Warehouse Row will showcase its own potential while hosting the talents of many regional artisans during the Crafted by Southern Hands celebration June 10-12.
“We are what I would consider an authentic retail community featuring local retail boutiques,” said George Krauth, Warehouse Row business development manager. “We’re in the third phase of Warehouse Row, which is the most exciting and long-term, sustainable concept for the project.”
The vision for Warehouse Row is to have an assemblage of regional merchants that can create a regional destination. The three-day celebration will do just that, drawing in well-known creative forces such as sustainable lifestyle company Alabama Chanin, clothing designer Billy Reid, the renowned country estate Blackberry Farm as well as local talent in the form of collage artist Lisa Norris.
Lisa Norris is a collage artist who specializes in using vintage materials including maps, wallpaper, buttons and dress pattern paper to create framed collages and journals.“A big part of what we do as part of our community is we plan events,” Krauth said. “We have these to broaden our exposure to the community. People come for our retailers and restaurants and these events sort of broaden that. “
Alabama Chanin’s trunk show will feature clothing from its signature women’s collection, handmade quilts and select home goods. Guests can register to participate in a sewing workshop and learn from Alabama Chanin founder Natalie Chanin June 12 from 10 a.m. to noon. Chanin will also host a book-signing for “Alabama Stitch Book” and “Alabama Studio Style” from noon to 1 p.m. that day. Those interested in participating must register at www.alabamachanin.com.
Billy Reid will create a pop-up store for his Southern-bred collections. The store will be designed in a unique setting that emphasizes antiques, heirlooms and reclaimed materials. The pop-up store will host a whiskey and bluegrass event June 11 at 5 p.m.
Blackberry Farm will make a presentation about its farmstead, showcasing the famous jams, jellies, preserves and other products from grains and nuts to fried chicken mixes. A live cooking demonstration will be held June 12 from 2 to 3 p.m., followed by a book signing by Blackberry Farm proprietor Sam Beall for his “The Blackberry Farm Cookbook” from 3 to 4 p.m.
“Not only are all participants excited about coming and doing this, they are excited about participating together,” Krauth said. “They are collaborating with each other and sharing space in a suite just off the motor court in the north building.”
The boutiques within Warehouse Row were also encouraged to participate by bringing in local talent. Snap Kids owner Lea Bentley did just that, inviting friend and Chattanooga artist Lisa Norris of Made By One Girl to show a new, smaller-sized dress pattern collage as well as her one-of-a-kind journals and frames.
“I’m playing with more color now,” said Norris. “My art speaks to women of all ages. It’s something you can relate to.”
Norris made her reputation by creating life-sized collages using dress pattern paper as her drawing tool and vintage illustrations from the cover of old dress pattern packages as her inspiration. Since 2001, Norris has sold her life-sized pieces around Chattanooga and the Southeast during craft events. She said, though her journals are very popular with “tween”- aged girls, her larger art pieces are too expensive. So, for this celebration she created a smaller sized work that she expects will be very popular.
“I never thought I’d want to do smaller things like this, but I’m loving it,” said Norris, who is looking forward to the event for the exposure it will bring her friend’s store, her art and the building.
“We really need to work, as a city, on getting people into Warehouse Row again,” she said.