On Hollywood Street off Broad Avenue, Whitney Winkler Art invites you into a creative oasis. The shop showcases original paintings layered with gold leaf and stitching, handmade ceramics by regional makers, quilted jackets from vintage textiles and candles in repurposed vessels. Each piece tells a story. At the center is artist and entrepreneur Whitney Winkler, whose evolving journey has shaped this space devoted to artistry, sustainability and human connection.
Winkler’s path to a brick-and-mortar shop wasn’t direct. Like many creative entrepreneurs, her career has taken many forms, each building on the last. She began painting over a decade ago, while pregnant with her first child.
“In those monotonous days of motherhood, I needed something that I could start and finish creatively,” she says. “Because I started creating in this place of confinement, my art has exemplified freedom over the years.”
That sense of freedom is evident in her work today. Winkler’s main medium is mixed-media watercolor, typically on paper. Some pieces feature abstract florals or landscapes. She adds texture with stitching and gold foil. The result? Light, expressive work that feels intuitive and layered. “People often say my art feels uninhibited,” she says.
As her artistic practice grew, so did her curiosity. Winkler began exploring collaborative work, painting on pottery created by other artisans and partnering with makers whose skills complemented her own. “I love the idea of art on everything,” she says. “I don’t need to learn every skill myself. I’d rather work with people who are incredible at what they do.”
That collaborative mindset shaped her store. Inside Whitney Winkler Art, original pieces share space with handcrafted work by mostly local and regional artisans, many of them women. Jewelry, pottery, textiles, embroidery and vintage home goods fill the shop. Each is carefully selected not only for beauty, but for the human story behind it. “I value craftsmanship and people being paid fairly for their work,” Winkler explains. “I buy all of their work outright rather than doing consignment. I believe in their work, and I want them to feel valued at every step.”
The same philosophy guides her vintage offerings. Winkler has sold thrifted goods since 2010, long before vintage retail became mainstream. In recent years, she brought this part of her business into the shop, making the hunt for unique pieces part of the experience. “Sourcing is constant,” she says. “Whenever I travel, I’m looking for pieces that excite me.”
The vintage selection ranges from statement furniture—like a hand-carved swan bench carved from a single block of wood—to clothing reimagined from antique textiles. Quilts become jackets and collars; old fabrics find new life as wearable pieces. “The pieces in my shop go a step further,” she says. “How can we reuse and reimagine something old for today?”
For Winkler, sustainability is practical and personal. She notes the high environmental costs of modern fashion as a reason to use vintage and repurposed materials. At the same time, the shop embraces beauty and discovery. Candles and plants fill repurposed containers, and every corner offers a small surprise. “I want people to have a treasure hunt experience when they come in,” she says.
Underlying it all is a belief that people crave connection, not just to objects, but to the people who made them. “I’ve realized that the way people buy art is often through connecting with the artist,” Winkler says. “There’s a human behind everything in this store.” That human element also extends to the team that helps run the shop. Winkler works alongside four other women who support everything from graphic design and marketing to shipping and sales, allowing her to keep space in her life for both creativity and family. After all, Winkler is also a mother of five. “My hobby, my talent and my job are the same thing,” she says. “But this space is where I get to be Whitney apart from being a mom.”
In a retail world driven by fast consumption, Whitney Winkler Art offers something different: a place where art, sustainability and community intertwine, and every object begins with a person.
Memphis Artisans
Whitney collaborates with a number of local artisans who create beautiful art, branding and wearable pieces.
- The Clay Moon - @theclaymoon - Samm Stafford creates pottery and paintings, including wearable charms with florals.
- Thirty One Sundays - @thirtyonesundays - Lara Cate works with screen printing and embroidery.
- Janey Bee Jems - @janeybeejems
- Archd - @getarchd - Sisters Kristen and Lindsey Archer create coasters, wall art and more.
- Kyle Taylor Art - @kyletaylorart - Recently featured in Art by Design!
- McLean Designs - @mcleandesignmemphis - Logos, t-shirts and branding.
- Cane and Herb - @caneandherb901- Crafting handmade simple syrups infused with fresh herbs - a fabulous hostess gift.
- Fern Valley Farms Honey