During Business Hours

"Laborers work with their hands. Professionals work with their hands and minds. Artists use their hands, minds, heart, and souls."  -Sunday Pruett told Aj and I this in the grocery store a couple of weeks ago.

During business hours Aj & I hold jobs that allow us to be creative and work with our hands. Here's a little insight into our professional lives. Enjoy!

Aj works for Charles Heath at his gallery on Depot Street in Bryson City. While manning the shop Aj handles custom matting and framing. He also stretches canvas and builds frames for Charles' original artwork and gicleé prints. (The gallery is also the only place in Bryson City that sells good art supplies! Which means Aj and I shop there too!) Aj grew up working at his grandfather's sawmill, Nance Lumber Company in Lexington, NC, so he's used to working with wood.  Being in the shop also allows Charles to have more studio time which means more masterpieces. When you stop by the gallery you will also find rough cut rustic frames made by Gene Albritton. Gene, having seen Aj's work at the gallery, has asked Aj to help him build these frames and cut glass for them. Aj enjoys working with his hands and at his own pace. This job allows him to do both. Make sure to check out the gallery next time you are in Bryson City, or visit online:
www.charlesheath.com

Aj calculating the price of a custom mat job. (See the art supplies!!)

The Gallery Front

Gene's frames filled with Charles' 5x7 prints.

This is where the magic happens.

Aj cutting prints to be matted and sold in the gallery.

During the week I am the art director for Humanité, a women's clothing and home decor boutique in Bryson City, NC. I have enjoyed working for Erin Smith, owner of Humanité and buyer of all things awesome. Since she decided to open the store she has given me some really great and fun opportunities to use my creativity to make a living. Erin had some interesting ideas for her store and I was one of many to help her reach her vision.

The store has now been opened for about 8 months and the ideas are still pouring in. From building displays to decorating windows to taking photos for the upcoming website, we have been busy. I just wanted to take a minute to share some of my projects with you. These are my creations of Erin's ideas. We've made a great team. I couldn't really ask for a more laid back boss lady. Thanks, Erin for allowing me to do the things I love!

Come on down to Humanité and check it out in person! It's like taking a step out of Bryson City. Hope you enjoy.

A pillow that I made for the store.

One of the many signs Aj and I did.

Another pillow.

Some bags Aj and I screen printed. This ended up being very time consuming.

Paper maché trees that Aj & I built to hang jewelry from. Erin got this idea at a retail show.

Sometimes I model.....

I take the product photos for our future website.

The chalkboard sign that I painted this week.

The back side of my fall window display for the store front.

And I do gardening! These are Erin's daisy trees that Aj and I re-potted last night. These will go home with us for the winter. We put evergreen trees in front of the store for the winter! 

Well, that's a taste of what we've been up to during business hours on Everett Street!

Humanité has recently been featured in several publications and has had write ups appear on various blogs and websites.Check out these links:
A Featured Article in Fun Things To Do in the Mountains!
Humanité was featured on an awesome home decorating blog!
Visit Humanité on Facebook!
Humanité's future website!! Check back soon!
Check out Erin's blog here!
Also check out Erin's recent video interview at Tuckreader.com!


Thanks again!
Liz

A Perfect Start to a Great Autumn

Fall came on quick here in Western North Carolina. The chill is in the air, the leaves are rapidly changing and falling to the ground.......

Aj and I love this time of year. Even the drive to the grocery store can make you appreciate where we are. The mountain and river views and now the colors!!


Here are a few pictures of our daily driving route.Yep....we stopped to take photos like tourists!!

from Hwy 28 South

also Hwy 28 South

the Little Tenn. from Tellico Rd

fall sun

through the trees

Lower Burningtown Rd

Needmore Rd

Thanks for looking. Hope you enjoyed the pictures. Now, Stephanie & Jason, you need to get up here before all this beautiful color is gone. Although......white is beautiful too!!! Winter is coming. For now, I am enjoying the heck out of another Western North Carolina autumn!!

Liz

Worshipping with Family

Aj & I knew we had found a home in Bryson City when we found The Grove Church. In finding a church we found community and fellowship as well as a place to grow and learn! Any Sunday that we are away we miss not only our church family, but the great music and amazingly honest sermons that Jeff and Randall do such an awesome job of putting together.! This past Sunday we missed church to be on Lake Sinclair with my family. I woke up Sunday morning feeling kind of incomplete......my heart wanted to be at The Grove doing what it does best, singing to the Lord! So I decided that I didn't have to be physically there to really BE there. I sat on the dock beside Uncle Pete's sail boat with my guitar and started belting out one of my favorites, Marvelous Light. As it turns out, my younger cousins were familiar with the song and joined in. We sat there in the sun....right out in the beautiful day that God had created for us and lifted our voices for all to hear. One Way, Breathe, Amazing Grace......it was beautiful. We weren't just a family singing together, we were a family worshipping together. It felt good. It felt right. I felt like I was making an impact with my voice. Th Grove first gave me this feeling. It's one I want to hold onto. I am using the talents that God gave me to give back to Him! Thank you Amanda, Minji, Megan, Kathy, Mama, & Joan for singing. Thank you everyone else for listening and reading. Thank you God for all of these gifts you have given to me! This is an awesome picture that Megan took of me on Sunday morning. That's Lene being a fisherman behind me while I'm being a fisher of men.

Check out The Grove Church!