A retired photography teacher returns to the Mississippi coast and finds another volunteer career:  restoring extraordinary, never-seen-before historical images - and helping start a new photography museum. 
- story by Pat Saik, images by Joe Tomasovsky

​This month’s Second Saturday Art Walk shares the stage in Old Town with the biggest event of the year: Cruisin’ the Coast!  Find out why locals take advantage of both events! 
 - story by Ana Balka, photos by Ellis Anderson

A beloved Bay St. Louis landmark will be undergoing restoration in the next year, thanks to a concerted effort by community leaders and support from the Pati Bannister Foundation
- story by Lisa Monti

​Hancock County Chancery Clerk Tim Kellar is working with the foundation on the project. “Recently, I met with the artist’s representative and the Pati Bannister Foundation and we are moving forward toward renovating this wonderful piece of Bay St. Louis/ Hancock County art,” Kellar said. “This is a private venture. The Pati Bannister Foundation has agreed to pay a national mural restoration group to determine how to restore the mural and provide a cost analysis.

Bannister, a well known artist and Hancock County resident, died in 2013.

The mural was conceived and painted by well-know coast artist John McDonald.  For nearly 16 years, his painters’ studio in the back of Serenity Gallery (now the Shops of Serenity, 126 Main Street), faced a parking lot and a blank brick wall.   The empty space fired the artist’s imagination.

 In the mid-90s, McDonald drew a mock-up of the mural and later a larger scale drawing.  Then he and a group of supporters presented the idea to the Mississippi Arts Commission.  The organization provided a grant to cover the costs of painting it.

According to McDonald, two people were pivotal in facilitating the creation of the public artwork:  Elizabeth Veglia (mosaic artist with dozens of large public projects around the state), and Betsy Pincus (then owner of  Bay Crafts on Beach Blvd.).

The actual painting of the mural took months of work by both McDonald and his assistants.  Much of the work had to be done from a bucket lift.  Bad weather could hold up progress for days.  Worst of all, remembers McDonald, were the gnats.

“Absolutely the most challenging part of the entire process,” says McDonald laughing.  “They can drive you insane.”

Several town residents donated to the project to have impressionistic likenesses of themselves painted into the mural.  Perhaps the easiest to pick out, even today, is folk artist Alice Moseley, shown wearing her distinctive red beret.

Part of the grant funding including the costs for making 1000 prints of the mural.  Unfortunately, those that hadn’t been sold before Hurricane Katrina were destroyed when McDonald’s climate-controlled storage unit in Waveland flooded to the rafters.  Only a handful he happened to have with him in his car survived.

However, the print owned by Gulfport attorney Tom Teel, survived and was a treasured part of his office decor.  Teel was disturbed that the mural itself, which had sustained major damage in Katrina, had been deteriorating further each year.  He eventually contacted Dan Burton, head of the Pati Bannister Foundation to see if they’d be willing to help in the restoration process.  Bannister, a well-known artist and Hancock County resident, died in 2013.  The process was set into motion.

Tim Kellar said that when the report is done, the Pati Bannister Foundation and artist John D. McDonald will then seek partners to fully fund a restoration.

“People like Tom Teel, Dan Burton and Tim Kellar have been indispensible in the process,” says McDonald.  “It takes that kind of interested, enthused support to pull a project like this together.”

Only 80 limited edition prints, signed by the artist, remain.  The prints are  24" x 10.5" S/N, titled, $75 each.  Contact the artist to purchase.

It turns out that some of the most vibrant artists in the community can be found at the Hancock County Senior Center, where "expressing yourself" is a daily event.
- story and photos by Karen Fineran

The Hancock County Senior Center, established in 1972, provides companionship for Hancock County’s active seniors in a comfortable, informal and fun social setting.  The Senior Center contains a dining area, a recreational TV and reading lounge, and several arts and crafts studios.  The Center provides nutritious hot breakfasts and lunches and daily transportation for seniors from their homes to the Center and back, as well as to daily or weekly errands like the grocery store, pharmacy, bank, post office, bill paying, doctors’ offices, and even group field trips to casino buffets or other restaurants.

Since the first year of its existence, the Senior Center has operated an arts program for its seniors, providing instruction and materials for a variety of arts and crafts, including oil and acrylic painting, ceramics, quilt-making, crocheting, and various seasonal crafts.  The program is run with county funds, funds from Bay St. Louis and Waveland, donations of supplies and materials from private donors, and typically a small donation (usually $1 per month per class) from participating seniors.  The class instructors are Senior Center staff members and outside volunteers.

