TA24U?......Eternal Expressions.....

Yeah, I know what you are thinking.....Tattoos?  Really in Ocean Springs?  Oh yes, Ocean Springs is becoming the Tattoo Mecca.........Why?  Well, one explanation I heard is that Ocean Springs is a very diverse community and is widely recognized as a city of the arts......Stop it right now!......Tattooing IS AN ART and requires a great deal of skill and talent to execute.  Tattoos are no longer for the old sailor or bar hag....tattoos are found on celebrities, doctors, lawyers, even elementary school teachers!  The art work created is personalized to an individual's life and interests.

Jason's shop is located on Highway 90 in Ocean Springs and is here to serve you........The shop has been open about 6 years and is regulated by the Health Department. (Safe Tattooing here!)

I was attracted to the decor......these are the coolest chairs ever......and while you wait, snacks are available which is always important no matter where I go.......

Before I started browsing for my perfect tattoo, I talked with Matt Stebly.  He is a local artist in his own right creating pottery, paintings and specialty T-shirts, in addition to producing between 20 and 25 tattoos a week. In case you are wondering tattoos range in price from 40 dollars to several thousand dollars, depending on the complexity, size and number of colors in the too'.  He showed me the tools of the trade...

Brightly colored inks

I know these look scary but no pain, no gain....

Lucky me!  before I make a decision about a tattoo, Matt demonstrated the application of a tattoo on a friend.......no screaming or gnashing of teeth.............so I took that as a good sign.. So what kind of tattoo do I want? Let me look......

I can have a choice of a special pet..........my favorite is a picture of a pit bull with the saying,"Born to Love, Trained to Kill" OR........... how about an alien to commemorate my encounter?

 hmmmm.............I am a Saints fan......but not sure....I have a friend that could definitely use the "Love Sucks" and would proudly wear the "Future Ex-Wife".............

Matt showed me an interesting one that he has........no he DID NOT TATTOO himself.........

Well, I still have not decided on a tattoo for myself, I am leaning toward a rose with a dagger through it for my ankle or possibly a frog on my hip..........will have to think about it......but if YOU KNOW what YOU WANT.......don't hesitate to stop by and get premium service offered in a cool setting from the best on the coast!!!  "OS Ink"..........all the way with Eternal Expressions..............

For more information on Eternal Expressions and Matt go to www.eternalx.com/mattwork.html

Walter Anderson Museum of Art......Celebrating 20 Years of the Artistic Genius of the Anderson Family

 I recently attended a celebration at the Walter Anderson Museum Art.  The event commemorated the reopening of the Ocean Springs Community Center after the restoration of Walter Anderson's murals and a new exhibit showcasing the work of the Anderson brothers and other family members.  The work includes watercolors, wood carving, pottery, furniture and other examples.

The museum is located on Washington Avenue in Ocean Springs. I did mention the celebration featured food, Lazy Magnolia beer and barbecue, didn't I?




   The Ocean Springs Community Center was built in 1948 and during the years of 1951 through 1952, a local artist, Walter Anderson painted murals illustrating the seasons of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  He was paid the sum of one dollar and the artwork is now valued in the millions.

The Community Center has a state of the art system for preserving the murals and as you can see the natural light enhances the artwork creating an ethereal aura of nature surrounding you.

Beautiful flowers!

Abundant desserts, including a local favorite, pusharatas

Great music by The Terry Breland Band

After enjoying the music and food, I joined the crowds for a tour of the Walter Anderson Museum of Art which is connected to the Community Center.  If you need a unique handcrafted gift, either reproductions of Anderson art, or originals by local artists, the gift shop is right at the entrance.

My pictures only reflect a small portion of the artwork currently on display. 

Please stop by the Walter Anderson Museum of Art the next time you are in downtown Ocean Springs and admire the artwork as well as the hard work our community has put forth to preserve the history and talented skill of a brilliant artist.

The Office......Have a Drink and a Rooster on the side! What?

The Office is a relatively new addition to the downtown restaurant bar scene opening about a year and a half ago.  It is located on the corner of Government and Washington Avenue.    

The bar is a lively meeting
place for after work drinks.....

..a cool place to stop while shopping and a hot music venue late at night.

I know you want to know about the roosters...I will get to that......but first let's step inside. Cool and dark with a great handcrafted wooden bar.

Beer, wine and mixed drinks are provided by friendly bartenders...think modern day "Cheers"

A glance out the window and you can watch the local action as people come and go..

