Haakkume Dyunni — Painted Pottery of Acoma Pueblo

on exhibit from August 31, 2013 to September 7, 2014

Pueblo of Acoma: Sky City Cultural Museum and Haak’u Museum

approximately one hour from Albuquerque, New Mexico

http://www.acomaskycity.org/

For more handmade items in Ailsa’s challenge on Where’s My Backpack this week — Travel theme: Handmade — click here.

“Eloise” by Jane Longendorfer

It was mostly what we’ve come to expect from this annual Fine Craft Show in Knoxville by the Foothills Craft Guild:  unique, one-of-a-kind, artistically crafted items displayed tastefully by some of the nicest artisans you would ever hope to meet.  But this year, the event held November 15-17, offered the unexpected: humor!

That’s right — many of the artists and craftspeople showcased their whimsical creations much to the delight of the hundreds of patrons and visitors who packed the Jacob Building and gathered ’round the best of the best.  Although all — and we mean all — of the booths held quality pieces, we found several artists and creations that spoke to us in new ways.

Foothills Craft Guild’s Fine Craft Show, November 15-17, 2013

Charles Pinkney

We met Charles at the Webb School art show last fall and purchased a pair of earrings he named Going to Mr. Bennie’s. (Pinckney’s jewelry is frequently created with a story in mind.) As a guest of the Foothills Craft Guild, Charles brought his one-of-a-kind pieces fashioned mostly of silver and other fine metals. (www.charlespinckney.com)

Charles Pinckney, Jewelry

Linda White

Linda’s finely stitched fabric collages bear looking at closely.  The strength of color and composition are marvels in themselves, but when you get close, you can’t believe the tight rows of tiny stitches that add texture and artistry.

Fabric collage by Linda White

Rich colors in this stitched collage by Linda White

Jeri Landers

Jeri Landers returned this year with more of her signature scherenschnitte (scissor cuttings).  But she was also autographing her illustrated books featuring a rabbit of her own creation: Hopalong Jack — just one of her many endearing woodland animals.  Click here for her website featuring more of her work and upcoming projects.

Jeri Landers autographing a book featuring Hopalong Jack.

Mary Curtin

Clay pieces from Mary Curtin generally feature hand-cut flower motifs with delicate openings lending an airiness to the bowls, baskets, and plates she produces.  This rich red  floral arrangement complemented an earthy clay basket that stood out against the black background of her booth.

Stoneware Basket by Mary Curtin of Bristol TN

Bob Klassen

We couldn’t resist picking up the hand-turned bowls, vessels, and plates by Bob Klassen and learning more about the woods the artist uses for each piece. This is art you want to touch.

Bob Klassen, Turned Wood Art

Beryl Lumpkin

A member of Foothills Craft Guild for many years, Beryl told us that she began her career making gathering baskets, one of her early “loves” and, today, still one of her favorite things to make.

Beryl Lumpkin, Basketry

But she also offered something tiny to her fans and patrons:  miniature woven baskets — some not any bigger than a thimble — made of string, thread, and natural pieces like bark or feathers.

Beryl Lumpkin with her miniature baskets

Hugh and Barbara Webb

For many years, Hugh and Barbara have brought their tiny hand-cut, hand-painted wooden pins and boxes, but this year the couple branched out with other surfaces like gourds and driftwood.  People love to examine the detail on these miniatures and ask them repeatedly, How can you do such tiny work? 

Hugh and Barbara Webb, Wood Design

Tiny cat pin by Hugh and Barbara Webb

Clay Thurston

When we turned the corner of one of the aisles, we spied familiar work — the photography of Clay Thurston — and the first of many pieces for sale that made us smile!  We loved a trio of pictures based upon an old pick-up truck bearing trees, etc.  But it was Clay’s title that brought it to life:  Long Term Parking. Clay brought something new to the show this year:  photographs on canvas with the same high quality resolution that we’ve come to expect from him.  Beautiful!

Clay Thurston, Wildlife Photography

Karen Davis

Wooden spoons and bowls are generally utilitarian pieces — something every kitchen and every chef needs.  But in Karen Davis‘s hands, even the simplest spoon can be fun. Doesn’t this little smiley face make you want to smile back?

Karen Davis, Wooden Spoons and Bowls

Author’s Corner

Speaking of smiles, a man who cheers us up with almost every column he writes for the Knoxville News-Sentinel visited with fans and signed his books filled with local color and Southern humor.  Sam Venable is known in “these-here” parts as someone who can find humor in just about every phase of life.  He even makes writing sound easy — like fallin’ off a log!  Bill Landry (WBIR’s Heartland Series host), Jim Johnston (historian) and Dr. Bill Bass (author and noted UT professor) joined Sam in the Author’s Corner, and there’s just no tellin’ what laughs they stirred up!

