By: Charles Romans
Carter County Times
Art has become more than Ashley McGlone’s hobby; it’s grown into a business she loves to share with the community. McGlone’s The Lovely Brush by Ashley is located on the Grayson side of Star Hill in Carter County complete with pink flags and yard cards.
“I’ll be putting out balloons this week,” McGlone said. “So, if people drive by, they will definitely be able to find me.”
The Lovely Brush by Ashley will be hosting a pop-up event this weekend to coincide with the Route 60 Yard Sale, and it will be the first event she has done.
“I started the Lovely Brush at the beginning of this year,” McGlone said. “I was inspired by my two-year-old son. When we were having his second birthday party, I saw that the hand painted banners were getting super popular. And I thought that I could do that. So, I did my first banner, and I fell in love with it.”
McGlone said after the first banner was made, she decided to do more. The banners she made were of different materials, both paper and fabric. And from those early efforts she progressed to other types of paintings and just fell in love with the whole process.
“I started face painting,” McGlone said. “During my face painting journey, I have met so many people. And I have had so much support from individuals and other businesses.”
McGlone said she has worked for churches, at birthday parties, and made banners for parades and for the local business Silver Spur Ink, all of whom supported her greatly, she said.
The support she received made McGlone realize that she wanted to give back to everyone who had given her that support. It was at that point where she began thinking of doing the popup style event, she said.
“I wanted to give back,” she said. “And I realized that even though I didn’t have a lot, I did have land. And I could give that to them to use.”
The pop-up style event will host local vendors during the Route 60 Yard Sale, McGlone said.
“I have had some changes in vendors, but there will be three trucks set up there, and currently I have 11 of the 13 vendor spots filled,” she said. “But I do have those two spots which I am going to try to fill before this weekend.”
Of the three trucks coming to the popup event, two will be food trucks and one will be the Ink & Ivy mobile bookstore.
The event will run August 7 through 9, from 9am until 9pm. Featured vendors will include Pour Boys Lemonade, Maw and Paw’s Grub Hut, JJ’s Quesadilla Carriage, Ink & Ivy Bookstore, Sweet Magnolia, and of course McGlone’s own Lovely Brush by Ashley. Other vendors scheduled for the event include Shelby’s Stiches, Day’s Seasonings, Buzzy Bee Sublimation & Design, Root & Reverence Apothecary, and the Party Pallete. Rainy Daze Handmade and Peanut’s Balloons and Yard Cards will also be there, along with Sassy Sweet Cotton Candy & Treats and Get Linx’s with Keeli. Filbilly Houseplants and More will be on hand, as will the Merchandise Tent for the Olive Hill Bigfoot Festival. There will also be a cheerleading fundraiser at the popup event.
McGlone said she hopes everyone will turn out this weekend to support local vendors, and said if you can’t make it, you are welcome to message her on Facebook.
“People message me all the time asking about banners and things,” McGlone said. “Last week I got a real cool project to paint on a camping bucket. So, I’m open to anything people want painted.”
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
