West Knoxville, TN February 2020

FEBRUARY 2020

WestKnoxvilleLifestyle.com

ARTISTS ON THE RISE

MONSTERS MADE WITH LOVE

THE FLYING ANVIL THEATRE

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LIFESTYLE LETTER

FEBRUARY 2020 PUBLISHER

Scott Hamstead | scott.hamstead@lifestylepubs.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

All You Need is Love—and Art FEBRUARY IS OUR MONTH OF ART, WHETHER MAKING, COLLECTING, ADMIRING OR LEARNING. We all love art because it gives us a glimpse into someone, the part of them we don’t see on the surface. We are all drawn to art in different ways. We like to look at and listen to art that makes us feel something, art that resonates with us.

Jennie Treadway-Miller | jennie.miller@lifestylepubs.com AD DESIGNER

Matthew Endersbe LAYOUT DESIGNER

Kelsey Proctor CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Mary Beth Unthank

Through art, we learn about ourselves.

As you read this month about some local artists in our community and their stories, we hope that you too are inspired to pursue what you love. After all, February is the month of love.

Our selections include: “Artists on the Rise” – profiles of five local artists of various mediums showcasing their work.

“Monsters Made With Love” – art therapy for people of all ages and abilities, where imperfection is embraced.

“To Challenge, Inspire, and Amuse” – a feature on The Flying Anvil Theatre, where they seek to entertain while also making the audience think outside the box.

CORPORATE TEAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson

“Digital Creativity: From Idea to App” – a short profile on Lindsey Lieb, who created the Happego App.

AD MANAGER Chad Jensen REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

“Inspiration for Creation” – art-related book suggestions by Union Ave. Books.

So, Knoxville, while you may fill your home with chocolates and flowers this month, remember to fill your heart too. Find what makes you feel alive—and don’t forget to share it.

Remember, today is always a great day to love yourself.

Say hello and thank you to our marketing partners and as always reach out if you have a thought to share.

ARIZONA | CALIFORNIA | COLORADO | CONNECTICUT | FLORIDA | GEORGIA IDAHO | ILLINOIS | KANSAS | MARYLAND | MASSACHUSETTS | MICHIGAN MINNESOTA | MISSOURI | MONTANA | NEVADA | NEW JERSEY | NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA | OHIO | OKLAHOMA | OREGON | PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH CAROLINA | TENNESSEE | TEXAS | VIRGINIA | WASHINGTON

Best Wishes,

Scott Hamstead, Publisher

514 W 26TH ST., KANSAS CITY, MO Proverbs 3:5-6

ON THE COVER “Awakening”

by Sarah Pollock 4

West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

WestKnoxvilleLifestyle.com

West Knoxville Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the West Knoxville areas’ most affluent neighborhoods.

Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.

Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in West Knoxville Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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INSIDE THE ISSUE FEBRUARY 2020

FEATURES 10 To Challenge, Inspire, and Amuse Irreverent Entertainment at The Flying Anvil Theatre

14 Digital Creativity: From Idea to App A profile on Lindsey Lieb, creator of the Happego App

18 Artists on the Rise A Spotlight on Five Arts & Culture Alliance Members

18 14

24 Monsters Made With Love Art Therapy for Every Age and Stage

10

24

DEPARTMENTS 4

Lifestyle Letter

8

Around Town

10

Open House

14

Inspired By

24 Giving Back 28 Renovate & Refine 32 Lifestyle Calendar 34 Page Turners

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February 2020 | West Knoxville Lifestyle

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AROUND TOWN

WINTER WARMER: A FUNDRAISING DINNER FOR NOURISH KNOXVILLE Nourish Knoxville’s Winter Warmer is an annual fundraising dinner and a celebration of the winter harvest. The evening features a cocktail hour, silent auction, and a plated dinner. Each year since the inaugural Winter Warmer in 2016, Nourish Knoxville has created a unique experience with varying local chefs, food producers and farmers, and craft beer and winemakers.