Sam Venable — telling another tall tale?

Craft Demonstrations

Some of the artists and guild members volunteered to share their secrets right out in front of all of us.  And you could see most visitors smiling and pointing and calling other people over as they watched the craftspeople demonstrate what they do best.

Bill Henry, Itinerant Whittler and Life Member: Foothills Craft Guild

Becky Ramsey, Carving

In our category of “Most Original” was the work of three artists.

Kitty Garrett

Kitty fashions what she calls Castaway’s Sculpture out of cast-off pieces — like doll heads, seashells, metal parts, and antique toys.  Just one look at these examples should make you move closer to your screen to examine the compositions, but if you want to see more, go to Kitty’s website: www. CastawaysSculpture.com.  We overheard one lady remark, These ought to be in the The Smithsonian! And maybe someday, they will be!

Kitty Garrett, Assemblage Sculpture

Kitty Garrett, Assemblage Sculpture

Allen Hampton

The big pink flying pig drew us in to the booth of Allen Hampton, a metal artist from Chattanooga.  As if that weren’t enough to add whimsy to a garden or sunroom, the whole booth was filled with creatures meant to withstand the elements and give a garden or patio a lighthearted touch! (www.allenhampton.com)

Flying pig by Allen Hampton

Allen Hampton, Iron Sculpture

Jane Longendorfer

Without a doubt, my favorite piece of the whole show was Eloise, a sculptured clay birdhouse that attracted a lot of attention.  Maybe it was the smile.  Or the kinky hair.  Or those retro glasses.  Whatever it was, it was fun — and I almost brought Eloise home!  I think I could even hear the birds laughing in my backyard, if Eloise were there! ( Jane’s website: www.smokymountainmud.com)

“Eloise” by Jane Longendorfer

And so, the Fine Craft Show for 2013 wraps up with even better artistry and humor than before.  If you missed this year’s event, put it on your calendar for next year.  In our East Tennessee region, it’s one of the best (we think!) and this year, possibly one of the most whimsical craft shows around!

Foothills Craft Guild

http://foothillscraftguild.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoothillsCraftGuild

Aleex Conner, Foothills Marketing Director: aleexc@earthlink.net

Fresh lavender in the booth of

Reposting so that you can see what’s in store if you attend the 16th Annual Lavender Festival in Historic Jackson Square, Oak Ridge, Tennessee this Saturday, June 21 from 8 to 3. Click here for more information.

I could almost smell the Lavender Festival from the parking lot — well, maybe not from that far away, but I almost could.  It was exciting to walk past the Emma Lee Spray Park and Garden and enter Jackson Square in Oak Ridge at 8:00 AM Saturday. And I was in good company. Hundreds of festival-goers, anxious to get their hands on long stems of lavender bound into bunches, were looking forward to breathing in the fragrance that has lured thousands to this festival for 16 years.

Sponsored by the Jackson Square Business Association, the Lavender Festival has a charm all its own.  It’s not a bustling, noisy festival where visitors line up two deep at hot dog stands while listening to several stage bands at once!

This is a quiet sort of gathering focused on the beauty of plants, hand-made crafts, and products from local gardens — a peaceful, earthy sort of festival where people mill around peering into booths filled with lavender in various forms: bouquets, wands, sachets, creams, oils . . . even edible products like lavender-infused honey or — yes, this is a real product —  lavender ice cream!

And one of many reasons this is a sweet-smelling festival is this — most of us are carrying string-tied bundles of lavender everywhere we go  from Jackson Square to the adjacent Farmers Market!

Three ladies and a dog with lavender bundles!

First stop for me:  the booth of Anne Freels, designer of cornshuck dolls. Anne shared the benefits of lavender with customer Lynn Carroll  — how the fragrance has a calming effect. And bouquets dry naturally but retain their pleasantness for years to come.

Anne Freels helps Lynn Carroll select the perfect bunch.

Marie Bullock offered beautifully displayed Victorian lavender wands woven with colored ribbons. Marie said, Victorian ladies didn’t always bathe every day as we do, so they kept a lavender wand to wave in front of themselves.  The fragrance of lavender would mask any unpleasant odors.  If the wand’s smell lessened over time, the lady would merely pinch the wand, releasing the fragrance into the air once again.

A bouquet of lavender wands in the Heaven Scent booth

Under the label Heaven Scent, Marie offers products made with lavender oil like moisture cream, angel drops, linen spray, and lavender toner. Who knew lavender could be so versatile!