The Office features an "infused" vodka bloody mary that is pretty popular.                                                                                    

The steeped vodka is displayed in a giant glass container on the counter and contains a variety of garden veggies including tomatoes, peppers, onions and lemons and olives.  Four days to get it ready and the bar goes through one batch every 2 weeks...

Now let's talk about the roosters.......

The roosters seemed to have just "appeared one day" and have been hanging around The Office ever since.  My guess is they are always ready for happy hour.....and not sure if they draw customers in but seem to be drawing quite a crowd outside......

Not sure if they have names maybe The Office will have a contest to name the birds...  Rumor has it that recently, late one night among the well served crowd,  a local magician was able to put one of the roosters in a trancelike state on the bar....a feat that wowed the patrons present.....don't worry the rooster was not harmed!!!

No, it's not Key West, its just Ocean Springs, but if you are looking for a good drink and some cheap entertainment with good friends or strangers stop by The Office.........just look for the roosters...

The Hidden Magic Of Shearwater Pottery

When you see the sign for Shearwater Pottery, you wonder just what awaits you down that narrow tree-lined gravel road other than another car coming from the opposite direction.....

 Well, there is a lot of "artistic action" going on at the family owned pottery established in 1928. Peter Anderson's family members continue to produce ceramics and hand thrown pottery that is sought by collectors worldwide.  The property that  makes up the pottery and family compound is inspirational to anyone with a love of nature and the outdoors. The coastal woodlands and views of the Ocean Springs Harbor, Biloxi Bay, and Deer Island have not changed since the 20's when the pottery was first established. I decided to stop by and watch some of the work in progress as the pottery was being made.  There are two buildings that almost look like storage sheds from the road, one is where the pottery is decorated, the other is where the pottery is made and prepared for painting and glazing.

The men of Shearwater were busy creating ceramics and pottery the day I visited..



Local flora and fauna are the basis for many of the pieces of pottery that are created...including pelicans, seagulls, pine trees and palmetto bushes as well as fairy tale characters.

 Utilitarian pottery, such as cups, bowls, plates and wine goblets in beautiful and unique glazes are treasured wedding gifts of local brides. 












The building next door houses the painters of the pottery.....

I continue down the gravel road through the woods to arrive at the pottery showroom.

 Finally, you get to view some of the finished pottery. Fairy tale creatures dance among swimming fish, flying birds, colorful cups, vases, bowls and tiny pirates, fishermen and farmers.
                                                                           

Weaving, Spinning and Knitting, OH MY!!!!

 What do you think of when you hear those words?  I think of my grandmother knitting a sweater that I am not sure I am going to like. Well, Kathleen's Fiber Arts Shop in downtown Ocean Springs has shown me that weaving, spinning and knitting are not just for little old ladies or aging hippies!!!

 When I entered the shop, I got the opportunity to sample some ice cold "Swamp Water" tea......wow, refreshing and also for sale in the shop!  Great way to begin investigating......





Check out the loom and the huge variety of beautiful yarns....if you want to learn how to weave or spin or knit, Kathleen has classes to teach you!

Ok, so maybe you don't want to learn one of these "fiber arts"....maybe you just want to buy some of it!   Select one of Kathleen's hand woven items for sale in her shop... including table linens, handbags, scarves and more.....

Looking for a  trendy, unique gift for a teenager, college student or young business professional?  Kathleen has a variety of handmade, "fair trade" items that are unusual and fun! These scarves,coin purses, and indoor frisbees are from Guatemala....

                                              
The bags and tape measures below are from Vietnamese craftsmen and are sold under the label, Lantern Moon.

Wait there is more........How about a beaded lizard, frog, or crab from Asian artists at GrassRoots?

 Wait!!!! THERE IS STILL MORE!!! For such a small shop there are surprises everywhere!!!  Need a hat?  How about a hat made from recycledsweaters or BROWN PAPER BAGS!!!  yes, you heard right!!!

                                                            
KEEP SHOPPING!!   Check out the shiny plastic handbags from Minnesota and the painted canvas handbags and cuffs from Page Holliday Designs....

 Wander in to Kathleen's Fiber Arts the next time you are on Washington Avenue in Ocean Springs...You will find Kathleen, barefooted at her loom, weaving............Have a sip of "swamp water"........study the fine workmanship of Kathleen's hand-woven items.... purchase something special and different...RELAX, there isn't anything old fashioned about what you find here....... except the quality of the work!!

Kathleen's Fiber Arts, 630 Washington Ave. Ocean Springs, MS
228-818-6666
Monday -Saturday  Open 10 a.m.