Join Nourish Knoxville on Friday, February 28, for their fifth annual fundraising dinner. The event begins at 6:30 pm with cocktails by PostModern Spirits, local craft beer, and passed hors d’oeuvres, with a curated silent auction including

The school’s basketball court also was dedicated

one-of-a-kind food experiences and local wares.

as “Kellie’s Court,” in honor of Kellie Jolly Harper,

Dinner is served at 7:30 pm, followed by dessert

the head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols bas-

by Wild Love Bakehouse.

ketball program and a native of Sparta. As a child,

The evening will also feature decor by Sevier

The Christman Company’s Knoxville operations

provided by Poynter Photo Co. Tickets are $75

built the 102,000-square-foot facility in Sparta,

each. Vegetarian and/or gluten-free options are

Tennessee, at a project cost of $20 million.

available upon request. The event is sponsored by The Standard Knoxville and Clayton Homes. Learn more at NourishKnoxville.com.

FINDLAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OPENS, COURT DEDICATED TO KELLIE JOLLY HARPER

8

Harper attended the school in its previous building.

Blumen and McQueen Pottery and a photobooth

KNOXVILLE'S BIG EARS LANDS LIST OF TOP 14 MUSIC FESTIVALS OF 2019 Paste Magazine, a leading digital chronicle of the music and entertainment business, has named three AC Entertainment productions to its list of the Best Music Festivals of 2019 – the Big Ears Festival in

Findlay Elementary School hosted an open

Knoxville; Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee; and

house to officially introduce the state-of-the-art

the High Water Festival in Charleston, South Carolina.

campus to the White County community with

The list includes 14 well-known festivals from

its construction, architectural and government

around the world and was compiled from the best

partners on Dec. 23.

festivals that, according to Paste, “put an emphasis

West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

on music discovery and spotlighting new artists.”

mental illness, substance use disorder and/or

The honors come as Big Ears gears up for its 11th

homelessness. Lauth has more than 27 years of

anniversary March 26-29, 2020.

experience in the nonprofit sector.

“Kim has helped raise millions of dollars for

POSITIVELY LIVING PROMOTES KIM LAUTH TO COO

charitable causes and has led staffs at both small and large organizations for nearly three decades,”

Kim Lauth has been promoted to the posi-

said Steve Jenkins, chief executive officer of

tion of chief operating officer for Positively

Positively Living. “She is exactly the person we

Living, which provides care and support to East

need as we continue to grow and change in order

Tennesseans living with HIV/AIDS, disabilities,

to serve our clients and our community.”

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OPEN HOUSE

TO CHALLENGE, INSPIRE, AND AMUSE IRREVERENT ENTERTAINMENT AT THE FLYING ANVIL THEATRE

“WE WANT TO ENTERTAIN YOU, BUT WE

Named for a quote from Berthold Brecht, the

REALLY WANT TO AMAZE YOU.”

Hammer seeks to be “not a mirror held up

This is the guiding motivation for Jayne

to reality but a hammer with which to shape

Morgan, founder and Artistic Director of

it.” As both a professional group and a train-

The Flying Anvil Theatre on Rocky Hill Road.

ing program for young actors, The Hammer

The nonprofit professional theatre features

Ensemble focuses on questions of equality,

off-Broadway productions designed to chal-

social justice, and health to produce original

lenge and inspire audiences, and sometimes

content relevant to the community. Past per-

they want to push your buttons.

formances have dealt with human traffick-

“We do shows that other theatres won’t do because they’re too controversial,” Jayne says,

ing, gun violence, and Alzheimer’s disease, with more projects forthcoming.

but not simply for the sake of controversy. The

Of course, not every show is profane or dif-

Flying Anvil seeks to engage adult audiences

ficult. Sometimes they just want to make you

in larger conversations about issues that East

laugh with, as Jayne says, “big, dumb fun.” Often

Tennesseeans face. Gender, spirituality, and

irreverent, sometimes off-color, and occasion-

science are just a few of the topics they have

ally ridiculous comedy makes its way into many

explored onstage as Jayne seeks out shows

of the shows at The Flying Anvil. Sometimes

that challenge both the audience and the

even the difficult, challenging shows have a lot

performers and really make them think.

of comedy because life is just funny.