Creams, oils, and drops from Heaven Scent

Honey Rock Herb Farm (Louisville) brought pictures of lavender fields, books on lavender, plant markers, bags and bunches of lavender as well as organic catnip and manuals on the care and growing of herbs.

Pictures and products in Honey Rock Herb Farm’s booth

Perhaps the Profusion of Purple Award (if there ever was such a thing) could go to Scott County Lavender, a booth that was purple to the max — everything from creams to t-shirts and products bottled in purple.

The very purple booth of Scott County Lavender

Pat Osborne told me about Lavender Hydrosol, a by-product of a distillation process. What remains after the process is pure mountain stream water infused with lavender essential oil.  She said that essential oil could be compared to perfume whereas Lavender Hydrosol would be similar to cologne — not as concentrated but quite effective!

Pat says you can spray Hydrosol on a pillows for a lingering fragrance. But Hydrosol spray can also kill germs, lessen the sting of sunburn, repel fleas in pet areas . . . even have a cooling effect on hot flashes!  A wonder elixir, for sure, if it does all that!

Pat Osborne of Scott County Lavender telling me of the wonders of Hydrosol

Many area nurseries and herb farms brought their healthiest, showiest plants for sale.  Melanie and Kathy from Erin’s Meadow Herb Farm told me about their location in the Marlow Community near Oak Ridge where herbs are their specialty, but they also have a wide selection of native plants and garden accessories. You really ought to come out to the farm right now, Melanie told me. It’s at its best.  You’d love it!

Melanie and Kathy from Erin’s Meadow Herb Farm

My favorite booth was this one by Erin’s Meadow Herb Farm. There’s just something appealing about weathered doors and antiques used as garden art.

Erin’s Meadow Herb Farm booth reminds me of an old-fashioned potting shed

In another booth by Erin’s Meadow Herb Farm, terrariums took center stage.  This topless one held gentle fern-like plants poking above glass to catch the light. (I’ve always wanted to try my hand at making these for gifts, so this one inspired me to give it a go! I love these!)

One of several terrariums from Erin’s Meadow Herb Farm

Although succulents have never been a favorite plant of mine (I think it’s their hard leaves or compact nature that I don’t like), I have been successful with these hardy plants in spite of how I feel.  So I’ve come to look more closely at them as mainstays in my biggest flower pots.  I especially like the looks of a whole flat of these from Erin’s Meadow basking in the early morning sun.

Succulents and garden accessories from Erin’s Meadow Herb Farm

Some of the most colorful blooming perennials were brought by Sunlight Gardens. The sign near these native Coneflowers says they’re great for cut flowers!

Colorful Coneflowers from Sunlight Gardens

Another sign told me something I didn’t know about Blazing Stars — they’re butterfly magnets!  (They must also be photographer magnets, because several of us were kneeling down to catch the perky color and full blooms on film!)

Sunlight Gardens also brought these showstopper Blazing Stars

Working craftsmen are always a pleasure to watch at a festival.  Scott Weatherly of Crossville stopped his work for a few minutes to tell me about the art of chair caning, a craft he’s practiced for twelve years.  After soaking the cane, he weaves traditional patterns that look best with the lines of the chair. He was putting the finishing touches on this unusual pattern to bring new life to an old piece.

Chair caning demo by Scott Weatherly of Crossville

Linda Baldwin, The Barefoot Weaver, from Heiskell, has been weaving for eleven years.  She told me that after she “got into” weaving, she loved the craft so much she bought the house next door to use as her studio! She weaves placemats, runners, pot holders, and other home essentials, and it thrilled me to watch her hard at work right there in her booth.

Linda Baldwin of Pine Ridge Handwovens provides onsite weaving demonstrations

This particular runner was something I don’t often see — it was woven with a combination of yarn and strips of torn cloth. Sturdy, yet beautiful — with a contemporary feel.

A runner by Linda Baldwin mixing yarn and strips of cotton cloth

Melissa Ball of Stony Clay Station Pottery creates wheel thrown stoneware pottery in her studio in Lenoir City along with partner Benjamin Qualls. She was busy that morning judging from the long line waiting to pay her for her wares.  I asked one customer if her pottery purchases were for gifts, but she smiled and said, Actually no. These pieces are just for me!

Melissa Ball of Stony Clay Station Pottery in Lenoir City

Finding old linens is a hobby that Tina Richey has had for years.  Now she’s putting the embroidered tablecloths, napkins, pillowcases, etc., to good use! She gathers similar patterns (like florals, birds, dogs, etc.); stitches the small pieces together to form larger blocks; and then cuts out fronts, backs, and sleeves to create these one-of-a-kind jackets! Her Knoxville business of wearable art and accessories is known as Spotted Horse Crafts.

