9 home/Design/Garden people and stores to watch in 2007
December 31, 2006
|By Beth Botts, Mary Daniels, Tran Ha, Karen Klages and Elaine Matsushita contributed to this report.

9. Bill Hill and Ralph Murphy, Murphy-Hill Gallery, Homan Square (the former Sears, Roebuck & Co. headquarters), 3333 W. Arthington St., 773-638-1262 or www.billhillphotography.com. What you've got here are two photography teachers who stumbled upon the right space at the right time with the right idea: Take an empty 10,000-square-foot space, they thought, fill it with 20 or so undiscovered fine-art photographers, painters, filmmakers, jewelry-makers and sculptors for a night or two, and, finally, invite anyone with an appreciation for the arts. Hill and Murphy put on their first gallery exhibit in November and plan to continue with monthly shows (the next will be from 4 to 10 p.m. Jan. 19 and 4 to 11 p.m. Jan. 20). Their first gallery was an amazing showcase and sale of raw and refined works from a very diverse pool of talent. Prices were affordable, the quality high.