The theatre also features a unique wing

“Tears and laughter and serious stuff and

known as The Hammer Ensemble specif-

joyous stuff,” Jayne says. “It’s all mixed in

ically to wrestle with ethics and morality.

there together, not one thing or the other.”

CONTINUED >

ARTICLE MARY BETH UNTHANK

10

West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

February 2020 | West Knoxville Lifestyle

11

OPEN HOUSE (CONTINUED) The Legend of Georgia McBride

The emphasis on comedy may be a reflection of Jayne herself and her long history with the genre. The Knox-area native received a theatre degree from the University of Tennessee before working in dinner theatres across the Southeast.

She likens that experience to “an advanced degree in comedy” due to the intensity and pace with nightly shows and continuous learning. She has lived in New York City, North Carolina, Los Angeles, and plenty of places in between, but she finally returned home to Knoxville in hopes of starting a dinner theatre of her own. When those plans fizzled out, she found work writing and producing for a local television network while doing theatre on the side.

It was through those years that she learned what she really loved was less on stage and more in the process of putting everything together as a director.

When her friend from New York expressed interest in starting an off-Broadway theatre in Knoxville, Jayne realized that the best way to become a good director was to hire herself.

“Running a theatre was a crazy way to immerse myself in the work of being a director,” she recalls. The two friends had a wide learning curve as The Flying Anvil took shape, but with lots of help and support from the community, the dream finally became a reality.

12

West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

The Love Talker

A Doll's House

As the Artistic Director for The Flying Anvil, Jayne is looking for stories that surprise and move her in order to bring a truly unique experience to Knoxville. She wants the theatre to be provocative and challenging but also profoundly human.

“We want to make you think,” she says, “but first and foremost we want to make you feel.”

With open auditions, classes for youth and adults, flexible pricing and payment options, and free parking every day, The Flying Anvil wants to be accessible to everyone in the community. Jayne believes theater is an irreplaceable medium to work through issues in a way that is very relatable and human.

“It takes us out of our heads and into our hearts,” she says.

For upcoming auditions, shows, ticketing, and donations, visit flyinganviltheatre.com.

February 2020 | West Knoxville Lifestyle

13

INSPIRED BY

DIGITAL CREATIVITY: FROM IDEA TO APP 14

West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

ARTICLE MARY BETH UNTHANK PHOTOGRAPHY JENNIE TREADWAY-MILLER

HAVING STARTED AND MANAGED SEVERAL BUSINESSES FROM LANDSCAPING TO REAL ESTATE, LINDSEY LIEB IS AN ENTREPRENEUR THROUGH AND THROUGH. However, it was during her journey in therapy that she developed the idea for Happego, an app she hopes will change lives for the better. After learning about cognitive behavioral therapy and techniques for rewiring the brain, she wondered, what if we could apply these methods to the phones already in our pockets and improve people’s moods, relationships, and empathy?

Lindsey connected with social scientists to learn about psychological priming, a sensory experience that unconsciously influences the user’s attitude and/or behavior in a certain way.

“As I watched and went through my day and realized how many times I touched my phone,” Lindsey says, “it just made sense to me that if I could be primed each time, it would make a big difference in my neurological processing.”

She reached out to freelance communities online to see if a program like this was even possible. She met a contractor in India who was willing to work with her, and together they created Happego, which can help users achieve goals by priming their subconscious with images whenever their phones wake. Lindsey comes up with the designs and ideas, and her partner handles the programming to make it all happen.

One of the biggest challenges Lindsey has faced in developing Happego is learning the tech industry, a market that is wholly unlike anything else she has done before. Whereas other businesses she has run were “pretty straightforward,” developing and marketing an app introduces a whole new world of accelerators, investment companies, revenue sources, and more.

