It's Derby Week in Kentucky!

We love living in the Bluegrass State and Derby is one of those unique events that gets everyone around here excited! The two most exciting minutes in sports? You bet! (Literally and figuratively.) When we think of Derby we start with the horses and move on to the hats, mint juleps, and of course, Derby pie. Our state is rich in history and tradition and we're proud to be from Kentucky!

Now, we've said it once and we'll say it again, we're not a fashion blog. However, we thought it would be fun to share some dresses that would be Derby appropriate in case you're wondering what people wear to the races, or if you're still on the fence about what you want to wear. (Sometimes we all do last minute shopping.)

Without further ado, here are a few dresses we ran across that are perfect for various Derby day activities. Depending on the area of Churchill Downs you may be venturing dress code expectations may vary, but we feel fairly safe that any of these dresses paired with the right shoes, accessories, and hat (and mint julep in hand) are appropriate for any part of the track you may visit:

 Cynthia Steffe, Nordstrom $248

The Beauty of Brushstrokes dress, Modcloth $178

Daisy dress, Shabby Apple $78

Pleated dress, J. Crew $225

Swing dress, Anne Klein $129

Your Two Colors dress, Modcloth $45

Are you attending the Kentucky Derby this year? Or have you in years past? We would love to hear about your experience!

If you're in the area and you're interested in the other upcoming Festival events, here's what's happening this week:
Kentucky Proud Wine Fest 4/30-5/1 from 5-9pm at East Belvedere at Waterfront Park
Ramble for the Roses 4/30 from 6-8pm at Iroquois Park
RhythmFest Concert featuring Cameo 4/30 at 9pm at Kroger's Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront
The Great Steamboat Race 5/1 boarding from 4:30-5:30pm, race at 6pm on the Ohio River
BeerFest presented by American Founders Bank 5/1 from 5-9pm at The Overlook at Kroger's Fest-a-Ville
The Pegasus Parade 5/2 at 5pm
Celebrity Day at the Downs 5/2 starting at 11:30am at Churchill Downs, 6th floor
Tune It Up Thursday concert featuring The Wallflowers 5/2 starting at 9pm at Kroger's Fest-a-Ville
Derby Eve Jam Concert featuring Kix Brooks 5/3 starting at 7:30pm at Kroger's Fest-a-Ville

You can find even more events on the Kentucky Derby Festival website here.

LOCAL LOVIN': Wild Earth Gallery & Gift Shop, Elizabethtown

We visited the local square recently to shoot some photos for Creative Sweet. While there, in the middle of the day on a weekend, we noticed that nothing was open. While many places were closed, even more were unoccupied. If you're like us and you've traveled to larger towns and cities that have a thriving city center downtown you know how exciting that can be - independent boutiques, small local businesses and shops, cafes, restaurants, art galleries, things of that nature. The first place that comes to mind when it comes to an ideal downtown for a place this size? Asheville, North Carolina. If you've been there you know how great it is, if not plan a trip NOW!

While discussing nearby photo locations and the emptiness of our current area we turned a corner to see one store with their door open, a chalkboard sign outside noting that their products are all handmade in the USA, and a colorful assorted display welcoming in anyone from the street. The art prints, the paintings, the blown-glass - there were so many things that caught our eye just from the doorway that we had to venture in.

The first smaller room contained all of those goodies and then you enter the second room that is divided into two distinct spaces - the first a continuation of the first room, a gift shop style set-up with more art prints, paintings, jewelry, masks, and much, much more. Then to your right you can step up into the gallery portion of the space. Hardwood floors, exposed brick, and during our visit: the whimsical pop art paintings of Sherry Pearl. The majority of the paintings featured Red and Wolf, an elegant elaboration on the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. Pearl's representation does not portray the two as enemies, but seems to illustrate a uniquely intimate friendship.

We were greeted by store owner LaDonna Eastman, who was not only friendly but extremely informative about plans and projects for the area! (It seems many of those things we had been wishing for are currently in the works for the square!)  She told us about Wild Earth Gallery & Gift Shop, including information about selling things in the shop and how the gallery schedule is set up. She proudly features local  and USA made arts and crafts -including original art, prints, photographs, blown glass, handcrafted jewelry, masks, and soy candles- as well as note cards, local music, vintage jewelry,  specimen stones, minerals, and Native American bead work. Wild Earth also supports female artisans from around the world!