Tina Richey shows off one of her themed jackets created from vintage embroidered linens

Jeri Landers — whose dreamlike drawings and scherenschnitte (paper cuttings) have drawn me in for closer looks (and purchases) for years — had a stunning booth. At the Lavender Festival, she was selling her fabulous children’s books.  They’re not only sweet stories . . . they are beautifully illustrated! Look for The Journey of Bushky Busybottom — one of several bunny tales — by Jeri Landers, one of the busiest artists I’ve ever met. (This stunning backdrop is an enlargement of one of her illustrations!)

Jeri Landers, author and illustrator, signs a copy of her latest book.

From Morgan County came Lana Manis whose business Honeysuckle Lane drew me in to her booth.  Her hand-crafted creations — tiny pillows and lavender sachets — have been featured in Romantic Homes, Early American Life, Sunset, and Victoria.

Lana Manis adorns pillows with flowers stitched from ribbon and thread.

She uses bits of ribbon to form flower petals and leaves.  Then she adds embroidery stems and stitchery embellishments — all against a backdrop of  lovely linen in yummy colors.

A tiny pillow topped by a ribbon and embroidery Coneflower by Lana Manis

Jenni Dickenson of Napping Cat Flower Farm in Maryville not only grows these lively flowers — she creates little bouquets and then arranges them in colorful — or plain — tin cans.  Even the names of her bouquets are cute — like “Hippy Chick Farmstand Mix”! (Apologies for the slightly blurry photo.)

Jenni Dickenson of Napping Cat Flower Farm with her colorful bouquets

When she told me she sets up at the Knoxville Farmers Market on Market Square Wednesdays and Saturdays, I knew I could find her again and take home several of her bouquets for gifts in the near future!

Colorful bouquet in a can by Jenni Dickenson

The creator and editor of Flour Sack Mama, Anne Brock, promotes green living on her blog (floursackmama.blogspot.com) and in her booth. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest giving tips for thriftiness and better living that protects the environment and us, too!

Anne Brock of Flour Sack Mama

She offered children a chance to be a part of the festival by making little lavender sachets.  The kids selected fabric, filled the pouches with lavender furnished by The Ferrell Shop, and then stitched the tops closed.  Here’s a dad helping his daughter put the finishing touches on her lavender sachet! Sweet, huh?

A dad helps his daughter make a lavender sachet in the Flour Sack Mama booth

Sweetwater Valley Farm was there, too!  If you haven’t been there for a visit, you can take your children or grandchildren to see farm animals on one of the prettiest farms in East Tennessee in Philadelphia.  (Call before you go to get the schedule: 877.862.4332!)

Amy passed out samples of tasty cheese from Sweetwater Valley Farm

For the Lavender Festival, they passed out samples of Sweetwater Valley Farm Cheddar Cheese and let guests have a taste of Artisan Honey Jelly — that’s right, honey with the consistency of jelly! Mmmm.  Would love that on a hot biscuit!

Honey Jelly from Sweetwater Valley Farm

Behind Jackson Square was the regularly scheduled Farmers Market, so I headed past the festival booths to see what the farmers had brought.  The Cruze Farm girls (well, not many of them since they were manning booths at three locations all on the same morning) brought Lavender Ice Cream and Lavender Honey!

Those cute Cruze Farm girls were there!

Since I had to have my hands free to take pictures all morning, I made no purchases until the end.  And what I came for was right in the Oak Ridge Farmers Market: Joe Hollar of Knoxville was grabbing handfuls of  lavender from an open truck bed, tying those bundles with string, and making lots of customers (including me!) very happy!

Knoxville lavender grower Dan Hollar had customers lined up!

It was heavenly to walk away with my souvenir bundle of lavender that I smelled in my warm car all the way home! (Not this one — but isn’t it gorgeous?!)

An enormous bouquet of lavender sitting near Joe Hollar’s stand at the Farmers’ Market

Each year the Lavender Festival offers a newly commissioned piece of art for sale.  The website posted this lovely pastel work by Mary Katherine Chin titled “Lavender” as the 2012 featured art.

“Lavender” by Mary Katherine Chin

If you want to come to the Lavender Festival in Oak Ridge’s Historic Jackson Square next year, be sure to check the website for dates and times.

The Oak Ridge Farmers Market is open on Wednesdays, 3 to 6 P.M. and Saturdays, 8 A.M. to noon from mid-April through late November.  You can find locally-grown vegetables, herbs, honey, meats, cheeses, baked goods, plants, and fresh cut flowers!