“Learning the players involved and the different roles everyone plays, it has all been very eye-opening,” she says.

Happego is based here in Knoxville, but the tech team, designers, and freelance contributors span the globe, from California to India to Egypt. Even so, through involvement with the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce and Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, Lindsey learned that there is a thriving e-commerce industry right here in Knoxville. She encourages others to take the leap into the tech world, especially women, who are underrepresented in the industry.

“Just keep going,” Lindsey advises fellow entrepreneurs. “If you believe in your idea, go for it. Fear is the enemy.”

February 2020 | West Knoxville Lifestyle

15

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ARTISTS ON THE RISE

A SPOTLIGHT ON FIVE ARTS & CULTURE ALLIANCE MEMBERS

I STILL LIGHT UP LIKE A LITTLE CHILD IT’S SO GRATIFYING WHEN SOMEONE WANTS TO TAKE SOMETHING OF YOURS AND PUT IT IN THEIR HOME.”

SARAH POLLOCK, OIL PAINTING PRIOR

TO

PAINTING

IN

HER

HOME-BASED

STUDIO,

WISCONSIN-NATIVE SARAH POLLOCK BEGAN HER ARTISTIC CAREER AT DISNEY ANIMATION (WITH SCREEN CREDITS ON TARZAN AND MULAN) AS A COLOR STYLIST. It was a demanding yet rewarding job, one that deepened her understanding of color and challenged her to use color to convey emotion.

Eventually, she decided that working those long, hard hours would be better served working for herself. Sarah met her husband, Tim, shortly after leaving Disney, and the pair settled in Knoxville two years ago in a 93-year-old home with room on the top floor for a studio. Sarah specializes in cityscapes and landscapes and grabs inspiration from wherever she is. She and Tim travel often, either to art shows for her or academic work for him. Whether for work or play, Sarah takes every moment to stop and look around for what might be her next canvas.

“I like to see things firsthand,” she says. “I can go hiking in the Smokies or walk around New York City. I need to see the color and light.”

Recently, Sarah has been doing fieldwork in the Smokies to better understand how the flora grows, a process that improves her brushwork and tells a deeper story.

“I’m taking the Tremont training for a naturalist certificate. It’s eight classes and teaches you about was grows and lives there. It helps my knowledge and has been really helpful to not blunder into something, like poison ivy,” she says, laughing.

ARTICLE JENNIE TREADWAY-MILLER

Sarah accepts commission work but also sells original pieces online at SarahPollock.com. She also has an upcoming exhibit later this month at Lipscomb.

18

West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

MELISSA EVERETTE, TEXTILES In 2012, in her earliest days and weeks of motherhood,

Creating her own textiles has been an organic pro-

Melissa Everette knew she needed a hobby. She also

cess from the start. Short of growing the cotton herself,

wanted to make something for her newborn son, some-

Melissa has a hand in every step.

thing special no one else had. So, Melissa taught herself how to quilt. She joined the Knox Modern Quilt Guild and learned some new, modern skills.

“I get the blank cotton in, wash it, and put my shapes on it. Then I cut it up and make something,” she says.

Melissa’s handmade napkins and towels are on sale

By 2016, Melissa decided to stop wasting time looking

at MidMod in North Knoxville and at 214 Magnolia

for the exact fabric she wanted and create her own. She

next to Public House. She plans to show at the Art

met Coral Grace Turner, a fellow textile artist, who taught

Extravaganza at Webb School in March. Learn more at

Melissa about screen printing. She built her own studio

MelissaNEverett.com.

CONTINUED >

and screens in the basement, and soon Melissa was designing her own fabrics by hand.

“I love cut paper, collage, and color, which has been part of quilting,” she says. “The more I’ve worked, the more I’ve narrowed down my color palette. I see several artists who have a defined palette - the same seven colors - but mine is broader than that. There are a couple that are staples for me, such as peach and yellow. Green comes out in the spring, but I steer clear of purples.”