The majority of the seniors at the Center – approximately 40 to 50 persons spend most of their days there – actively participate in the arts program, and many of them like to come every day.  Typically, they have had little or no art training or education prior to beginning classes at the Center.  That hasn’t hindered their creativity.

At least one long-time program participant has been involved in the Senior Center since its inception.  Artist Theresa James, a Galveston native, moved from New Orleans to Bay St. Louis shortly after Hurricane Camille, and fell hard for the Gulf Coast.  From 1972 to 1985, she was the Director of the Center’s RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program).  After her retirement from that position, she had the time to begin taking the Center’s art classes herself – the first art classes of her life.  She dove into the oil painting classes given by her mentor, instructor Carl Baldenhofer (now deceased).  Looking up at a painting of Baldenhofer in the studio, James spoke appreciatively of his talent, winsomely recalling how he had inspired her in her painting and taught her the oil techniques that became part of her distinctive style.

James paints colorful folk art depictions of jazz funerals, shrimp boats, cotton fields, and other iconic southern and New Orleans images.  In earlier years, as a member of ARTS, Hancock County, James sold her paintings throughout Bay St. Louis galleries and sometimes in New Orleans.  While James says that she no longer paints (as of the last several months), items of her work are displayed at Maggie May’s Gallery in Bay St. Louis.  James’ favorite painting (sold long ago) is her “Blue Roofs,” which she painted of the tableau of vivid blue-tarped roofs in Bay St. Louis just after Hurricane Katrina. 

Another favorite at the Center, artist Lorraine Keyser has only been painting for about three years, and had no art training or experience prior to beginning classes at the Center.  She said that the Center has made a huge difference in her life and that it allowed her to come out of her shell.  “Now I know everyone.  It’s like a family.” 

Today, her beautiful oil paintings of the natural wildlife of the Gulf Coast, such as the heron and pelican shown below, are incredible in their likeness to life and their intricate attention to detail.  Though her paintings are not currently for sale, some of them have been displayed at the Mandeville Craft Show, and two more of them will be displayed there in October.

Other seniors at the Center can be found chatting amiably around tables, amid piles of cloth squares, bent over their quilts and crocheting, or pouring clay slip into molds, or painting whimsical green-ware forms for ceramic firing.

Arlene Johnson, the Hancock County Senior Center Director since 2001, has been with the Center since 1983, when she started as Program Specialist and ceramics instructor.  A certified ceramics teacher, airbrush artist and porcelain doll instructor, and an avid painter herself, Johnson has been involved in the arts most of her life.

The arts program at the Center, Johnson explained, is important to the seniors because it is the fulcrum of their social life and gives them the quality of life and companionship that they may not necessarily enjoy at home.  The seniors enjoy seeing their friends at the Center every day, working on projects together, dining together, and often giving the art pieces that they make as gifts to their family, friends and caregivers.

In August 2005, when Hurricane Katrina tore up Bay St. Louis and most of the Gulf Coast, the Center’s arts program was not interrupted for long, though the Center did (inadvertently) become an emergency shelter for Hancock County. 

In a breathtaking story, Johnson described the days and weeks after she had decided to ride out the storm at the Center so that she could be on hand if anyone needed her.  Though the seniors themselves were evacuated before the storm arrived, a large number of people from the surrounding neighborhoods swarmed into the Center as the flood waters rose.  The flood waters rose to the top of the back door step but did not infiltrate the building.  In the following days, police cars and school buses began dropping more and more people off at the Center to seek shelter. 

For weeks, more than 170 people from all over the county, including very aged seniors, other adults, children, teenagers and babies, crowded into the small hallways and rooms of 601 Bookter Street, sleeping on the bare floors, and waiting in desperation for food, ice, blankets, clothing, Pedialite and other supplies that were dropped off sporadically by volunteers.  Soaked and frightened survivors who had been rescued from the flood waters were dropped off at the center wearing only rags, and sometimes still the ropes that had saved them.  The building had electricity because of its generator, but the toilets could only be flushed by occupants with bags and buckets of the flood water from outside.  The Center’s van was taken out periodically to drive around town foraging for food, supplies and other survivors. 

