Grocery Life August 1, 2014

Grocery Life August 1, 2014

By Tom Butler

Good afternoon from Butler and Bailey Market. What a great week of weather we are having! Between the cooler weather and school getting ready to start, it seems like summer is over. Well it is going to get hot again and we still have the whole month of August to go. I think I liked it better when school started the day after Labor Day and ended the first week of June. The way it is now seems to keep my internal seasonal clock messed up.

I saw Joe Parrott in the store a couple of weeks ago. I have known Joe for many years and his son worked for us while he was in high school. My dad always thought Joe was a great painter and I actually bought one of his paintings several years ago because it reminded me of the houses on Baxter Avenue where my grandparents lived and my mother grew up.

At that time, Joe just painted as a hobby but now he is doing it full-time. When he was in the store I asked him how the painting was going and he said I should come down to his house and see what he was working on. I finally got to pay him a visit Wednesday. Not only did I get to see hundreds of his paintings, but also a bunch of his woodworking projects. He is a heck of a woodworker also. One of my hobbies is woodworking so I always enjoy seeing other people’s creations. After seeing his stuff, I should probably give it up.

Joe had several paintings that I am hoping to get. They are all of local landmarks including one of Duncan’s Boat Dock.

I figured I better take Erica back with me before I started bringing paintings home without her approval. So we will go back soon.

If you would like to see some of his work, you can go on his website, click here, or to The District Gallery over in Bearden.

Another artist that lives right here in Rocky Hill is Mike Berry. You probably see his work about everyday because Pilot commissioned him to do their billboards around the area.

I know Mike from here at the store and our children went to the same daycare so I would see him at drop-off and pick-up there. He also was at the same local art shows my dad showed his work in. Mike has a very unique painting style and his paintings are very vibrant. I love the way he interprets local streetscapes and landmarks.

Mike did a painting of Northshore Drive with our shopping center sign in it that I was going to buy, but one of my old Rocky Hill friends got it before I could. Erica knew I was bummed that I didn’t get it so she secretly commissioned Mike to do a painting of the storefront and gave it me for my birthday one year.

If you would like to see more of Mike’s art you can click here to visit his website.

Both of these artists have become really successful at their crafts and their works are in galleries throughout the southeast. I am proud to have some of their works hanging in my home. I love having the art of people from right here in our community that I have become friends with. One of the great things about my job is I get to meet so many talented people that live in Rocky Hill and find out about the unique things that they do.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Thanks for letting us be a part of your community,

Tom Butler

Respond to:tom.butler44@gmail.com

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Butler and Bailey Market

7513 Northshore Dr.

Knoxville, TN 37919

(865)691-8881