I TAKE PRIDE IN THAT - FROM START TO FINISH - TO BE ABLE TO SEE SOMETHING THROUGH.” February 2020 | West Knoxville Lifestyle

19

AR TISTS ON THE RISE (CONTINUED)

WESLEY MILLER, MIXED MEDIA

"Fragments of the Vessel 02" by Wesley Miller

It was Wesley Miller’s grandmother in Rockingham, North Carolina, who taught him how to hold a pencil and brush.

She always had art supplies tucked away for him, always nurturing the natural talent he had.

“She taught me ‘proper art’, but the mixed media comes from wanting to see what happens when you take things and

Wesley Miller

put them together,” he says. “I’m motivated by process more than anything. A lot of this current art is putting layers together and sanding them down to see what happens. Themes start to develop. The direction becomes clear. It’s never really finished.”

Wesley took art classes in high school and college, but 2019 brought his first juried exhibition. He took a “let’s see what happens” approach, but it ended up being an ideal experience.

“I try not to make a big thing about it, but it was validation

YOU’RE ALWAYS FOLLOWING A PATH. IF IT DOESN’T LOOK RIGHT NOW, TAKE ANOTHER DIRECTION AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.”

that I’d been missing,” he said. “I needed the feedback.”

So far, Wesley has been creating imagery with found imagery, using what already exists by others. However, now he’s shifting into creating original imagery in keeping with arts and culture, the niche where he’s most passionate.

“While I’ve been doing this collage paper stuff, I’ve been painting too. I got to a point where I could be a lot better than I am had I shown the discipline earlier. So, I’ve been working on traditional, realistic painting and drawing, and I’ll keep moving in that direction,” says Wesley. “But I want to have it transitional. I want to maintain a certain level of consistency so it’s truthful to the way I’m working.”

Learn more at WesleyMiller.com.

20

West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

"Father" by Wesley Miller

A LOT OF TIMES IT’S THE WOOD THAT’S THE STAR. IT’S THE SPIRAL SHAPES THAT HIGHLIGHT WHAT’S BEAUTIFUL.”

BRIAN HORAIS, TURNED WOOD Brian Horais and his wife, Kathy, moved to Knoxville from Virginia

It introduced him to multi-axis turning and using multiple centerlines to

in 2008 after he retired from the Navy, and it was then that he took

create new shapes. Working with wood in this way opened revealed

up woodturning, after his father-in-law gave him an old lathe that

new grain patterns. Brian was hooked.

needed repair. He’d always been interested in woodworking and

“I was a pilot in the Navy, but I’ve always had this artistic side,” he

building things, but until then, Brian’s creations were the usual

says. “With an engineering degree, you’re already artistic, sketching

shelves or fix-it jobs. That lathe changed everything.

things. Woodturning blends together my creativity with features of

“Like any woodworker, you always look for the next great tool,”

geometry. I’m combining artistic and engineering skills.”

he says. “When I started, it was just another interesting tool.

Brian is the former President of the East Tennessee Woodworkers

A lot of woodturners say that we like that we can make things

Guild and member of the Smoky Mountain Woodturners. His

quickly. Almost instant gratification. I started making things and

works have been jury-selected for the East Tennessee Master

found out that it was fun.”

Woodworkers Show in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. He plans to teach

Brian started taking classes at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg and was intrigued by a class called “Round is so Overrated”.

a class at the Appalachian Center for Craft in Cookeville in May. He sells his work online at Horais.com.

CONTINUED >

February 2020 | West Knoxville Lifestyle

21

AR TISTS ON THE RISE (CONTINUED) "Shuffle" by Michelle Barillaro

MICHELLE BARILLARO, ABSTRACT PAINTING From her earliest years, Michelle Barillaro was drawing and coloring with pastels. She took art classes throughout school and graduated college with a degree in architecture, a career she still holds today.