Johnson’s voice was thick with emotion, and she was visibly shaken, as she described how she slept upright for days in a chair near the doors so that she could keep a watch out for confused residents trying to leave or possible intruders trying to enter.  Though her own home in town had been flooded and undeniably required her attention, she stayed at the Center because “with so many people under my care, this was where I needed to be.”  She still is overwhelmed with gratitude for the volunteers who poured into the community after the hurricane, eventually permitting coast residents to surmount the ordeal and rebuild the community.  She shows me an American flag that was hanging outside the Center during the storm, finding a message of hope in its blue field of stars, which remained completely intact, despite the red and white stripes incredibly having formed a solid braided coil from the punishing winds.

For eighty-eight days, the Senior Center served as a makeshift shelter in this fashion, until other places were found for the exhausted inhabitants.  Within that timeframe, within the first three months after the storm and before the refugees had moved out, the Center resumed its function of providing hot meals, art classes, transportation, recreation, and shelter to the seniors during the daytime hours.  The staff simply was not going to let the seniors go without the encouragement and support they needed during what must have been for many the hardest time of their lives.

The Hancock County Senior Center is located at 601 Bookter Street, at the corner of Old Spanish Trail and Bookter, and is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  The program is open to all residents of Hancock County who are 60 or over and who are self-sufficient.  (Johnson pointed out that even temporary residents in Hancock County, such as those who may be staying with family or friends here for a few months, are welcomed.)  Volunteers are also welcomed if they are interested in teaching classes or otherwise assisting the program.  For more information, call the Senior Center at 228-467-9292 or pop in at 601 Bookter to ask about signing up.

Storms wrought havoc with this third annual festival, yet didn't manage to stop everyone from having a blast.  Headliner Gregg Allman performed Saturday night after the main stage was put back together by a determined crew.  But hey, if any community can be understanding of sudden plan changes caused by a weather event, it's got to be BSL.

High resolution prints and files can be purchased from this online gallery.

One of the most beloved family festivals on the Gulf Coast - even rainstorms on Sunday couldn't dampen spirits!

This award-winning teacher considers herself a lifelong learner - and perhaps that's the most important lesson she imparts to her students: Never stop joyously reaching out to learn more.
- story by Pat Saik

This month, a look at how one man generated a design movement in Mexico that's still going strong nearly a century later.
-by Martha Whitney Butler

That same year, he embarked on his first trip to Mexico, which became a routine summer getaway for him (and provided a lecturing gig at the University of Mexico) until he succumbed to the country's charms and relocated in 1929. He quickly fell into the Mexican equivalent of the French Quarter artist crowd where he aided famous muralist Diego Rivera in securing the first showing of Mexican art in the U.S.

Nudged by U.S. Ambassador Dwight Morrow, he visited the town of Taxco, which had been the site of silver mines for centuries, even though it was not particularly known for producing silver objects and jewelry. It was here he decided to set up his studio, Taller de las Delicias. Keep in mind that Spratling was not known for being a silversmith, but for being a designer. His business model was based on employing native silver- and goldsmiths to produce his designs which were primarily inspired by pre-Colombian motifs.

The production of these designs extended from tin and copper items to textiles and furniture as other craftsmen were employed. His growing enterprise surpassed his expectations and paved the way for many up and coming young silversmiths and artists. Taller de las Delicias gave these artisans an opportunity to develop their craft and led them to open their own shops with the support and encouragement of Spratling - thus spurring the movement we know today as the Taxco Movement.

The pieces that were born of this era proudly boast the hallmark TAXCO, as well as the maker’s hallmark, which Spratling insisted each artist develop. He said in his autobiography, "Worthwhile silver requires that it be identified with the name and reputation of its maker."

Spratling's earliest silver jewelry designs were stamped with a hallmark that replicated the brand he used for his horses. Just a few years later, around 1933, Spratling developed the structure of a hallmarking format that he followed until his untimely death in an automobile accident in 1967. He spent over thirty years developing his craft and the craft of the Mexican silver movement and his designs fetch record prices in antique shops and auctions.

You may recall the Spratling earrings I mentioned in last month’s article. When I mentioned them to a fellow collector, I was promptly asked how much I wanted for them.  Needless to say, I couldn't give them up. Sometimes a girl’s got to have nice things.

