From the cottage at Crows Chase

A warm welcome to you from Crows Chase Cottage. Autumn is now in full swing, with numerous fall festivals and craft fairs on the horizon. The season has also afforded me the opportunity to teach several journal based and mixed media art classes. These classes have been a joy to teach. The participants are extremely creative and excited to learn new techniques in crafting. I can definitely say our classes have been merry groups, exuberant actually. Even though many of us have never met, our love of art and creating made the atmosphere one of friendship.    I was beyond giddy at the excitement each person emanated during the learning process. To be honest, even though it is a completely different atmosphere than the history lecture hall, being able to teach again was rewarding. Being able to teach something which you yourself are so passionate about, is inspirational. When the participants are so pleased with their creations that they want to continue that artistic journey, you ...

A warm welcome to you from Crows Chase Cottage. I would like to wish everyone a happy Autumnal Equinox! The first day of Autumn has brought warm weather with a partly cloudy sky. We are now moving into an extreme drought condition but thankfully there are a few scattered showers forming across the area. Sadly, none here. We have been keeping the wildlife water containers filled daily and our small garden pond is a sanctuary for both birds and squirrels.  With such dry conditions the leaves have begun falling in larger numbers. Our garden and extended property has become carpeted by dry dull yellow-brown leaves. However, there is hope that some patches of brighter color might arrive soon. I have noticed a few trees beginning to show rich deep red leaves. Also, the walnut trees seem to be holding their own against such dry conditions.....their leaves are beginning to morph into a lovely golden yellow. Unfortunately for the squirrels, not many walnuts, acorns, or hickory nuts formed o...

  A warm welcome to you from Crows Chase Cottage. After debating whether to write today, I decided to put fingers to keyboard and attempt a few paragraphs. Today finds me fighting illness, having felt quite unwell over the last few days. I have been gradually getting worse and think today might be the pinnacle. Hopefully, with rest, some medication, and many cups of hot tea I will soon feel well enough for my normal routine.  My spouse found it amusing that one of my descriptions of how I felt included 'a head full of painful, pressurized, fuzzy soup with a fever on top'. I must admit that even in my poorly state, that amuses me as well.  It has been difficult mentally and emotionally though. With so many projects waiting to be completed, my initial reaction was to get up and do. But that was reconsidered rather quickly once I began to gather basic supplies. My body and my brain both yelled at me, 'not going to happen right now'! 😴 As a creator it is so difficult to fi...

A warm welcome to you from Crows Chase Cottage. With the last week of August now behind us, I would like to reflect on how the last few days have brought such lovely moments of inspiration and creativity. Having written last week of the need to be still, to step back and focus on why I began this journey, I think that realization brought positive changes. Early last week, I made a plan for each day. Errands on Monday, my day at Grinning Possum on Tuesday, Wednesday shopping, with the remaining days for painting and crafts. By mid week, my vibe hadn't bounced back. I felt sluggish and deflated, not necessarily due to lack of creativity, but due to high heat and drought. Strangely enough, long dry spells zap me of energy, almost like it zaps my gardens of life. Our lawns and gardens had large dusty patches and many of the wildflowers were wilted and turning brown. I needed some brightness and color for my home, so I picked up a magnificently yellow bouquet of flowers that had been ex...

A warm welcome to you from Crows Chase Cottage. As another weekend comes to a close, my mind is swirling with all I have been planning and doing. My marketplace page is up and running, both of my upcoming junk journaling classes have been posted as events by the venues, and I have been trying to find time for painting. Lately, I have been driving to Pikeville more often, as my new space has proven difficult to set up properly. Despite numerous re-positioning of my art and lack of sales lately, it is always a pleasant experience walking into Grinning Possum. The working studio/gallery vibe is definitely a unique addition to small town Pikeville and one that is gaining a following rather quickly.  Grinning Possum's blue door Despite the good vibes at both FACS and Grinning Possum, I am feeling stretched "thin....like butter scraped over too much bread". Tolkien has the best quotes. Over the last few weeks I have created a web site, applied for online commerce, opened my onl...

