The Villager, known for its unique collections of art and jewelry, has a new location, as well as a new collection of handmade accessories.
Jewelry designer Jill Schwartz showcased her designs Nov. 5 and 6 at The Villager's new location at 104 N. College St. in downtown Auburn.
Schwartz's current collection, "Elements," was started in the late '80s.
"I just keep adding new things to it as the years go by," Schwartz said.
At the age of 3, Schwartz glued beads to her ears because her parents wouldn't let her get her ears pierced.
"That was quite the motivating thing," Schwartz said. "I became obsessed."
After graduating with a bachelor's degree in design and environmental analysis from Cornell, Schwartz went to Europe for a year.
"I found myself wandering into little bead shops, and I started to make my own creations," Schwartz said. "I got so many compliments that I decided to start selling my work on the trains. Twenty-eight years later--here I am."
After returning from Europe, Schwartz completed her master's degree in interior design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Schwartz does licensed work for big companies like Urban UK, Nordstrom and Anthropologie.
"I still do one show in Europe every year, and I sell to all different sizes of stores," Schwartz said.
Ingrid Brown, owner of The Villager, met Schwartz at an Atlanta gift show in 2001.
"(Ingrid) has been buying from me ever since," Schwartz said.
The Villager, once located at 824 E. Glenn Ave., has been at its new location for about a month, Brown said.
"We started out as a custom framing shop," Brown said. "We've been around for about 40 years."
Brown and her husband also own AuburnArt.com, which is located next door.
"Wwe've been wanting this location for about two years," Brown said. "The College Street location has more space, and we've been able to introduce new artists and different mediums."
Brown also said they were able to build an indoor garden tree to highlight the outdoor elements that The Villager used to display at the East Glenn Avenue location.
"We kept the store open as much as possible," Brown said. "We were closed maybe 2-3 days during the transition."
Brown said The Villager wanted to give something back and bring something new to downtown.
All of the furnishings inside the store are handmade and were designed especially for the space by local artisans, Brown said.
"We are more exposed at this location," said Kathy Taylor Myles, gallery manager of The Villager. "More college students and people that have lived here their whole lives and never had the chance to stop by the old store walk in."
The interior space of the store was tailor-made for the artists that The Villager shows, Myles said.
"We focus on handmade things by American artists who make these things in their own homes," Myles said. "It's fun wearing the jewelry around while I'm at work."
Myles said she likes to expose people to the art they have in the store.
"We break the preconceived notion that people have about art," Myles said. "Art is not just paintings--it's woodwork, ceramics, beadwork, glasswork and so much more."
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