From the outside it is just a small brick building in the center of our small town. The front door is decorated with a simple bell and a duo of rocking chairs sit peacefully on the sidewalk. It is simple, but take a step inside and it transforms into a miraculous emporium of gifts. Planet Earth is owned by Caole Lowry. The vintage store also contains The 4 Directions Gallery. It offers painting classes, and is connected to Augusta’s Tea Room.

The store is original because all aspects of the store work together. It is with the financial support from her store that the art gallery is able to stay open. The gallery features all forms of art from a variety of local artists, including some of Lowry’s own work. She is a mixed media artist and some of her work includes assemblage, photo montage, painting, and even sewing.

“I see myself as a portrayer of dreams and memories,” Lowry said.

Lowry’s store is a crossroad for ideas and items, the old and the new. Her antiques come from all cultures and time periods.

“All of the vintage items have stories and history. They are a link to the past,” Lowry said, “The pieces have life to them and offer a connection to the past.”

Lowry has a Masters in Fine Arts from George Washington University but developed a passion for antiques when she was working in a flea market after college. As Lowry puts it, “her pieces are alive” and they offer a connection to the past.

The Tea Room that is attached to the backside of the store is owned by Augusta Fix. The Tea Room opened in May and offers tea parties by appointment. Augusta’s Tea Room is a different type of place to throw a party. Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Fix offers dessert specials along with costumes and hats available for dressing up.

Lowry also offers the painting class “Painting from the Inside Out.” The class is a workshop for all levels of artists, experienced or inexperienced. Lowry’s class is a therapeutic style of painting. It is meant to act as an escape from everyday tension. The materials used in the class are cheap in order to remove any pressure from your art. Class sizes are kept small and intimate. Lowry also discourages couples from coming together in order to maintain the privacy of individuals.

“Creativity is a remedy to stress. If we can access our creative side it makes a difference,” Lowry said. “Planet Earth is a gathering place for the arts. It includes all cultures, nations, and religions.”

Lowry welcomes all Colorado Mesa Students. She loves the energy the campus brings and believes that CMU is a vital part of the culture in Grand Junction. Painting classes are on Wednesday nights from 6:30 until 9:15. The classes run in six week sessions about four times a year.  For more information you can find them on Facebook, call 970-256-9630, or head down to 6th and Colorado.

cheykoop@mavs.coloradomesa.edu