When HGTV star Erin Napier revealed that artist Mary Engelbreit would appear on the next episode of “Home Town” on March 2, 2025, thrilled fans flooded her comment section with excitement. Within a couple of hours, thousands had liked Napier’s Instagram post, with many sharing how influential and inspiring Engelbreit had been in their lives.
Over the last five decades, Engelbreit’s vibrant, nostalgic illustrations and memorable sayings — from “Queen of Everything” to “Life is Just a Chair of Bowlies” — have been featured on thousands of licensed products, from greeting cards to calendars, amassing over $1 billion in lifetime retail sales, per her website.
Engelbreit, 72, told EntertainmentNOW that she was already a fan of “Home Town,” so it was a thrill when Erin and her husband, Ben Napier, asked her to come on the show and spend a day in their hometown of Laurel, Mississippi.
“They are the nicest people in the world,” Engelbreit gushed. “Exactly the way you think they would be.”
Erin Napier & Mary Engelbreit Discussed Tile Work for a Homeowner on Show
HGTV/Mary EngelbreitIn September, Engelbreit’s son drove with her from St. Louis to Laurel, which she called a “darling small town” that feels like “a little oasis of peace in this day and age.” She told EntertainmentNOW that for a segment of the upcoming episode, she and Erin discussed design possibilities for a client’s space featuring cement tiles from the Mary Engelbreit x Lili Tiles Collection.
“The homeowner had very strong ideas about the colors that she would like to see used,” Engelbreit said. “So we talked about, you know, changing the colors and what would look good with the other things that she wanted (in the space).”
Engelbreit said that she was so at ease filming with Erin, whom she called a “wonderful artist,” that she didn’t even realize the cameras were rolling.
“When my son and I first got there, (Erin) was outside talking to some friends and they were all familiar with my work, so we talked a little bit there,” she said. “And then we went inside, and she and I just started talking. And it turns out that they were filming while we were talking. It didn’t take long at all, and it was so comfortable.”
Mary Engelbreit Says One of Her Keys to Happiness is to ‘Draw Every Day’
After filming, Engelebreit and her son had lunch with the Napiers, local artist Adam Trest — who’s appeared frequently on “Home Town” and illustrated Erin’s 2022 children’s book — and his wife.
Engelbreit shared an Instagram photo of herself with Trest after their September lunch with the Napiers and wrote, “It was so SO nice to talk art and business with like-minded souls—- it just doesn’t happen enough anymore!”
“My son and I were both very impressed with how down the earth they are, and what you see on that show is what you get,” Engelbreit told EntertainmentNOW. “That’s who they are — very, very nice people. And so is everybody associated with the show.”
After more than 40 years of making art for the masses and watching trends come and go, Engelbreit has no plans on slowing down, noting, “If I can’t draw every day, I’m not a happy person.”
She said she’s grateful her fine art prints, children’s books and partnership products, like the tiles used in “Home Town,” continue to find their way into homes around the world.
As for “Home Town” viewers who recognize Engelbreit or discover her art through the show, she said, “I just hope they get a kick out of it, like we did. I’ve been in business so long, you know any recognition is always nice. It’s still nice to be getting recognition after all this time. So anything that happens is just icing on the cake for me.”
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Fans Flip as Erin Napier Brings Beloved Artist Mary Engelbreit to ‘Home Town’ (EXCLUSIVE)