ABSTRACTS ALLOW THE VIEWER TO SEE SOMETHING IN THEM RELATED TO THEIR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND DREAMS.”

“I work for a contractor and do estimating. That’s the organized part of my brain,” she says, laughing. “But these last few years, as my daughter was getting ready to go out on her own, I had more free time. I took a class at the Oak Ridge Art Center and it revitalized my interest in painting. I’ve got the time and space, and a day job that isn’t that stressful. It was the right time.”

Michelle is drawn to abstract art for its obscurity, its ability to be anything to anybody, moving and personal.

“I don’t know how old I was, maybe 12, and my mom had thrown out red Jello. It was just in the sink. For some reason, there were ice cubes in that stainless steel sink, and I took a picture of it,” she says.

“I liked the composition. It’s something I’ve always appreciated.”

Over the last few years, Michelle decided to hone her skills in abstract painting instead of just admiring other people’s work. She took more classes and played with shapes and colors. She learned how to manipulate oil and wax, a technique she still uses. Then,

"Still Standing" by Michelle Barillaro

Michelle opted for a three-day workshop in Arizona, an experience that set her course straight. Now she’s teaching her workshops and selling pieces at art shows and for commission.

Michelle’s work will be on display at the Art Extravaganza at Webb School in March. View more of her work at Instagram.com/m.bartist.

22

West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

VISIT aubreysrestaurants.com

THE BIGGEST TV in the SOUTHLAND IS NOW EVEN BIGGER!

GIVING BACK

MONSTERS M ADE W ITH L OV E

WHEN LAURIE KAY’S KIDS WERE LITTLE, SHE PURCHASED A “CREATE YOUR OWN CREATURE” KIT FOR THEM TO DO TOGETHER. The kids were uninterested, so Laurie enjoyed doing the craft alone.

“I enjoyed making the monster anyway because it didn’t have

to be perfect. I could make it any way I wanted,” she says. “I made this monster and finished it. It was awesome. It was the first monster I ever made. But, the instructions were unnecessarily complicated, and the kit felt incomplete.”

Laurie ended up crafting two more monsters - one for her newborn nephew and one for a friend who was going through a divorce - and both times gave her a sort of satisfaction she’d never felt before. At the time she lived in Michigan and worked as an automotive product specialist. She traveled around the country attending auto shows during the day and making monsters in her hotel room at night. Laurie wasn’t a crafty person. As someone who never completed art projects, as well as a self-proclaimed “hot mess”, crafting little monsters as gifts provided a new sense of purpose.

“I was making monsters to give to other people. I’d bring supplies to auto shows and I’d end up with ten people up until three in the morning making monsters. It was fun to create a community of people making something,” she says. “We were in Milwaukee

ART THERAPY FOR EVERY AGE AND STAGE

for 12 days one time and my friends and I sat down to figure out what supplies needed to go in a kit - how much thread do we need? How much fabric? What should the instructions say?”

It was then, when the idea for Monsters Made With Love was

ARTICLE JENNIE TREADWAY-MILLER

being born, that Laurie realized she’d never made a monster for herself. In that hotel room in Milwaukee, Laurie did the “deep, dark ugly cry” and made Greta, her one-of-a-kind monster and constant travel companion.

“I use my intuition, so she has three eyes. I love daisies, so she has daisies. I try to be light-hearted, so she has fairy wings,” says Laurie, laughing. “I am embracing my big butt, so she has a booty.”

By 2015, Laurie was living in Florida and had decided to sell her ready-to-make monster kits properly. She trademarked the name CONTINUED >

24

West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

Photo by Jovan Renee Portraits

Photo by Jovan Renee Portraits

February 2020 | West Knoxville Lifestyle

25

GIVING BACK (CONTINUED)

M O N S T E R S M A D E W I T H L OV E PH I L O S O PH Y

Make the first monster for yourself. List three things to love about yourself. Make your monster perfectly imperfect.

