next to Smith & Lens Gallery, 106 S. Second Street

5:00pm - Frida Food at Hot Spot Gallery 220, 220 Main Street

5:30pm - strolling mariachi begins at Hot Spot Identity Vintage, 131 Main Street, and will wander through old town

5:30pm - Pearl's Girls will begin their Salsa Dance demo at Shops at 126 Main Street.

5:30pm - super-cool airbrushed tattoos available from Paul's Tattoo Parlor at Bay-Tique, 125 Main Street

6:30pm - Blue Magnolia performs at The Mockingbird Cafe, 110 S. Second Street.

7:30pm - Frida Be You and Me Look Alike contest begins at Smith & Lens Gallery, ​106 S. Second Street

 Identity Vintage carries pristine, highly collectible vinyl albums, vintage décor, owner Suzi Walters’s own jewelry line, Avec Amour, and much more. When you walk through the door you take a step back in time and escape the stresses of the world. This store is a place where you hear the music playing, and you walk around reminiscing and feeling like a part of a retro world that so many of us miss.
 
Owner Suzi Walters has nearly 1000 albums for sale at Identity Vintage & Vinyl. If you are looking for a certain piece that isn’t in stock, she is happy to order it. Requests are generally in the shop within a week.
 
Walters adds new vinyl to her shop every Saturday morning. Each record is in remarkable condition, and all are professionally cleaned, re-sleeved and play tested. If you miss the joy of buying a record and taking it home to spin it on your turntable while absorbing every image on the cover, Identity Vintage & Vinyl is your store. 

Walters also showcases her jewelry line, Avec Amour. Each piece is individually designed and crafted using charms, crystals and religious medals. No two pieces will ever be completely alike, as they are each made with found treasures.
 
Walter enjoys making custom pieces for clients with either their own found items, or with trinkets from her collection. “I hope that my jewelry brings hope, peace and harmony to the new owners.” 
 
Walter is proud that everything found in Identity Vintage & Vinyl is "green," or comes from a fair trade business. “The items you find in my store speak to people, and when they speak to people they speak loudly."
 
“I am proud to be a small business in Bay St. Louis,” says Walters. “I cannot imagine being in a better place."

Identity Vintage & Vinyl is open Wednesday through Friday, 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Saturday 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sunday 12:15-4:30 p.m.

Gallery 220 is one of the most energetic artist co-ops on the Gulf Coast.  This epicenter of creative energy is owned by Jenise McCardell and husband Mark Currier, who are artists themselves.  
 
Gallery 220 is located just a few blocks from the beach in one of the few examples of Art Deco architecture in Old Town Bay St. Louis. But while it is filled with amazing artwork by award-winning artists from the local area, Gallery 220 will not give you a stereotypical art gallery experience when you walk through the doors.
 
Twenty-three local artists belong to this cooperative gallery and split up the work schedule. These are artists who feel passionate about their work, and who share their knowledge and enthusiasm while staffing the gallery.
 
The gallery features paintings, drawings, sculptures, jewelry, t-shirts, pottery, photography and more. Some artists even bring their works-in-progress with them so that between helping customers they can draw, paint, or sketch.
 
Everyone feels welcomed and at ease at Gallery 220. It is the type of place where art and real life meet, and where customers stay long after their purchases to relish in the energy and good vibes.
 
This Second Saturday Gallery 220 will be serving “Frida” food, so stop by this town anchor and have a snack while you shop or talk to artists about their work.
 
Gallery 220 is open seven days a week, Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday Noon-5pm.

July's Featured Artists 

​Amy Kramer
 
Amy Kramer is a self-taught Bay artist known for her colorful and energetic underwater and floral abstracts presenting her love for water and the garden.
 
Since receiving her Bachelor’s degree from LSU, Kramer has taken numerous formal and informal lessons using a multitude of mediums, but is always drawn back to her acrylic blues and greens on large canvases.
 
You will find Amy working at Gallery 220 on Sunday. “I enjoy working at Gallery 220 and having the remarkable opportunity of conversing with magnificent people from all over the world,” she says.
 
“A few of my favorite things about living and working in Bay St. Louis are the gulf, oak trees, my friends, and of course, the wonderful people I've met.”

