Art of The Crumb did not begin as a business plan. It began as a woman in her sixties, standing in her kitchen in Clarksville, Tennessee, wondering what to do with a life that looked nothing like she expected.

I’m Kathy, the hands and heart behind Art of The Crumb.

I am a mother of four adult children, in continuous sobriety, a Nana from a distance, and a woman who has had to start over more than once. Years after my divorce, I walked through another deep season of loss within my family. In that tender place, I found myself reaching for something steady. That “something” turned out to be sourdough.

What started as a quiet experiment with flour, water, salt, and time became a lifeline. Feeding a starter each day, folding dough, waiting through long ferments: these simple acts gave shape to the empty spaces in my life. Sourdough taught me to be present, to accept imperfection, and to trust that unseen work can still lead to something beautiful.

From my cozy Clarksville kitchen, I now bake naturally leavened loaves, baguettes, bread bowls, sandwich loaves, cinnamon breads, and the occasional family favorite cookie. Every item is hand mixed, hand shaped, and given a long fermentation. I bake for neighbors, for the Clarksville Downtown Market, for New York Butcher Shoppe, and for Manna Café Ministries, where “community loaves” are shared with those in need.

Some people in town call me “the bread lady.” At Manna Café they call me “the bread angel.” I hear both as gentle reminders that small, faithful work done in love can still make its way into hungry hands and hurting hearts.

I grew up in California and learned to sew and bake in 4‑H. I raised a family for many years in Greenwich, Connecticut, and have now rooted myself in Tennessee soil. Along the way, I have learned that feeding people is my love language. Bread is simply the form that love takes in this season of my life.

Alongside the baking, I am working on the final edits of my book, Find Your Sourdough: How Faith and Fermentation Saved Me. It tells the story of how God met me in a jar of starter and a mixing bowl, and how the slow work of fermentation became a path toward healing, honesty, and hope.

At Art of The Crumb, I believe in:

• Long, natural fermentation

• Thoughtful, high‑quality ingredients

• Serving with dignity, especially through donations and community loaves

• Telling the truth about both the beauty and the brokenness that brought me here

If you have found your way to this little corner, whether through a friend, the market, the butcher shop, or a quiet search for “good sourdough near me,” I am glad you are here. My hope is that every loaf you bring home carries more than good flavor. I hope it carries comfort, connection, and the quiet reminder that it is never too late to begin again.

Warmly,
Kathy
Art of The Crumb