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An extraordinary art exhibit opening in Waveland on the 10th anniversary of Katrina embraces - and thanks - those from across the country who came to the aid of local artists after the monster storm.
- by Vicki Niolet

After Katrina, however, the artists of the county were literally stranded in a void with limited opportunities for creating, and no local venues for selling their art.

For twenty-plus years, the monthly Artwalk has been a community mainstay for fun and fellowship.  In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, ten years ago, the artwalk became a healing event as well.
- story by Ellis Anderson, photographs by Ellis Anderson, Joe Tomasovsky and courtesy Vicki Niolet

Early that summer, a crew from the popular Mississippi Public Broadcasting show, Mississippi Roads, traveled to the coast and shot footage for a segment about Second Saturdays.

A few months later, Katrina’s unprecedented surge had torn the beach road into rugged slabs of asphalt. Most of the buildings facing the coastline had been crushed or stood as gutted hulks.  The majority of the town’s residents were homeless or trying to cope with houses that had been flooded, in many cases to the roofline. 

Yet, less than two weeks after the storm, a small group of artists, shop-owners and residents gathered on the rubble at the intersection of Beach and Main to observe the September Second Saturday.   Their intent was to keep the chain of events – and the community’s spirit - unbroken, even amid the ruin.  

By the second Saturday in October, gallery owners Jenise McCardell and her husband Mark Currier welcomed crowds of survivors and volunteers to Gallery 220, one of the few intact commercial buildings in Old Town.  The overwhelmingly positive response encouraged the couple to host a Second Saturday event each week for the next several months.  The gatherings became an important source of positive energy for flagging survivors.

Artist and co-owner of Bay Emporium, Vicki Niolet, is one of the original organizers of the Old Town event.  She was also one of the plucky few who gathered at the foot of Main Street in the aftermath of Katrina to carry on the tradition.  A passing stranger snapped a photo of the group.  Everyone is smiling, even though the ruins of a building form the backdrop.

Niolet says the camera didn’t catch everything. 

“I still remember my mama sitting on the curb with her head in her hands.  Those were tough, tough days for us all.”

The tough times seem to have passed.  A decade later, the Second Saturday Artwalks now attract larger crowds than the pre-Katrina events.   Old Town merchants and restaurants report brisk business.   Most of them credit the event to helping reestablish a loyal and diverse customer base. 

City leaders also point to Second Saturday as playing a critical role in rebuilding the community’s national reputation as a vital, creative place to visit and to live.   The trickle-down is apparent in the new harbor, where slip rental rate has far outstripped early projections.  Real estate values in the historic district rank at the top statewide. 

Vicki Niolet says that over the past twenty-plus years, the artwalk has evolved into an organic part of life in the town.

“Second Saturday is not just an event held for the community anymore.  It is the community.  It’s part of the fabric of Bay St. Louis.” 

Each month, two businesses take the limelight during Second Saturday.  The August “Hot Spots” are Social Chair (201 Main Street) and Identity Vintage (131 Main Street). 

Bay St. Louis fans of the legendary Mexican artist Frida Kahlo celebrate what would have been her 108th birthday with “Frida Fest" during the July Second Saturday Artwalk!
- story and photography by Ellis Anderson

The Frida theme is the brain-child of Cleaver sponsors Smith & Lens Gallery (106 South Second Street) owners Sandy Maggio and Ann Madden.   They ran the idea by the Old Town Merchant’s Association and received enthusiastic support.

“The town’s going to turn into a little Mexico for the evening,” says Madden.  “We hope everyone will come out and celebrate this incredible artist in a fun and unique fashion.”

Fashion is the operative word, since attendees to the July Second Saturday are encouraged to wear Mexican attire.  Frida look-a-likes can enter a costume contest taking place at 7:30pm in front of the Mockingbird and Smith & Lens gallery in the 100 block of South Second Street.

According to Madden, other planned activities include a “unibrow on a stick” photo opportunities, a open “loteria” game (Mexican Bingo), and demonstrations of traditional Mexican music and dance.  At least two Old Town restaurants will serve Mexican food for the evening (The Starfish Café and the Mockingbird Café). 

In time-honored tradition, two Old Town businesses take the spotlight each Second Saturday and July is no exception.  The “Hot Spots” for July are Time After Time (112 S. Second Street, inside Bay Emporium) and 200 North Beach Restaurant (200 North Beach). 