Nancy Lowentritt 
 
“I am a proud weekender of Bay St. Louis,” said Nancy Lowentritt. She has been part of the art scene here in Old Town Bay St Louis for the past eight years.
 
Lowentritt paints exclusively in acrylics, painting seascapes, crabs, boats, birds, houses, restaurants, and other sights of everyday life. She is always hoping to capture the culture of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. A unique aspect of Lowentritt’s work is that she usually primes her canvases in red before starting a painting.
 
A lot of Lowentritt’s paintings are small, affordable pieces that locals and visitors alike can easily take home, although she paints large canvases as well.
 
“At Gallery 220, I have the opportunity to work on Sundays, meeting simply wonderful people from all over the world, some who come back year after year to add to their collections,” she says.  Lowentritt’s paintings and note cards can also be seen at Bay Life, her other favorite place to shop.

Step up to summer at the June Second Saturday, June 10th.  You'll find cool deals, fresh meals and lots of art and live music.  It's the way we throw a family-friendly party here in the Bay and you're invited! 

Make sure to visit Hot Spot businesses Bay Life Gifts and Gallery (111 Main Street) and Gulf View Properties (111 Court Street). Rory's Jazz Band will be performing at Bay Life 4pm - 7:30pm and  Bronwynn Brent will be performing at Gulf View Properties, 5pm - 8pm.  
- stories by Tracy Shields

111 Court Street
Bay St. Louis
228-304-0636

During the artwork, Rory's Jazz Band will be performing fro 4pm - 7:30pm, and light refreshments will be served.  

After being a part of corporate America for 28 years, Bay Life owner Janice Guido decided she wanted to be her own boss. Janice opened her doors in March of 2015 and has not looked back. 

“I enjoy being my own boss even if it does include sweeping the floors and unpacking heavy boxes,” Guido said. She loves being a part of Old Town Bay St. Louis, and it truly shows in her store. 

Bay Life is designed to inspire all who walk through its doors. Guido has her store set to exhibit the Southern coastal charm of our life in Bay St. Louis and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Its tag line,  "the shop for Bay coastal style," reflects Guido’s intention: “I want people to feel that they can find a little bit of everything for everyone when they enter my store. “ 

This shop features charming gifts for everyday life on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for yourself or for anyone you care about. If you are a visitor, Bay Life is designed to make you smile at the memories of a great getaway where you purchased the perfect gift for yourself or for someone you love. 

Bay Life is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:30–5pm and Sunday noon to 4 during the months of June through August. Come walk around this delightful store, where you will find everything from birthday or wedding gifts, to happy surprises for people dear to you. 

Guido has plenty of home and table décor, and she especially loves selling local artists’ works and Mississippi-made products. 

Bay Life has a little bit of everything for everyone, and you are sure to find what you’re looking for at Bay Life. 
​

111 Court Street
Bay St. Louis
​228-344-3004

During Second Saturday, Bronwynn Brent will be performing from 5pm - 8pm at the Court Street office.  

Kevin Jordan, owner of Gulfview Properties, LLC, knows that opting to rent a house instead of staying at a hotel when traveling adds a more intimate dimension to a vacation. 

Aside from the seclusion, there's your own stocked refrigerator if you crave a midnight snack. It's also a great way to get in with the locals — suddenly you're the new neighbor.

When you factor in the per-day cost as well as room for family members or friends sharing the tab, a week or two at a spacious beach house or cottage can cost far less than a hotel.

Gulfview Properties offers furnished beach houses and cottage vacation rentals on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, primarily here in Bay St. Louis. Each of their Bay St. Louis rentals is a quiet retreat to help you feel right at home, as well as close to all the wonderful attractions that Bay St. Louis has to offer.

All you have to do is slide the key in the lock, and it is home sweet home for your stay. “Bay St. Louis is the perfect town to live in or visit for a stay,” said Jordan. 

Jordan’s family owed the very first vacation home on 121 Seymour Street. Today there are more than 400 vacation homes on the Gulf Coast. 

“I love doing historical restoration, and I never want to sell after I finish with the job. Plus this keeps me out of trouble, for the most part,” said Jordan.

If you are planning your dream vacation to Bay St. Louis, contact Kevin Jordan at Gulfview Properties, 228-344-3004, or go to gulfviewproperties.net.
​