Returning to the Delta for a second time to feature her Fall Annieglass collection at Lagniappe this week is Annieglass founder and Smithsonian artist Annie Morhauser.
From noon to 3 p.m. Thursday at Lagniappe, 1361 Reed Road, Morhauser will host a meet and greet titled, Telling the Story of Annieglass: Making Business Matter, raffle, and free engraving opportunities as she introduces her new line of beautiful handcrafted glass dinnerware, gifts and sculpture with 24kt gold or platinum designs.
Annieglass, which offers an array of handmade glass works, including fine platters, bowls and dishes in a variety of shapes and sizes, are sold in an array of high-end stores throughout America and Europe. They have been sold at Lagniappe for more than 20 years and is a popular line for brides-to-be when creating their registry.
Morhauser has been traveling to retailers in Mississippi this week to celebrate Women in Business month with her daughter, Ava. When deciding which stores to visit, Morhauser said retuning to Greenville since her last visit in 2016 was an easy choice.
“What a wonderful group of enthusiastic and stylish women came to hear speak a few years ago there. I have sold to the store for years. I adore their design and them,” Morhauser said.
The ticket-only event at Lagniappe only has a few spots left available, so those interested in attending need to contact Lagniappe as soon as possible to reserve a seat. Whether a person attends the luncheon or not, they are welcome to meet with the glassmaker herself and purchase one of her pieces. Anyone who purchases a piece of Annieglass on Thursday will receive a free engraving.
Her pieces are made from window glass that is melted over molds at high heat, fusing the precious metal, gold or platinum permanently into the glass. To add a final, personal touch, each piece is then engraved with the studio signature on the back.
Sarah Smythe who co-owns Lagniappe with her mother, Sherry, said they are thrilled to have Morhauser return to their store.
“Mom and I are thrilled to welcome Annie and her daughter to the Delta. We love celebrating other female run businesses and sharing in their success. Annieglass has been a large part of our business for the past decade and being able to have Annie in store and share her with our customers is truly a gift,” Smythe said in a press release. “In addition to making the long journey from California, Annie is teaming up with us at Lagniappe to donate a portion of our sales from the event to MENT Women’s Conference in Oxford from February 28-29, 2020, that helps women work towards achieving their career goals.”
October is Women in Business Month and as the gender gap in business fights to close, Morhauser and her daughter, Ava, said it’s important to take this month to reflect on how to support the cause. Awareness and visibility are just as important as concrete action to support women-led businesses and female entrepreneurship.
“When I was little, I thought everyone’s mom had a factory. Watching the business grow as I did, made me realize, if mom could do it, I can do it too,” Reinhold said.
According to the Small Business Administration there are more than 11 million woman-owned businesses in the U.S. That’s 38% of all businesses, supporting nearly 9 million jobs and generating $1.6 trillion in annual revenue - something worth celebrating all year round!
Since the recession, the greatest growth in the number of women-owned firms has been seen in the South. Eight of the top 10 fastest growing states and metro areas for women-owned firms are found in that region.
Pam LeaVerenz, Annieglass office manager, said she is proud of the company’s sustainability.
“One of the things I’m most proud of working here, besides Annieglass’s belief in sustainability and everything is done right here in California, is two pieces from the Annieglass Shells Collection (Coquina & Tiburon) are on permanent display in the Smithsonian since 2006.”
Annieglass history
After finishing art school in 1981 at the California College of the Arts, Morhauser opened her own glassmaking studio, Annieglass, which is located on the Monterey Bay in California.
Since its conception, Annieglass has become one of the largest glassmaking facilities in the nation, producing more than 60,000 pieces of Anniglass each year.
The company was founded in 1983 when Annie found herself in need of a job after graduating art school. Her story of building a non-traditional artisanal business that requires the skills of designer, engineer, scientist, marketer and manufacturer is fascinating to women throughout the nation.
In 2006, the Smithsonian American Art Museum honored Annieglass by selecting two sculptural pieces — Tiburon and Coquina from the Shell series — as part of its permanent collection.
Annieglass is also on display at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York and the Glasgow Museum of Modern Design in Scotland.
The White House has even used Annieglass as gifts of the state since 1990.
In 2014, Morhauser visited the Algerian Embassy as the United States Art Envoy, and in 2015, Annieglass was recognized with the Green Award for Eco-Sustainability at the 26th annual ARTS Awards for the company’s environmentally conscious business practices.