Laurie Kay, creator of Monsters Made With Love

26

West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

and logo, which was drawn by her daughter. She opened a modified shop at her kids’ school, Chocachatti Elementary, which is one of 300 Micro Society schools in the world.

“They had their own form of government and monetary system, so they had businesses they’d run and bank accounts,” she says. “The kids get paid to go to school and to pay taxes, so there were stores where kids could use their micro-money. We ran a store with 22 students three days a week. They had to price the monster kits, market them, and figure out quality control.”

In 2016, Laurie participated in the Makers Faire in Orlando, her first fair experience, as well as the first time she asked makers to name something they like about themselves. It was another step in the right direction, the building of a philosophy that would eventually anchor Monsters Made With Love.

“We had people of all ages sit down to make monsters,” she says. “There was a guy in his mid-20s who sat for three hours to make his monster. There was a third-generation seamstress who made gowns for Disney sit down and say how great it was not to have to be perfect. It’s part of the maker philosophy: it’s not the product you celebrate. It’s the process.”

In 2017, Laurie and her kids moved to Knoxville, a city they chose because of its seasons, affordability, and good schools.

She arrived right on time too, just as Mayor Madeline Rogero named Knoxville a Maker City. Laurie attended the Maker City Summit and started making connections. She served on the Mayor’s Maker City Council and joined the Knox Makers.

Word of mouth about Monsters Made With Love had begun.

Today, 90 percent of Laurie’s work involves workshops with monster makers of all ages and abilities.

Her efforts to inspire “sewing with a self-love twist” has morphed into art therapy and the deep work of self-acceptance. She holds regular workshops for the general public but also spends time in classrooms, nonprofits, group homes, and places of healing.

“I teach the exact same class to four-year-olds that I teach to corporate executives at team-building events,” she says. “They learn everything from threading a needle and tying knots to identifying something they love about themselves. I use a very simple pattern, so while they all have the same starting place, the monsters look totally different.”

On February 7, Laurie is hosting the First Annual Monsters at Dogwood Arts Exhibition as part of the First Friday Celebration, where 30 local makers and artists will showcase their monster creations in the medium of their choice. They’ll also create their own monsters from a Monster Made With Love kit to auction off for charity.

“When I moved here, I thought I’d be selling cars,” she says, beaming. “I love what I do so much.”

February 2020 | West Knoxville Lifestyle

27

RENOVATE & REFINE

OUT WITH THE

NEW IN WITH THE

old WE’RE SHARING TIPS, TRICKS + UNIQUE WAYS TO INCORPORATE YOUR ANTIQUE ITEMS INTO YOUR HOME

ANTIQUES ARE MAKING A COMEBACK. Whether you’re an antique aficionada, a thrifty thrifter or new to the whole concept of vintage revival; whether it’s a hand-me-down, a thrift-store-find or just something cool you stumbled upon at an estate sale; endless opportunities exist to effortlessly incorporate retro, vintage, antique or whatever-you-want-to-call-them items into different parts of your modern home.

28

West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

STYLE IT Coffee Table PRO TIP Revive solid-wood pieces with little actual value by refinishing the

item

WHAT IT IS Antique Chest

wood to your liking.

Don’t be afraid to do something different, and don’t take things too seriously. If the piece you’re working with doesn’t have any real value, you have so many options to liven it up, including paint, finish and hardware.

Make your piece multi-purpose by turning the lid into a game table or by storing your cocktail accessories inside for an easy-access mini bar!