During Second Saturday, Time After Time will be offering 20% off on all furniture and be serving finger foods and refreshments.  The Pohl Family Band will be performing on the steps of Bay Emporium from 5pm – 7:30pm.  

Near the intersection of Main and Second Streets, a historic town landmark has been brought back to former glory.  Bay Emporium (112 South Second Street) houses thirteen different shops under one roof – offering from antiques to art.   It's hardly the typical antique mall. 

Time After Time is located just inside the building’s entrance and sets the tone for the unique variety found in the rest of Bay Emporium.  The shop specializes in collectibles and antiques -  ranging from glassware, quilts and pottery to primitives and fine furniture.   The store is also the town’s exclusive purveyor of Swan Creek Candles.

Owner Pat Inglis explains that the shop’s selection changes out frequently since sales are brisk.  She names three reasons for this:  selection, pricing and condition. 

Pat has built her reputation as an antiques dealer by seeking out the unusual.  She was bitten by the antiques bug decades ago while she built her career as a restaurant manager in North Carolina.  For fun, she would attend weekend auctions.  Eventually, she began reselling her finds at outdoor markets.  Soon, owners of area antique stores would be waiting in line for her to open in the mornings.

“I realized they were buying my finds and then reselling them at a big profit at their own stores,” says Pat.  “I realized I needed to learn more about the things I was selling.”

Learn she has.  And she’s continued to hone her antique hunting skills through the years - the displays in Time After Time reflect her eye for the extraordinary.  But while her knowledge has grown by leaps and bounds, her prices haven’t.  She still passes on good deals, which has helped build a loyal and growing customer base.

 “I don’t care how much a book says something is worth, it’s only worth what someone will pay for it,” says Pat.  “Most people comment favorably on my prices.  It’s one reason they keep coming back.”

Time After Time’s furniture offerings are another reason for her success.  Pat works with  expert craftsmen who restore and refinish Pat’s finds, making them even more of a value. 

Pat first “discovered” Bay St. Louis in 2002 while exploring the Gulf Coast.  “I passed over that Bay bridge and just had the most peaceful feeling.”   Pat and her husband, David, met at a North Carolina auction decades ago.  Pat had been a widow for several years when the two friends reconnected.  Eventually a romance blossomed.  

David relocated to the coast and the couple married in 2008.   “When we first got together, I told him I’m not getting married and I’m not leaving Mississippi,” says Pat, laughing.  “But I’m still determined about the Mississippi part.” 

Like thousands of others on the coast, Hurricane Katrina wrecked their home and sidetracked their lives in 2005.  Pat worked for a local hardware company for the next five years.  However, the antiques business still beckoned.  She began with a few booths in local markets, then made the leap to Bay Emporium three years ago.  It’s been a happy and prosperous matching.

“Customers love the Bay Emporium building  and they love the selection of merchandise inside,” says Pat.  “They really seem to appreciate the style of Time After Time, as well as my pricing.  That makes my head swell just a little bit.”

But more than profit and pride fuel her passion.

“The most wonderful thing about this business is the way certain items will spark fond recollections for people,” she says.  “They’ll say, oh, my grandmother had one just like that!  Or that reminds me of one my mom had.  It’s like you’re selling good memories.”

200 North Beach Restaurant opened in the fall of 2011 and in just four years, it’s become known as a classic Gulf Coast eatery.  Diners drive from across the region to feast on the likes of Crab-Stuffed Shrimp, Lemon Grilled Trout, and New York Strip Steak with Crawfish Etoufee Hollandaise sauce.  

Open for both lunch and dinner, specials served throughout the week (including the weekends) lure locals on a regular basis.  During happy hour, drink specials and fifty cent oysters on the half shell (during season) keep the restaurant humming throughout the late afternoon and through the dinner hours.

Owner Ann Tidwell believes the popularity of the restaurant is mostly due to word of mouth. 

“We have a lot of people now from across the coast coming in,” says Tidwell.  “And places like Baton Rouge, Hattiesburg, and beyond.  In fact, we’ve had customers from almost every state.  So many of them were referred by friends who have eaten here, so that’s very satisfying.”

200 North Beach made history when it opened in 2011 as the first restaurant to reopen on the beachfront since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city.  The historic building that serves as the restaurant’s home is a storm survivor and one of the oldest buildings on the Hancock County coastline. 

Built in 1903 to house the offices of the Seacoast Echo newspaper, the beautifully renovated building features an expansive dining room and traditional bar downstairs. 

