Ceramic artist Hali Armstrong of Hechizo and her award-winning lamps (From left, photos courtesy Hali Armstrong and by Fredrik Broden for Garden & Gun)
Richmond’s dynamic art scene, infused with the creativity and ingenuity of its thriving artists, is widely regarded as a hub of artistic expression. Yet, when local ceramic artist Hali Armstrong of Hechizo expanded her creative vision into ornamental homeware, she didn’t know her new artistic path would bring her home to Richmond — and she didn’t know whether the pivot would actually pay off.
It turns out that winning Garden & Gun magazine’s 15th annual Made in the South Awards has given her a newfound validation for her homeware designs. It’s also providing much-needed sustainability for her small business. Armstrong won the home category and was also named the overall winner, which garnered her a $15,000 prize.
“To be recognized is gratifying,” Armstrong says, “and being the overall winner is exciting. I’m hoping it sets the tone for my business going forward.”
As a small maker of uniquely fashioned and brightly colored lamps and sconces, Armstrong found inspiration while designing her home near the James River. Each lamp is an investment piece, hand-shaped from a simple block of clay and dried for two to three weeks. It then undergoes a final firing and glaze before being wired and topped with a custom-built lampshade.
The Made in the South Awards, presented each year in Garden & Gun’s December/January issue, celebrate under-the-radar Southern-made products in the home, food, drink, crafts, style and outdoor categories. A panel of editors works with judges who are experts in their respective fields to choose the honorees.
The magazine’s executive editor, Amanda Heckert, enjoys seeing the winners and finalists get the attention they deserve. She describes the effect as a boon for the winners that often propels their small businesses. “Our readers want to support Southern-made products,” Heckert explains. “This is one of the most gratifying things I get to work on every year. I like seeing the effect it has on the businesses we highlight.”
Television personality Gray Benko from the Magnolia Network, known for providing home decor inspiration, judged this year’s home category. Once the category winners are selected, Heckert and the other editors take on the challenge of choosing the overall winner.
“What made the difference for Hali is that her lamps were something we hadn’t seen before,” Heckert says. “She has her hands on each element of the piece — the sculpture and embroidery.”
Armstrong earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in sculpture and extended media from Virginia Commonwealth University. She began her artistic journey by watching her grandmother do handcrafts — embroidery, crocheting and sewing clothes — which, according to Heckert, tipped the scales in her favor in the awards’ overall category.
“My grandmother Rita was super crafty. She was the family's matriarch, raising six kids on her own,” Armstrong explains. “I’m passing those traditions to my daughters now.”
Armstrong began her artistic career making intricate jewelry pieces from her apartment in New York City. She says it was her method of reducing stress while living in the city and managing a full-time job. A large order from the retail chain Anthropologie set her on a course to go full time with her jewelry business. She acquired a studio in Brooklyn that she called Hechizo after seeing it on a sign while vacationing in Mexico; the word means “magic charm” in Spanish.
However, Armstrong wanted to work with larger pieces that would allow her to incorporate more of the handcrafting skills she had learned from her grandmother. She describes her work with homeware as an extension of her jewelry design and terms it “jewelry for the home.”
“These are beautifully handcrafted pieces for the home,” she says. “I see sconces as jewelry on the wall. It’s bedazzling the home like you’d adorn yourself.”
Armstrong’s decision to work with larger pieces contributed to her decision to move back home to Richmond and open Hechizo in Scott’s Addition in 2017.
“I’m happy to be back in Richmond,” she says. “New York City can be limiting when working with a kiln and transporting supplies. With a web store, there was just no need to be there anymore. I’ve started a family here and have a great quality of life.”
To keep things fun and fresh, Armstrong is already thinking about new designs. She wants to incorporate glass and feature tie-on lampshades in future lines. Hechizo will expand as a showroom early next year, offering a wider range of her unique designs. But in the meantime, Armstrong’s work can be found on her website and Instagram.