The District Gallery

5113 Kingston Pike

Vision of Home:  Recent Works by Kathie Odom

April 11 through May 3

Kathie Odom stands beside featured painting “Bethlehem Road” bearing this caption: “While standing in a country church parking lot located somewhere between Seymour and Walland, I painted this farm. Nestled in the Smokies, light bounced off the barn. Be still my heart!”

The featured artist of the Dogwood Arts Festival, Kathie Odom was on hand at The District Gallery.  Her painting, Sycamore Row, was selected as the 2014 Limited Edition Print.

After graduating from the University of Tennessee, Kathie distinguished herself as a pastel artist in the 1982 Dogwood Arts Festival. But in 2009, she began working in a new medium:  oils.  Her subject matter is influenced by the rural landscapes she loves with nostalgic scenes of barns, sheds, fields, and trees changing with the seasons.  Notes hand written by the artist were posted next to each painting, providing personal insight into what had inspired her to create each painting.

Bennett Galleries

5308 Kingston Pike

Richard Jolley

A Retrospective of Work, Creating Something for Nothing

April 11 through June 28

Attending the Opening Reception at Bennett Galleries: Don Bosch, Richard Jolley (featured artist), Ashley Capps, and Maureen Bosch.

In conjunction with the unveiling of the largest glass installation in the U. S. at the Knoxville Museum of Art — The Cycle of Life, Within the Power of Dreams and the Wonder of Infinity by Richard Jolley — Bennett Galleries opened a retrospective of work revealing the stages of Jolley’s career.

Born in 1952 in Wichita, Kansas, Richard Jolley, now known as a glass master, was raised in Oak Ridge and studied at Tusculum College (Greenville, TN), George Peabody College (Nashville, TN) and Penland School of Crafts (Penland, NC).  Maintaining a glass studio in Knoxville since 1975, Jolley has been heralded around the world for his creativity and unique style.  More than 65 public and private exhibitions and 33 collections boast at least one glass creation by Richard Jolley.  A huge crowd of supporters at Opening Night at Bennett Galleries gathered to talk with the artist about the pieces on display and the upcoming reveal at Knoxville’s Museum of Art.

Fountain City Art Center

213 Hotel Avenue

Foothills Craft Guild Spring Exhibit

April 11 through May 9

Larry Gabbard explains his unusual techniques (adding horse hair and sugar, for example) to create one-of-a kind pottery pieces.

Members of the Foothills Craft Guild were honored guests at the 2nd annual Fountain City Art Exhibit located at the home of the Fountain City Art Center. Works from Foothills members will be on display and on sale through May 9.

Foothills Craft Guild is known for fine craftmanship and unique creations.  Applicants for membership in the guild must reside in Tennessee and submit original work for jurying. On Opening Night of the Foothills Craft Guild Spring Exhibit, members of the guild were on hand to talk to guests and explain the processes used in creating the pieces on display.

A night for art.  A night for crafts.  And an interesting first look at Knoxville’s 2014 artsy side!

The District Gallery: http://thedistrictgallery.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDistrictGallery

Bennett Galleries and Company: http://thedistrictgallery.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BennettGalleries

Fountain City Art Center: http://fountaincityartctr.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fountain-City-Art-Center/166052916742955

Foothills Craft Guild: http://foothillscraftguild.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoothillsCraftGuild

You might enjoy my Pinterest board, “For the love of art.”

Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/rushasams/for-the-love-of-art/

Beautifully carved columns frame one of the porches at Blue Lake Ranch. (Photo from Website: http://www.bluelakeranch.com)

The second day of our New Mexico journey took us from the Casa Blanca Inn  in Farmington to the town of Shiprock on the Navajo reservation where I conducted a workshop for teachers. (Click here for post on Casa Blanca Inn.)

Wanting to combine work with pleasure, my husband and I booked the second of the Three Sister Inns owned by David and Shirley Alford and found our favorite by far — Blue Lake Ranch in Hesperus, Colorado — only 30 minutes away from Mesa Verde National Park.

View from the Cabin on the Lake

Marked only by a small lighted mailbox on Highway 140, Blue Lake Ranch is unknown even to most locals. But the ranch is a wonder with 230 acres of natural vegetation, trout-filled lakes, and spectacular gardens bursting with color from heirloom flowers and over 10,000 irises.

You may find yourself wondering if you’re in the right place as the winding  road (newly paved, by the way) meanders to the front door of the main house.

Although winter gardens offer little in the way of color, the entrance still beckons travelers to a lovely Southwestern hideaway.

We stood in awe of the elegantly furnished Southwestern living room. (Just typical good taste, Alford style, like the Casa Blanca Inn, I suppose.)

Alexis, the inn’s new manager, opened a scrapbook to reveal a picture of the abandoned shell of a homestead that Don found and developed into a property now celebrated as one of the best “hidden getaways” in the U.S.