Upstairs, there are private rooms that can be reserved for parties or meetings, complete with another service bar.  The wrought iron balcony overlooks the coastline and boasts a striking view of the Bay Bridge.   Outside, at tables on the “banquette,” diners can enjoy the gulf breezes and watch passerbys while enjoying meals and cocktails. 

“Miss Ann” made her mark as a businesswoman in Bay St. Louis as the original owner of the Bay Town Inn.  National magazine and travel writers often featured the historic house turned B&B, noted for its savory breakfasts and classic rooms. 

Although Tidwell sold the Bay Town Inn over a decade ago, she’s continued to restore Old Town’s historic treasures and open new businesses.  200 North Beach is her first restaurant venture and like everything else she touches, it’s developed a name for quality.

“It’s a welcoming restaurant where people can share good times and a great meal with family or friends, whether you’re dressed up or down,” says Miss Ann. “It’s exciting to see it become a coast tradition, a place where generations of families always feel at home.”

Antique Maison Ulman Tearoom  - 317 Ulman Ave. 
Monthly auction this Saturday (normally held on first Saturdays).  Preview at 4pm, auction begins at 6pm.  Food and drinks available. 

Bay Books - 131 Main Street - Justin A. Nystrom, author of New Orleans after the Civil War will be at Bay Books signing his book on Saturday, July 11th from 5:00-7:00.

Bay Emporium - 112 S. Second Street
"The Endless Summer!"  New rooms full of antiques, gifts, art, clothes, and home decor.  Dr von Walrod of "Steampunk Curiosities" continues to amaze and astound with his unique creations, "In 2 Details" has expanded its awesome attention to the coastal lifestyle, "Boesch and Co." always brings style to salvage, "Voila!" also expands the line of French inspired goods, furniture and accessories, "Charbonnet and Charbonnet" offers reclaimed architectural doors, windows, and other components, "Paper Moon" features mixed media art and jewelry, and "Armoire Noir" puts on its summer wardrobe adding a selection of men's attire in a second room. All this and more awaits you at Bay Emporium in thirteen shops full of summer surprises in the heart of Old Town.

Bay Life Gifts - 111 Main
This exciting new shop and gallery has gifts and art  for everyone including Crabtree Evelyn products, Caspari napkins & placemats and Tervis Cups and Crestview lamps. Also at Bay Life  you will find Mississippi products like Oxford soy candles, Thimblepress Greeting cards, and AO Jewelry. Featured local regional artists include the popular Tehle McGuffee's coastal art as well as Tracy Steiffel's  hand- painted pillows , Lisa Hymel's seaglass artwork and Shirley Kautz's colorful bouy's .  And each Second Saturday serving our refreshing Bay Punch!

Bonner Collection - 108 South Beach Blvd., Suite D
Visit the Bonner Collection to see our new Summer home decor, gifts, jewelry, art arriving almost daily. Would love to see you and enjoy some refreshments. Cheers!

California Drawstrings -  216 Main Street -
New summer fashions have arrived including Flax and Matchpoint!

Gallery 220 - 220 Main Street
Always one of the liveliest places during the Artwalk, this co-op features work by more than 20 artists (who are usually there, which accounts for the liveliness!), refreshments and live music.  To celebrate Frida Fest, a WPA period-themed mural will be painted on the side of the building!  Also, Frida-themed art.  Featured artists are Amy Kramer and Spencer Gray!

Flair - Inside Bay Emporium -112 South Second St.
Huge shipments of the wildly popular Mad Mats indoor/outdoor rugs continue to arrive at Flair, where you'll find dozens of these no-fade, no-stain rugs in a wide assortment of sizes, colors and patterns. As durable as they are stylish, Mad Mats are pet, child, dirt and sun-friendly and virtually maintenance free--just rinse them with a garden hose!

George’s Girls - 108 S. Beach Blvd. Ste B, (inside the French Settlement building).
Purveyors of Fine Linens.  George`s Girls has you covered  for the back to school season! The Spartina Day Planner will keep you organized all year long! Our FacePlant pillow cases can cozy up any dorm room and make it your own, and don`t forget about our Yala tops are perfect for comfy class days!  Come see us today!

Magnolia Antiques, 200 Main Street.  If you haven't seen the totally rearranged shop, it's definitely worth a stop! We have completely turned it around.  And of course, we'll offer snacks and bargains!!

