A passion for the arts runs through the Higgins family.

It all starts with Jacks Avenue. Katherine and Logan Higgins are based out of Knoxville but operate their art business by creating pieces of work that depict different areas the couple have visited.

“We celebrate local design with our art,” said Katherine. “We like to find what elements or buildings make a town unique and exciting, then make a piece surrounding that. Internally, we want to remind people how great their town is. Externally, we want to show others the same thing and promote visitors to travel to those places.”

It all started during a family trip to Monroe, Ga. While visiting, Katherine pointed out that she noticed there wasn’t any locally-specific art in stores, which led to the couple wanting to sell art to depict and promote small towns.

Consider it a tag team effort when it comes to creating a piece. Katherine works as a photographer but previously worked for an architectural firm during her time in college while Logan is an architecture associate who specializes in designing simple, affordable houses while spending free time to draw different pieces.

“(After visiting Monroe) Logan went home, started drawing the courthouse and we started social media and website work the next week,” Katherine said. “We are slowly moving into other forms of art with our plans to offer locally specific brand design to businesses and organizations in the form of branding material, space planning, photography, website design and social media planning. We’re just as tired of mom and pop shops having to settle for cookie cutter design solutions for their business as we are folks having to settle for generic art that doesn’t tell a story or carry memories of a place. Everything we do is a collaborative project.”

The love of downtowns and capturing moments is what led the couple to Elizabethton. Logan is no stranger to the area after growing up in Unicoi County.

“We love towns and downtowns like Elizabethton,” said Katherine. “We love the design of Elk Avenue and the beauty of the area. Logan grew up in Unicoi County and moved to Knoxville for architecture school but always loved coming to visit the area, and get coffee from The Coffee Company of course. Logan’s older brother attended Milligan and his younger brother is currently a student there. All together we have a lot of fun exploring antique shops and sipping coffee while catching up during our trips home.”

Due to the appreciation of Elk Avenue, the couple worked on a piece to showcase the appeal of downtown Elizabethton.

“Downtown areas are the heart of a town, no matter how big or small, that is where you can see some of the most life, local culture and rich history,” Katherine said. “We loved getting to hear about what the buildings used to be and what the plans are for the future.”

But the joys of downtown didn’t end with just a drawing of Elk Avenue. The couple were able to get in touch with Tracie Mosley, co-owner of Crazy Creek Co-Op. It was during the encounter the trio hit it off and now the pieces of art are for sell inside the downtown business.

“We happened upon Crazy Creek during one of our visits to catch up with Logan’s older brother, Thad, and we instantly hit if off with the owner,” Katherine explained. “She shares our appreciation for the design of Elk Avenue and the vision for how exciting it would be if the strip was full of even more shops, restaurants and events. We get excited to stop in and restock so we can chat with her about her plans for her building and what the scoop is downtown.”

Katherine added businesses like Crazy Creek are only a plus to help bolster the local economy and atmosphere of downtown Elizabethton.

“We’re excited to see the impact that shops like her’s will have on the growing economy and tourism (in the area),” she said.

Individuals can visit www.jacksavenue.com to learn more about the business, check out different pieces of work the Higgins have created or to purchase artwork.