A warm welcome to you from Crows Chase Cottage. As I sit here writing, rain clouds hang heavily in the sky and a lovely refreshing drizzle is falling. What a peaceful end to a busy over extended weekend. Despite being rushed, the days were full of happy events. Friday, we traveled to Knoxville and while there, I was able to visit a larger art supply store. Even better, they were having a massive sale on paints, brushes, easels, canvas, etc. This worked out brilliantly for me, as the large brush I had been needing was now in my price range. There were even display easels marked down 50%! So yes, I snatched up one of those for my floor space at Grinning Possum in Pikeville. And finally, I now own a Bob Ross style painting knife 😀 Hopefully, now I can attempt to paint little barns and cabins without them turning into brown and black blobs 👏 Of course paints were on my list. These Liquitex professional artist paints are quickly winning me over. While the majority of my selection is still...

A warm welcome to you from Crows Chase Cottage. Finally, yesterday, I began work on a new canvas 😀 I have already painted in several layers of trees and brown grasses. Definitely a work in progress. It needs details added to the trees, some different field grasses, and of course, I will be adding an old crooked fence. If I get to feeling especially brave, perhaps a little Bob Ross style shed in the background. Not sure yet what the final piece will look like, but I know there will be a YouTube marathon of Bob's cabin tutorials ahead. Even though I knew this piece would take a few days to complete, it felt relaxing to have paint all over my hands again. The feel of the brushes swooping this way and that, then tinkling against the glass rinse jars. How lovely that feeling when everything else melts away, leaving only the canvas and colors. Strangely, it wasn't until my spouse pointed out what I painted up to this point was the ridge line and field that is adjacent to Crows Chase...

  A warm welcome to you from Crows Chase Cottage. As the weekend comes to a close, I wanted to share a few inspirational images from our gardens. Our weather has been a mix of heat, sun, and heavy downpours. My new garden pond is thriving due to the mix of sun and rain. The water has finally cleared after adding aquatic plants. Tadpoles are growing nicely, along with water beetles, miniature invertebrates, and snails.                                                                     We built this small water garden pond to be a beneficial habitat for wildlife but it is also a wonderful area for meditation. Being in nature supports my creativity and is amazingly therapeutic. We are blessed with a large variety of wildlife here at Crows Chase. Of course we feed the crows and songbirds daily. Even the chickens ...

  A warm welcome to you from Crows Chase Cottage. It has been an eventful week, filled with long drives, studio work, and getting to know other artists within our community. Needless to say, I definitely felt overwhelmed with the 'newness' of it all. Several of my mornings now consist of a lovely 45 minute drive along narrow back roads that lead to state route 127. Despite my dislike of driving on mountainous roads, the magnificent scenery is always a reward. It only takes a few minutes after driving down the mountain that the breadth of Sequatchie Valley comes into view. With cloud banks obscuring the upper edges of the valley wall and low hanging rain clouds swooping away to the left, nature's beauty has been on full display this week.    After making my way onto main street, everything moves at a slower pace. I park nearby and make my way to the specialty bakery/cafe next to The Grinning Possum. Their iced coffee is perfect for keeping cool during these humid post rain...

A warm welcome to you from Crows Chase Cottage. My name is Lori Bowers, founder of Crows Chase Creations. I am a freelance writer, photographer, and artist. The story of how I found my way into self-employment and art in general begins with that short phrase that sends so many people in a new direction. Life happened. And it happened swiftly. Having spent several years in the academic field, a whirlwind of events led me back to my hometown. I found myself living in my parents' small rural cottage that I had inherited just two years prior. The property itself is just under an acre but it is joined to my grandparents'  farmstead that is now owned by family members. It is a magical property with abundant wildlife, a beautiful landscape, and numerous crows. The crows have always maintained a large presence around the property but after moving back I began to feed them, alongside the songbirds. It was not long after we officially named the property Crows Chase.  So, being middle ag...