Humble beginnings of Blue Lake Ranch as found by Don Alford

Impressive to say the least.  Not just for the property turnaround but also for the grounds, casitas, cabins, and main house appointed with collections gathered over time.

With an expanse of windows to catch the view, the living room is always open to guests.

You may think that Tuesday night in November is not the ideal time to sink into a luxury B&B, but there are some advantages:  We had the place to ourselves and our choice of rooms.  Lucky us.  Just upstairs with a balcony facing the sunset over Blue Lake, we settled in to the La Plata Vista Room with comforts we were becoming accustomed to on this Three Sisters Tour!

Carved headboard and sink-in bed linens typify the sleeping area of the La Plata Vista Room.

Providing ambience and warmth were Navajo rugs, hand-painted pottery, rough-hewn furniture, and, for the second night in a row, our very own Kiva fireplace.

We’ve come to love Kiva fireplaces. Doesn’t Tennessee need to know about these, too?

Southwestern touches extended to the sink area with copper basin and personalized punched-tin light fixture.

Unique lighting above the mirror and basin of the dressing area.

Satiny sheets and lofty down comforter enticed us to linger in bed, but not for long.  We wanted to see the inn in the early light of day and sample what we knew would be a breakfast to remember.

Personalized Louisville Stoneware mugs stand ready to hold the morning java.

Downstairs, hand-woven baskets lined up over doorways . . .

Navajo baskets circle-up above the doors.

and Indian figures stood guard on the mantel.

Lined up in native dress, these figures stand tall at Blue Lake!

A watercolor of the main house faces the coffee bar . . .

leading us to the buffet set just for us.  We placed an order for eggs over-easy, then grazed accordingly on granola and yogurt, sausage patties, and homemade bread with house jam — Blue Lake Ranch Peach & Raspberry — sold in the gift shop. (Note to readers:  Unless you want an airline dude to get the breakfast you dreamed of having back home, do NOT pack jam in your carry-on bag!)

Breakfast buffet ready for the taking!

At Blue Lake, people make the difference.  We listened with interest as Alexis told us of her personal cross-country journey in her own RV (alone!), and then heard how Maggie became involved with the properties, too.  In fact, Maggie said she had booked a night at the Don Gaspar Inn, the third of the Three Sister Inns, in Santa Fe, the following Friday – the same night we’d be there!

Maggie poses in the Gift Shop

For dinner, Alexis recommended Kennebec Cafe & Bakery.  We expected a Mom-and-Pop meat-and-three, but what we found was a gourmet experience due in part to the creative chef and gregarious waiter who treated us like locals.   If you go, try flatbread with mushrooms, asiago cheese, asparagus, arugula, and crispy prosciutto — if the chef’s of a mind to offer that as one of his nightly specials!

Alexis, the lady who traveled the US in her own RV, makes the best dinner reservations!!

Saying good-bye was difficult, so we took out time driving the property, scoping out the other cabins available for nightly or weekly stays.

Porches like this are meant to face the great outdoors and Blue Lake, and we dream of returning some day, rocking in the chairs and waiting for the sunset while nature unfolds in this heavenly retreat.

A porch on one of the rental cabins faces the lake and invites total relaxation!

Enjoying a few last leisurely moments in the sun-filled breakfast room at Blue Lake Ranch. And then off to Mesa Verde!

It’s not too late to take advantage of the Three Sisters Road Trip.  Stay in all three inns and receive a discount — all three times!  (http://www.bluelakeranch.com/summerspecials.htm

Note: You’ll find the address on the Website for Blue Lake Ranch as Durango, Colorado, as well as Hesperus, Colorado.  So just call Alexis for directions.  You can’t get too lost, unless you want to . . . right there on the property!

Blue Lake Ranch

16919 Hwy 140

Hesperus, CO 81326

970.385.4537 (8-6pm MST)

www.BlueLakeRanch.com

Bluff View Art District is the epitome of quiet elegance in the heart of the city.

My husband and I left Knoxville on July 3rd in time to position ourselves on the Walnut Street Bridge for Pops on the River in Coolidge Park and then watch colorful, dramatic fireworks burst and dance to the music of the night.

A view of the Tennessee River from Bluff View Art District

 But the Fourth was ours for exploring on our own, so we headed to the District.

Near the Back Inn Cafe, a tall whirligig-like sculpture let us know this is no ordinary shopping area.  This is as artsy a place in Tennessee as you can find.

This sculpture almost says “lift off”!

Our first stop? River Gallery, in the former Dr. Edward Newell home.  We spotted suspended glass orbs beckoning us inside to take a closer look.

