The serving boards from Newburyport-based Salt & Shimmer Artistry evoke an image of the shoreline. Owner Rachele Milordi crafts the boards with designs made with resin that mimics a ripple of waves washing ashore. Use your imagination, and the wood becomes the beach. The artist creates the boards in various shapes; some in rich olive wood with distinct grain patterns (17.75-inch paddle-shaped board, $118; 21-inch wavy board with cheese knife, $178.50). Others are rectangular and made from bamboo (mini, 8 inches by 6 inches, $27; medium, 9 inches by 11 inches, $50; large, 11 inches by 13 inches, $65). Each is unique. Their care is simple: a wash with soap and water. She also produces trays, coasters, and other items and takes custom orders. Milordi grew up on the North Shore and says she was always drawn to the ocean. While living in Rhode Island for four years as a student in nursing school, she would find refuge at the nearby beach to unwind. “It quickly became my happy place in the midst of nursing school, clinicals, and typical college life,” she says. Milordi started producing her functional art as a hobby while working as a nurse. Eventually, she launched the business that’s grown into her full-time work. Now, living in Newburyport, she says, “The inspiration is never in short supply.” Available at Green Plum Vintage Goods, 21 Market Square, Newburyport, 978-255-1967; Beyond the Barn Boston, 15 Washington St., Hudson, 978-568-0068, or go to www.saltandshimmerartistry.com.
