Peggy and Joe Henderson
Hickory Hill Studios
~ story and photos by Chrissy Alspaugh
The artistry that’ s come out of Joe and Peggy Henderson’ s Hickory Hill Gallery and Studio over the past two decades has wowed buyers from across the U. S.
What began as a carpentry and basket-weaving shop has evolved into a creative gallery that whisks visitors out of Brown County and into far-away worlds with one-of-a-kind Asian-inspired silk scarves, whimsical wooden creatures, jewelry that showcases natural treasures harvested from coast to coast, gourd paintings paying homage to the Native Americans, and more.
And now in their 60s with newfound freedom to create, the Hendersons are undeniably just starting to heat up.
“ When you don’ t have to‘ make’ based on what will sell, and you don’ t have young kids anymore, you are more free to experiment and do more based on what you love,” Peggy said.“ We’ ve definitely entered a new stage in life, and it’ s very freeing and exciting.”
Peggy was born near Story, grew up in western Bartholomew County, and hopped home to Brown County in her early 20s. Art was always in her blood and in her life. For Joe, a third-generation carpenter, Brown County was the last stop on a path that wound
16 Our Brown County May / June 2017 from New Castle to Toledo, Chicago, and Texas. The pair met while working as bus drivers. Married thirty-seven years, the Hendersons proudly share stories about their two grown sons and teenage grandson. Blessed is how Peggy describes it.“ I always prayed about whether these were the roads we were supposed to take,” she said.“ We’ ve taken some big leaps of faith. And now looking back, we don’ t boast one bit about what we’ ve been able to do but rather about what we’ ve been given the abilities to do.”
When their boys were 10 and 14, Joe quit his full-time carpentry job to first spend a year building their center-hall cape cod and then launch his own business. Peggy began selling art while staying home to