The Flow Partners

When you visit Flow you’ll be greeted by one (or more) of our partner artists, or occasionally by Rick Molland, our knowledgeable volunteer. It is through our cooperative efforts that we brought the idea of Flow to fruition and we staff the shop ourselves, thriving on the eventful interplay between maker and buyer.

But even though now owners of a gallery, we consider ourselves first and foremost makers -- artists, designers and craftspeople -- and the gallery of our work below will introduce us to you in the best possible way.

Connie Molland - Wood

"I connect different species of woods to create functional yet artistic items for the home. Most of my work is for use in the kitchen because I love cooking and think handcrafted kitchen items add joy to the routine of cooking. Usually, I start out with a basic idea of what I’m going to make, but then I just let the grain, texture, color, smell (olive wood really smells like olives!) and how well it plays with other woods be my guide. I do not use any stains or chemicals preferring to emphasize the contrast of the natural colors and grains of the woods. My products are finished with a food safe oil and wax. "

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Kathy Goodson - Silk & Encaustic Painting

"I am a silk painter, having come to this after many years pursuing other forms of creative expression. Creating art always seemed secretive and magical to me. My mother once locked me out of the house while she made copper jewelry. I desperately wanted to see what she was doing. Each day is a new adventure for me with my art. I believe strongly in giving back, that in order to keep it, the joy of painting, I must share it. I start with no preconceived ideas of what works and bring to this art an enormous willingness and a beginner’s mind. I believe in interacting with the painting process and love to let the dye and silk first create and then lead me in that process."

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Pegi Pike - Jewelry

"My jewelry process is spiritual in nature, inspired by two dear friends who spent the last five years of their young lives building legacies that touched countless others in meaningful ways. Their legacies compel me to create. In metalworking, I am combining my artistic skills with a deep spiritual satisfaction of working with the earth’s materials to create something that, on some level, touches another person. I prefer working with sterling silver, copper and gold, both for the richness of their colors and individual working properties. Employing traditional hot and cold fabrication methods I marry metals, stones and found objects into my designs and incorporate various surface textures in my work - anything that moves metal in a pleasing way, creating depth and complexity. I’m drawn to movement, reverence and a sense of whimsy."

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Lauren Rutten - Photography

"Explorer. Artist. Photographer. Educator. Writer. Swashbuckling World Traveler. Photography has been my primary creative language since I was 16 and I've been blessed to earned a living as a photographer for the past 30 years. The world of images and stories has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My love of travel took me around the world in 2013 and 40,000 miles across the America in 2015-16. At the heart of all my art is an invitation to find the elusive intersection between the temporary fragility of life and the ecstatic, infinite, immutability of the soul. By focusing my awareness through the twin lenses of art and spiritual practice, I seek to represent the oneness of all life, the sense of being at home within oneself as well as the world. This ongoing exploration of the relationship between internal and external is accomplished through various mediums including photography, mixed media collage, and writing.'“

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Kari Morton - Quilts & Clothing

"I have been involved with texture and fabric since making her first apron (too many) years ago. As a teenager, my goals were to have a law practice, a designer clothes store and a restaurant, as I enjoyed sewing and cooking and envisioned putting the bad guys away. As a stress reliever for the confrontational aspect of the practice of law, I discovered quilting. The designer clothes store morphed into a quilt store and a traveling quilt business. The law office was tucked into the rear of the store. Sewing is my passion. After moving to Marshall in 2013, retiring the law practice, I try to sew something every day."

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Barry Rhodes - Pottery

“I take a very graphic approach to pottery while still paying homage to the depth of surface found on hi-fired stoneware. Like many potters of my generation, I have been heavily influenced by the great pottery of Japan. However, one of the benefits of growing up in the multi-cultural milieu of America is that I have always felt free to pick and choose the most interesting aspects of many cultures, and to re-interpret the essence of those cultures in interesting ways. My surface design comes from many sources including my early training as a Physicist and has evolved over the years. Stripes can represent wave forms whose amplitude and frequency vary with spacing and thickness. However one of my strongest influences is that of Japanese Boro cloth, which consists of fabric pieces, usually indigo dyed stripes, pieced together in a quilt like manner to make clothing. Boro cloth is said to exemplify the concept of wabi-sabi which I hope can be seen in my art as well.”

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Ruby Bock – Fiber and Paper, Collage and Construction

“I live in a quiet cove in beautiful Madison County, gardening and making art. I’ve been sewing since high school, and my preferred classes have always been in fiber arts. Ten years as an elementary school art teacher influence my own artwork today: I explore lines, shapes, colors and textures and strive to put it all together into a composition that is satisfying and significant. I work primarily with paper and cloth, incorporating objects found on the streets or around the farm. Pieces of wood, shards of glass and metal, curious objects and the occasional wise word find their way into the finished image. There is an element of recycle and re-use in the choice of materials, and hand and machine stitching contribute important details to the composition. The finished product might be a book, a pillow or a framed wall piece.”

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Rick Molland - Our Trusty Volunteer

One or two days a month, Rick comes in to work at Flow allowing the partners to be in their studios. While he’s not an artist, he is super handy around the shop (yes, we have a “honey do” list!) and is tall enough to change the lightbulbs that are up on the 14’ high ceiling. And twice a year, he spends a day cleaning the front windows –which allows us to see the beautiful antique glass.