Hand-blown glass catching the sunlight from a window in River Gallery

Known for showcasing the creative art of some of the area’s finest craftsmen, the gallery offers variety in form, function, and medium.

Colorful scarves on display at River Gallery

Ceramist Kelly Jean Ohl created “11 Piece Wall Installation” — unique wall art.

We couldn’t resist touching these hand-turned, burled wood bowls.

We were pleasantly surprised to see this oil on canvas “House in Biltmore Village” by Knoxville artist Joe Parrott!

Wall hanging of colorful, contemporary quilting: “New Paths” by Marquetta Johnson

River Gallery is celebrating 20 years in business with a special exhibit, Collecting Thoughts.  Although it runs from August 1 to 31 this year, we were privy to some of the art that day by Nancy Kubale, Roelna Louw, and Susan Parrish.  (Here’s where the viewpoints part of this post comes in: It’s not just art . . . these pieces make statements!)

The sign with Nancy Kubale’s “Stand Still” reads “a reminder to stop and stand still and be fully present.”

Roelna Louw’s ceramic sculpture entitled “Us” features two people leaning in for conversation.

Susan Parrish’s mixed media pieces are a testament to her creativity as they express her views on people, politics, and the vagaries of life.

Parrish’s “Holy Man” uses metallic washers, a sink stopper, and a blue cleaning brush!

We left River Gallery and walked past other buildings like Renaissance Commons, a stately building now used for private events and the District’s holiday buffets. Originally this was a quadruplex, then a duplex, and now one of the area’s most tasteful examples of urban renewal.

Renaissance Commons

The Bluff View Inn is really a conglomerate of three turn-of-the-century homes repurposed as Bed & Breakfast Inns: the Maclellan House, the T. C. Thompson House, and the C. G. Martin House.  An 1889 English Tudor, The Maclellan House offers seven guest rooms, a honeymoon suite, and several original furnishings.

Bluff View Inn: The Maclellan House

You can see a view of the river from the breakfast room at The Maclellan House.

Period furniture graces the sitting room.

The Bocce Court Terrace, named for the game of bocce brought to America by Italian immigrants, offers unparalleled views of the river and a place to relax.

Built with salvaged architectural elements on the site where another home previously stood, Rembrandt’s Coffee House sells paninis, soups, artfully packaged chocolates, and gourmet desserts. It was definitely abuzz with activity on the Fourth.  We took time to relax, have lunch, and meet some of the people out and about that day.

Lili talked to us about the varieties of tea and coffee at Rembrandt’s.

We weren’t the only ones having trouble deciding what to order! Sandwiches, salads, desserts, fresh brewed coffees . . .

But Dava said my choice of chicken salad was a good one and tea would make a great, relaxing after-shopping drink!

I was tempted — very tempted — to take home this beautifully wrapped box of chocolates — just for myself!

We even struck up a conversation with Christina Neighbors who wants to be a teacher, if she can get a job in Chattanooga! Anyone hiring?

Listed in the Smithsonian Institute’s Archives of American Gardens, the River Gallery Sculpture Garden fascinates young and old with creative pieces that grace the courtyard and the bank below, leading to the river. It’s not unusual to see people looking closely at the sculptures or relaxing in this urban setting so removed from busy city life.

This sculptural figure seems suspended in flight on the banks below the garden.

A stack of heads seems as tall as the bridge from this perspective!

A walking, winged sculpture seems almost in motion.

The Bluff View Bakery occupies my favorite structure, the former Powers & Condon building.  Even on the Fourth of July, workers baked fresh bread in Chattanooga’s oldest artisan bakery and hand twisted pretzels for the restaurants and B & B’s in the area.

My favorite building in the District houses the Bluff View Bakery.

Rolling and shaping pretzels by hand

We asked Sharon why they were working on the Fourth, and she replied, We have to get the bread ready to sell at Blue Cross, Blue Shield tomorrow.  To the employees.

Sharon explained why they were working on the Fourth!

And so it was, that we, too, had fresh bread to take home that afternoon as one last souvenir from the Bluff View Art District.

It was hard not to pinch off a hunk of fresh bread on our way back to Knoxville!

You can see Bluff View Art District in a day, including a quick tour of the Hunter Museum, but you may want to spend more time than that.  It’s easy to get caught up in the shops, open air sculptures, and the fascinating architecture of the district.  So much to see. So many view points.

For a historical overview of the Bluff View Art District and a timeline of the district’s development, click here.

For more on the Hunter Museum of American Art, click here, and be sure to check out my next blog.

Bluff View Art District

411 East Second Street

Chattanooga, TN 37403

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At that point, she handed me this card that stayed on my fridge ’til I could see Lisa, the maker of this hand-built flower holder or whatever you call this piece (a vase?), once again — at the Dogwood Art DeTour. 