The Mockingbird Cafe - 110 S. Second Street
Live music by Blue Magnolias during Second Saturday/Frida Fest.  New works by artists Kat Fitzpatrick, Thomas Jackson, Marsha Prejean, Tim Waldrop, Barbara Speer and J.J. Foley. Delicious beers are on tap to pair with the ever popular Mockingburger (veggie or meat lover's). 

Serious Bread Bakery - 131 Main Street, Suite D - Along with signature artisan breads, flatbreads and sweet things, you can also try pesto, hummus and our special tomato sandwiches.  As always, we offer samples of our baked goods.

Social Chair - 201 Main Street - Free Fans for Frida Fest at Social Chair!  Stop in to cool off, free fan with purchase of $10 or more. We've ordered custom BSL Frida merchandise just for this event. You know that we love a good party!

Something Special  - 207 Main Street - houses 1,200 sq feet of antique, vintage and repurposed items while representing the work of 22 local artisans. Stop by to find "your" something special!

Time After Time Antiques (Inside Bay Emporium), 112 S. Second St.
The July Hot Spot!  Offering a unique array of antiques, furniture from different eras, collectibles, and home decor.  Between the hours of 4PM and 8PM we offer 20% off furniture.  Our selection has almost completely changed for this month.  Business has been great and we have added many items for you inspection. New shipments of Pottery Candles, Melts and Wax Melters have arrived with more on the way with new fragrance offerings!  Hope to see you soon.

Twin Light Creations- 136 Main Street  It’s summer!  Great time to come enjoy Old Town.  This Second Saturday is right in the middle of all of the festivals.  New arrivals daily will give a good selection for your secret garden space.  Come enjoy the elements of nature and take a little of the “Light” with you!  And yes, contrary to the rumors, we are still open!  You must see for yourself.

The Ugly Pirate - 144 DeMontluzin St.    - Come to a family and pet friendly place to enjoy great Pizza, Gyros and more. We have 16 Craft Beers, as well as various bottled beer.  Friday is Family night so children 12 and under get a free small cheese or pepperoni pizza when the adults eat in as well.  Live music every Saturday night beginning at 6 PM.  We are family and pet friendly, so bring the dogs, and kids to have a fun time together at the Pirate.  Follow us on Facebook to see what our specials an entertainment will be each week

A celebration of the arts in a striking venue - Christ Episcopal Church.  Find out how why this free series of concerts and fine art shows is growing in popularity each year. 
- photos and story by Ellis Anderson

Yet some of the artists who had helped found the festivals found themselves out in the cold as the competition for booth spaces became fierce.  The Dawsons and several church volunteers launched 4th Sundays to give venues to local artists and performers. 

Flash forward to 2011.  The new Christ Church building, replacing the one destroyed by Katrina, had been sanctified.  Yet the church vestry wanted the spacious facility to be used for community events, as well as congregational ones.  The Dawsons, who had been attending the church for several years, shared their Kansas City 4th Sunday experience.  The concept was met with enthusiasm.  The first event took place in January 2011, making 2015 the fifth year of the series.

The concerts and art shows offered at the 4th Sunday at Four series are free and open to the public.  Everyone is welcome.

The event begins with a musical performance in the sanctuary starting at 4pm.  Favorite past performers include Coast Chorale (a Christmas tradition), Laura Leigh Dobson, J.T. Anglin, Walter Chamberlin’s jazz ensemble, and Father Ron & Friends (who just performed in May).  Other much appreciated performers have been the N.O. Quarter Shanty Krewe (who performed Irish Sea Chanties) and Heather and the Monkey King. 

The musical programs range from classical to folk to jazz.   The performers are paid only what the audience donates as they’re leaving.  But Margene says that people are generous, so it works out well for both performers and the audience.   She also says performers love the venue – the building is lovely and uplifting, while the audiences are quiet, attentive and appreciative. 

After the one-hour performance, the crowds stream across to the community hall next door.  The large room is set up like a gallery each month, to showcase everything from photography to paintings to pottery.   All the artwork is for sale and since refreshments and hors d’oeuvres are served, the affair takes on the feel of a swank big city gallery opening.

The artists keep all the proceeds from the sales – the church doesn’t collect any commission. 
Artists with coast-wide reputations that have shown at the series include Tazewell, Kat Fitzpatrick, Lori Gordon and Neil Untersaher.  Watercolorist John McDonald was the featured artist for the May event.   