Every piece in her shop that we took interest in she was able to tell us a bit about the artist and in many cases the story behind how the pieces came to be in the shop. We learned about Second Saturdays in the area, which we'll share more about later, as well as gallery events and new plans, which include Friday Night Art Party workshops that will begin in April. (We definitely plan to attend a few of these!)

We love the Buy Local movement and highly recommend Wild Earth Gallery & Gifts if you're looking for something creative to gift someone, or if you're looking for something for yourself. For the most current updates check out the shop on Facebook and for more information visit their website. Maybe we'll see you out at Second Saturday or a Friday Night Art Party!


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THE GALLERY: Brittany DeLoach, painter

One of our primary goals here on Creative Sweet is to recognize talented people. In our series THE GALLERY we'll feature some of our favorite artists, local and otherwise, to share with you all. Today we are excited to introduce you to a friend of ours - Brittany DeLoach. An amazing painter and mama of two, this lady can't remember a time in her life when she wasn't involved in something creative. At sixteen she began painting pictures for books and stories she wrote. She soon discovered the work of a local artist whose work she admired and two years later she began her apprenticeship with him.

Edie Sedgwick by Ree

Her painting skills grew more refined and she soon found herself at her first art show. The first painting she ever sold was to a well-known artist Jeff Gaither. Brittany began regularly attending art shows in the Louisville area, displaying her signature flare and style for painting. If you're ever on the lookout for one of her pieces, or think you may have seen one in the past, she signs her paintings "Ree."

Now a wife and mother of two, Brittany says she mostly enjoys doing paintings for friends and her children's rooms. She often trades her artwork with other creatives.

Flyboy from Dawn of the Dead by Ree

Nannie Doss, serial killer (left) - portrait (right)

We did a Q&A with Brittany so you could learn a bit more about her:

Creative Sweet: First we have to say, we've seen a lot of your work, not just in photos, but even hanging in your own home. We love your style (seriously, we'd kill to have that Edie portrait) and it's obviously very distinct. How did you develop it?

Brittany: After I ventured off from doing creepy Halloween style paintings I decided I really loved screen printing but I knew I couldn't never do that. So, I decided to make my paintings as if they were screen prints, thick black outlines and brush marks. Then I got into painting on wood. I loved the way the wood and the bright paint I use look next to each other. I love finding scraps of wood and finding a picture that would be perfect for it.

CS: And of course this question is cliché, but we have to know - what has been your biggest source of inspiration over the years?

Brittany: Music! And old horror movies. I love reading bio books about old actresses, actors, and musicians who lived hard lives, rather [than those with] drug or mental issues. That might sound odd but it's just interesting. I like the not-so-glamorous side of the rich and famous.

CS: Your life has obviously changed a lot since you first started painting, you have different responsibilities and priorities. Where do you stand with your art right now?

Brittany: I don't look to make millions of dollars for any of it, it's just something I enjoy doing it to see a smile on [someone's] face. Knowing my artwork is hanging in someone's house is enough for me. For the first time in a long time I enjoy painting.

Brittany DeLoach

CS: You said that you enjoy painting for the first time in a long time, has it been hard to find time for painting with two little ones?

Brittany: Very much so! But I enjoy painting more now because I have overcome a lot of issues. I wasn't comfortable painting because I was at art shows every month and I was always in the art scene, but then when I [had a falling] out with an artist that was helping me it was just bam - all over. Then this past year I picked up the paintbrush and realized I don't need anyone, I can do it myself. I have been doing paintings for kids' rooms, for my family, and friends which is amazing!

CS: Do you hope to do more art shows in the future? Or possibly open a shop, maybe even online?

Brittany: I do and don't. Nothing is more amazing then having art shows and putting your babies out there to be judged, but the art community is so ridiculous. It's who you know and whose ass you need to kiss all the time. I see good artists go unnoticed and nothing makes me more mad. Also I am not a people person,  which is terrible, so that too. I want to start a kids art gallery very soon! Also I am looking into trading art for art's sake, I think that is the most amazing thing the art community could do.

We wish we could tell you that Brittany has a fan page on Facebook, or an Etsy shop where she sells her work, but she doesn't at this time. She does however keep a blog about raising her two kiddos called The Padawan Years (Star Wars fans rejoice in that cute little homage) and you can follow her on Twitter here. We love her tweets, especially the hilarious comments about her husband, as well as his responses.

If you're interested in Brittany's work and would like to talk to her about trading your own artwork or commission a piece you can contact her here: ree.animator@hotmail.com



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  *All photos courtesy of Brittany DeLoach