And the best thing to look forward to? More artists joining her at her own home! Su-weet!

We arrived at her home in West Knoxville only to see another of my favorite artists — Joe Parrott — and his wife Nancy.  Joe’s latest scenes of Knoxville are nothing less than classic , so I was glad to see someone with good taste haunting the same artsy places my friend Pat Medley and I had chosen from the vast selection of open venues for Art DeTour.

We met Roger Luebke, premiere woodworker, who, surprisingly enough, had taught algebra to Mark Medley, Pat’s husband, at Holston High years ago!

It’s one thing to look at a rough piece of wood — just turned but not rubbed . . .

but when you touch a finished bowl, you feel that smooth, natural surface brought to life by an artist. And Roger is an artist.

Then you become sort of a wooden bowl snob, turning it over to see the tree origin, asking questions about the form, the wormy holes, or whatever makes the piece unique. And we grilled Roger on this one, the one we loved best — form meets function meets art!

Robbie Gentry, glass bead jewelry artist, set up on the porch.  She displayed her finished pieces — necklaces, bracelets, one-of-a-kind creations . . .

but she also demonstrated her craft, letting sparks fly as they may while she formed one bead — smooth, bumpy, or bubbly — at a time.

Lynnda Tenpenny, also on Lisa’s porch, let us look closely at her displays: mixed media collages, both framed and under construction. She showed us how she selects, places, and tears, if need be, pieces of hand-made paper, interesting scraps, string or what-have-you.

Her website showcases paintings, too, like On the Way to the Sea which won 1st place in the Smoky Mountain Anniversary Exhibit.

But, of course, I had to find Lisa, and there she was . . . in the garage with her friend Dana Barnes (on left) talking about Terra Madre – Women in Clay, a local group of women potters.

Another visitor, Candy Finley-Brooks, perked up at our discussion because she’s in Terra Madre, too.  I had just recently visited their exhibit at Blount Mansion, so I could add my enthusiastic comments to theirs about the work of these women who create art– like that drippy brown piece Lisa made that I dearly love!

For today’s Art DeTour, Lisa had wall pockets . . .

bowls decorated with random flings of glaze (well, they were sort of planned!) . . .

and hand-build tea pots with an Oriental flair.

Google Lisa Kurtz Highland Pottery, and you’ll find that this talented potter has inspired her whole family to be involved in art in some way. You just might see her at the Art Market Gallery in downtown Knoxville where she does some of the scheduling!

Oh, these Knoxville artists — creative, hard-working, personable! No wonder the Dogwood Arts Festival is right here!

What do you think?  Have you got a favorite artist from Knoxville?  Or somewhere else?  Let me know.  There are soooo many more places we need to see!

Lisa Kurtz

Highland Pottery

9193 Hemingway Grove Circle

Knoxville, TN 37922

865.216.8650

www.LKHighlandPottery.com

Drive slowly down winding Duncan Road in West Knoxville, past the family house, onto a curvy driveway and then stop.  You’re not at the door yet, but you can almost hear the quiet, the thinking, the work.

We parked and walked the pathway . . . down and around . . .

under the twig arch —  primitive, whimsical  — and strung with blue balls! 

We spied the curved wall topped with shards, tiles, bits of glass in a random, artsy mosaic — an almost Hobbit-like entrance for the place that artists work! 

Then the door opened. Potter Janet Harper (right) greeted my friend and shopping companion and her high school French teacher, Pat Medley!

And with hugs all around, we were in Two Pines Pottery where Janet and Judy bring clay to life!

The display room offered shelves of bowls, pitchers, platters, cups — diminutive to bold. 

Seeing where artists work is one of the goals of Art DeTour, a Dogwood Arts event.  Although idle today, the tools of the trade that Janet and Judy use told us about how they work the clay and shape their art.

Like these pieces that reminded me of linoleum block art — only with contemporary colors on clay . . .

And this stunning bowl . . .

And a unique little black and white two-piece thingy toddlin’ on four legs!

Pat purchased the sugar bowl and creamer (middle) to take to her home in Maine.

And I took home one of Judy’s creations — a little box with pink bird — now in my kitchen .  .  .  good for catching paper clips, coins, or Hershey’s kisses!

Janet wrapped up our purchases and bid us good-bye. 

And it was another interesting visit: an artist hamlet known as Two Pines Pottery!

Check back on this blog for my next Art DeTour !

Oh, the places we see!

Two Pines Pottery

Knoxville, TN 37919

865-588-8870

Call for appointment.

For Judy Brater, contact judybrater@gmail.com or go to www.judybrater.com.