Spread the vintage love. Use antiques strategically and as accent pieces to keep your overall aesthetic from coming off as too dated.

tips CONTINUED >

February 2020 | West Knoxville Lifestyle

29

RENOVATE & REFINE (CONTINUED)

WHAT IT IS Vintage books + tchotchkes

Bookends + Paperweights PRO TIP Display vintage books (or vintage-looking books!) as a visual focal point on nightstands, shelves + coffee tables.

item

STYLE IT

tips

30

Repurpose old tins, mugs, teacups

Create the most impact by displaying

Make it art. Don’t be afraid to display

or storage containers into succulent

(not hiding!) items that carry the best

unique pieces as wall art. Consider cre-

gardens. Because succulents have

stories or sentimental value. We love the

ating a gallery wall that mixes vintage

shallow root systems, they can sur-

use of incorporating these smaller figu-

photographs, prints, mirrors and china.

vive (and thrive!) in smaller spaces.

rines as bookends and paperweights.

West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

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FEBRUARY

LIFESTYLE CALENDAR

7

is the largest annual fundraiser for

and celebrate with chocolate until

Dogwood Arts.

the final finisher!

KNOXVILLE WOMEN'S EXPO

chance to shop hundreds of retailers

The show provides visitors the and manufacturers exhibiting prod-

Knoxville Expo Center

The

Second

Annual

28

Knoxville

ucts, offering services and advice on

Women's Expo will have more than

interior design, home improvement,

200 exhibits, fashion shows, beauty

gardening, and more. Admission $10

makeovers, demonstrations, special

for adults, $8 for seniors 65+/Military,

Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-

events and a variety of experts in the

free for kids 12 and under.

maker who dreams of a way out of her

Career,

Beauty,

Home,

Food and Entertaining and more.

Friday, Feb. 7 through Sunday, Feb. 9.

Admission $10 per person.

Tennessee Theatre

small town and rocky marriage. When

areas of Health, Fitness, Families, Finance,

WAITRESS

15

a baking contest in a nearby county —

ZEN EVO HOT FOR CHOCOLATE 5K

fresh start, she must find the courage

and a satisfying encounter with someone new — show Jenna a chance at a

Victor Ashe Park

to seize it. Five showings from Feb. 28

14

Zen Evo Chocolate is once again

to March 1.

DOGWOOD ARTS HOUSE AND GARDEN SHOW

the world's best chocolate from

We are always accepting submissions

Zen Evo Chocolate. The 5k starts

for events you'd like to see included

Knoxville Convention Center

and finishes at Victor Ashe park

in our Calendar section. Submissions

The Dogwood Arts House & Garden

heading out and back on the gre-

are accepted via the Contact Us tab at

Show will be held Feb. 14-16 and

enway. The event will start at 9 a.m.

WestKnoxvilleLifestyle.com.

sponsoring the Valentine's 5k that is like no other! Your swag includes

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West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

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33

PAGE TURNERS

I n s p i ra t i o n fo r C re a t i o n

ARTICLE UNION AVE. BOOKS 34

SOMETIMES ALL IT TAKES IS A QUICK GLANCE AT SOMEONE ELSE’S WORK, OR EVEN A SUGGESTION OF A NUGGET OF AN IDEA, TO GET CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING. This month, take a page from the experts and dig into your own creativity. Check out these suggestions from the folks at Union Ave. Books.

Bill Cunningham: On the Street: Five Decades of Iconic Photography, (Ed. by the New York Times) This is a stunning collection of a truly iconic artist's street photography. Bill Cunningham worked for over fifty years in the fashion industry but is maybe best known for capturing mundane but fascinating moments in the daily life of New Yorkers.

Ninth Street Women: Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler: Five Painters and the Movement, by Mary Gabriel A chatty and engaging history of five female artists involved in the abstract-expressionist movement. Gabriel weaves in the personal lives of these women with their often overlooked contribution to the art scene in the 1950s.

The Martha Manual: How to Do (Almost) Everything,

by Martha Stewart Perfect for anyone who wants to start crafting but has no idea where to begin.

The Artist's Way,

by Julia Cameron An indispensable book for any creator.

Using

spirituality

to

understand the creative process, this book will help anyone searching for inspiration.

Visit Union Ave. Books for these treasures and more!

527 Union Ave., Knoxville UnionAveBooks.indielite.org

West Knoxville Lifestyle | February 2020

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