From the cottage at Crows Chase

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. Mid September has arrived, and the lack of rainfall has taken its toll on the landscape. Small creeks and ponds have dwindled down, with only muddy patches remaining. Leaves are wilted, turning yellow and falling to the brown grass below....but the leaves are not that lovely autumn yellow one might expect this time of year. They are a dry, tired yellow, edged with crinkled brown. But despite the ongoing drought and dull thirsty colors that envelope our neighborhood, I have been inspired by the loveliest colors of blue.  For whatever reason, blues have been resonating with me this past week. Icy blue, moody dark bluish green, light blue.....the varying degree of shades seem endless to me. Having been in an artistic slump before, I owe this color, this vibe, a great thanks! For whatever reason, it reached down and caught the attention of my dreary spirit, wrapped around my mind, and released that burdening block.  Before I knew it,...

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. Another week is upon us, as mid August draws near. Our nightly temps have gotten cooler recently, which brought on a delightful autumnal vibe. It seemed fitting, as yesterday, I completed my painting. After applying what seemed to be 10 layers of grasses and autumn wildflowers, I called it done. Just in time, as tomorrow, it goes on display at The Grinning Possum.  Close up of gate and fence 'October Sunrise' As I prepare to part with it, the realization of how sentimental this painting is to me comes to the forefront. Memories of childhood rambles along this ridge remain fresh in my mind. With those crisp October days being the best for exploring nature in all its brilliance.  Another accomplishment for me this week, while satisfying to have finally completed, was not as enjoyable performing. After buying the domain www.crowschase.com I finally took a few deep breaths, shook out all of the negative vibes and set about desi...

  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...