As the reputation of the series spreads, attendances have been building.  Margene says they're at least double what they were five years ago. 

4th Sunday at Four take place nine months a year.  April is skipped because of Easter activities, while school openings and the heat in August and September combine to make the events difficult to coordinate.

“The only way I’d do it in August is if we could get Neil Diamond,” Margene says, laughing.

Offering meals, transportation, conversation, and a place to pursue artistic endeavors, this Center for Seniors is filled with surprises - and smiles.
 - by Gus Duda

I heard about the Senior Center from a family member and was immediately interested because they said a bus would pick me up in the morning, could take me on errands and then bring me home again. I decided to check it out. I went over to the Center, met Arlene Johnson, the Center Director and signed up. Arlene told me that if I needed transportation just to let them know the day before and I would be picked up. I usually go in Mondays through Thursdays so I have a standing order unless I call and let them know I do not need a ride or if someone else is bringing me in. According to the Center the bus serves Bay Saint Louis, Waveland, Pearlington and some locations north of I-10.

Once we get to the center, our usual driver, Jimmy Rouse, gets us all safely offloaded and inside. Often the staff will have cereal and or other light breakfast items. The coffee pot is always on. The room you first walk into has a television and comfy chairs and sofas.  Down the hall are workrooms for all the programs that are offered, art and ceramics, quilting, crafts, painting etc. Special events are announced as they come up such as sponsored off-site lunches, field trips, the annual blueberry picking excursion. The staff is equipped to help with tax returns and helping us with questions we might have.

Those who have errands to do or appointments to keep get a ride on the bus. Jimmy my usual driver is an employee of Coastal Transportation Service and a tremendous asset to the center. Always patient, caring and fun to be around Jimmy knows how to make everyone feel welcome. After we have lunch we get a ride home on the bus.

I did some research on the center because I was not here from the beginning and I like knowing the history of things. The Center is located at the corner of Old Spanish Trail and Bookter Street in Bay Saint Louis. It was established in 1972 by May Beyer, grandmother of Chuck Benvenutti. Eve McDonald served as the Center’s director from 1972 to 1992. The Center was located in a small classroom in the Valencia C. Jones School. I heard that she had to beg around for tables and chairs and later as the Center grew they were given more space.

When Eve retired Rosine Jushaway was asked to serve as director. Programs continued to be added and to grow. In the late 1990’s the City of Bay Saint Louis and the Hancock County Board of Supervisors worked together to develop the new Center as it appears today. The City built the structure and the County, through the Hancock County Human Resources Agency provides the programming.

Arlene was hired in 1985 to do arts and crafts and did such a fantastic job and was so loved by the seniors that she was given the director’s job in 2001 after Rosine died. After Hurricane Katrina I heard, the Center served as an emergency shelter in Bay Saint Louis. For about three months they provided food, clothes and shelter for more than 175 people. The building did get damaged during the storm. Repairs were made thanks to insurance proceeds and FEMA. Through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, the Center was able to expand, adding a dining area, an indoor walking track, and additional storage.

Today, the Center provides nutritious hot food for lunches, a place for the expression of art and companionship. We are about 40 people of various backgrounds sharing a meal, laughter and stories. We are taken good care of by Arlene, Trish, Jimmy and Michael, our chef and all the volunteers. It is nice to be out during the day and to have something to talk about when I get home.

If you are 60+ and would like to join us, we would love to have you. Just call the Center at 228.467.9292 or pop in at 601 Bookter to sign up. I’ll see you there.

Summer is heating up on the coast and so is the Second Saturday Artwalk in Old Town Bay St. Louis.  On Saturday, June 13 from 4pm – 8pm, this historic seaside town will sizzle with excitement!
- story and photos by Ellis Anderson

303 Union Street
Bay Saint Louis
Doors open at 7pm
The LP sells for $45 including out-of-state shipping and is available for preorder on our website www.100menhall.org.  The LPs will be shipped after the release party on June 13.  Doors open at 7 and tickets are $10. 

There will be short presentation featuring speakers from the MS state tourism office and then the LP will be played.  The House Katz will provide live music afterward.  The Live at 100 Men Hall LP will be available for sale the night of the event.

Join Old Town during the monthly Second Saturday Artwalk in celebrating motherhood with art, music, food and good spirits!