About us!
Cotie Creations was founded as a small business in 2020 by Lynne and Lauren Cotie. At the time, Lynne was receiving treatment for cancer and we were all in Covid hell. My mom and I had been talking about selling items on Etsy for a long time. We had the idea of selling postcards because we had both been longtime participants on Postcrossing.com (If you like snail mail, check it out!). We started with prints of her watercolor illustrations. We later printed some postcards with her photography, but those did not make it onto the site before we were distracted with a sadder reality.
Seven months after my mom passed away, I dipped my toes into hand quilting. A year after she passed away, I made a quilt in honor of the love we had for each other. Later that year, 21 months after she passed away, I was finally in a place, emotionally, to get our project back up and running. This time with my art as well, the very art that has allowed me to start the healing process.
Our art is very different from each other’s, but all of it comes from the same need to create. I recently found a sketch of Lynne’s and at the bottom she wrote “I draw because I like how I feel when I draw”. I can say the same thing about quilting, and really, what other reason is needed?
I hope you are able to find something on this website that makes you smile and feel a little brighter.
Love,
Lauren
ABOUT LAUREN
Lauren is a lifelong creative person who has recently discovered a love of quilting. Textiles have always been a part of her life, starting with cross stitch and embroidery as a child and followed by garment making, knitting and crochet as a young adult. She started her first quilt in 2009 and did not finish it until 2019. It only took 3 months to finish her second quilt- a gift for Lynne. However, it wasn't until mid 2022 that quilting became a daily practice thanks to the influence of Heidi Parkes and Zak Foster.
Bright colors, hand quilting and personal stories are a fixture in Lauren's quilts even as they span a variety of techniques and styles.
ABOUT LYNNE
Lynne led a life of creativity, always making, painting, drawing, observing. While she often illustrated the things in front of her throughout her life, it was in 2012 that she discovered the Urban Sketchers Organization and came into her painting bliss. Here are some of Lynne’s own words pulled from her Urban Sketchers Bio written January 2013:
“I can't recall how I discovered the Urban Sketcher group but I do remember it was last April, I was excited to see so many folks drawing on location. I attended art school in Denver,Colorado right out of high school but dropped out to be a mom. Being a single mom I did not have a lot of time to pursue my love of drawing while raising my daughter. She is grown and creating her own art now so I don't have any excuses.
I love the portability of working with pen, ink and watercolor. Drawing signage,labels & letters appeals to me in a big way which I attribute to 20 years in the printing industry. I admit to drinking and drawing, Capitol Hill has a couple of really great brew pubs with big windows and great views. other creative outlets include doodling and collage.
I am excited to be a part of this group for the challenge it presents and the camaraderie it provides.”
The majority of the paintings and drawings found on this website are scanned from her sketchbooks. Here is a photo of her sucking some heads and drinking a beer in her home state of Louisiana.
Lynne still has work and photos online that you can peruse. Here are some of those links. If you know of others that you want me to include, please send me an email!