Love Lives Here

Courtney Ballard, our friend and uber-talented local artist/owner of Hip South (studio+shop+events), just added some more beauty to our downtown (it faces the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame). And with the world we are currently living in, the message and timing couldn’t be more perfect, as she tells a better story by inviting us into the beauty with every stroke.

Inspiration for Newest Mural There's been so much kindness and support given to our community during these last couple of months. The grace and generosity have been beautiful to witness. I wanted to create a little spot of positivity for the people in our town as a thank you. A small reminder that there's big love in Elizabethtown. This mural is a pop-up piece and will be temporary as the building site is currently under construction, so head downtown to snap a pic with your quaranteam and show some love! Responsibly, of course. 

Keeping the Creative Process Fresh at Home Trying to mentally and emotionally navigate through this time has been tricky, personally, and professionally. Those all over the place feelings can get the best of you. Taking part in art/design challenges, learning new skills, and setting new goals have been some of the ways that I've tried to stay present and keep moving forward creatively.

Quarantine Must-Have Good snacks and good wine.

Favorite Moment at Home Cooking with my boys definitely tops the list.

Favorite Dish to Cook I love to cook, and love all types of dishes, but Italian meals are probably my favorite. We've been trying lots of new recipes lately but at the end of the day, Italy always wins.

Favorite Read Loved The Silent Patient and just finished Less. Great reads. Nickel Boys and You Should Have Known are next. 

Culture Fix Flipping through art and design books. The Metropolitan Museum and MoMA both have virtual exhibitions and video archives that have been fun to explore.

Local Eats We love Green Bamboo and El Acapulco. Yummy.

Summer Style Must-Have Ha! Remind me what style is. When the loungies and pjs have been put away and venturing out is an actual thing, you'll find me in summer skirts and tees. 

Looking Forward Where to start?! Being able to hug my family and friends. Gosh, I've missed hugging people. Making a restaurant reservation. Shopping with an actual cart instead of a virtual one. And let's not leave out a much-needed trip to the salon.

Upcoming Projects I have a few mural projects coming up that I'm so grateful for and excited about. Helping businesses share their story and engage their community in a creative, unique way is something I love to do.

To see more of what’s happening with Courtney check out her eye-catching Instagram pages @cballard123 @hipsouth and her website. To learn a little more about her check out our past Q&A with her here.