Even when they were college students with no money, CJ Hurley and Barbara Pierce made a point of creating inspiring, harmonious spaces where they lived. “We had no idea we were setting the stage for the business we’ve since built” says Barbara.
Working collaboratively, CJ and Barbara off er far-ranging design and consultation. CJ, who’s always been an artist, creates mixed-media work, hand executed without the aid of computers. Barbara is an interior designer and expert marketer. For many years, she was in fashion merchandising, a career that took her to Asia. The symbolism and diverse arts of Asia have fascinated CJ since childhood. Then, when the two discovered the Arts & Crafts Movement, Hurley was particularly smitten with the work of Glasgow School artists Margaret Macdonald and her husband, the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
When they bought a 1913 Foursquare in Laurelhurst, an Arts & Crafts neighborhood in Portland,Oregon, they turned the dining room into a showcase of European Arts & Crafts decorative techniques. Incorporating themes familiar to rainy Portland, the design features white roses interspersed with raindrops on richly colored walls; the same themes appear in leaded glass and gesso panels. CJ’s work attracted the attention of publications, including this one.
Commissions followed. Barbara began consulting on exterior color palettes. They’ve added sales of notecards and artwork. In 2016, they moved east to another vintage home. “We expected to live here but run a national business,” says Barbara. “Surprisingly, we’ve found local business, too.”
CJ HURLEY & BARBARA PIERCE
CJ Hurley Century Arts
Oil City, PA
(814) 493-8642
cjhurley.com
Mary Ellen Polson is a creative content editor and technical writer with over 20 years experience producing heavily illustrated know how and service journalism articles, full-length books, product copy, tips, Q&As, etc., on home renovation, design, and outdoor spaces.
