John Perry- Painter

John Perry makes works of art that speak the story of all the things in our world and the spaces they contain. His process is almost as intriguing as the work itself. I got to learn more about John's work when I visited his studio.

What is the theme of your work?

It’s about the narrative that is naturally found in visual composition-the organization and design of visual elements. For example, when two elements are against each spatial tension is created, and spatial tension could result in feelings of discomfort, or on the opposite side of the spectrum in feelings of intimacy.-human emotions. So in the non-representational work  I do, abstract elements are narrative and represent something. The placement of elements of what’s in front, what’s behind, figure/ground experimentation etc in the work can generate a sense of history which is also creating narrative. It’s all a metaphor for how things in nature respond to each other; the pairing of opposite things into combinations that are powerful. I think  a lot of times we miss what is powerful and beautiful, and so I try to bring attention to these things. I use paint to explore what I’m learning about the world.

The mark making of my process varies from using the palette  knife in order to scrape paint on the surface to allowing the paint to freeze and thaw which creates shards and crystals of color to using a leaf blower to blast large movements from one end of the piece to the other.

What inspires you to do your work?

Being outside in nature and seeing the beauty in natural things inspires me to find beauty in the process of painting. I’m inspired by the patterns I find in nature and also how things relate when they’re next to each other, the juxtaposition of elements. That tension is very interesting and can be reunderstood in a multitude of ways depending on its context.

What are the goals for your artwork?

I want to make paintings that are both beautiful and challenging, because the story I am trying to tell is that we are living in a world that is complicated but beautiful. I feel like I’m  still exploring that story and trying to discover it. I hope people walk away from my work seeing the world a little differently, that they hear the story that I’m trying to tell. Share a little bit of what I love about that world. I believe art is capable of that. If I can accomplish that, I will feel that I’ve accomplished a huge goal.

What are your thoughts on the visual artist community in Nashville?

I’m excited about what’s happening for the visual arts in Nashville, lots of creative people are moving here and this is giving the city a huge surge of energy. I’m excited to be part of the artist conversation in Nashville, and I’m excited to see what happens for the visual arts in the next ten years.

Learn more about John's work at http://johnphillipperry.com/

Jennifer Haston-Quilter and Maker

Going to Jennifer Haston's studio/house was quite the experience. Because what she creates is all around where she lives. Whether it's the multiple gardens, sculptural installations in the yard, or her beautiful quilts, art and creation were everywhere I looked. 

All the things she makes are impressive, but what I was drawn to the most were her quilts. They are colorful mosaics of visual stories. She explained a bit more about her quiltmaking when I went to visit:

What is the theme of your work?

I feel very connected to the history of quilt making even though I have more of a modern approach to it. Every quilt I make is different and unique but borrows something from the traditions of quiltmaking. For example, I’ll use techniques of making medallion quilts and text quilts and then I’m combining these techniques into something that is completely modern. I mostly work intuitively. I might have a basic idea, or color scheme of what I want to do but once I get started my original idea will get lost and go somewhere completely different- so the theme of a particular quilt shows itself in the process of me creating it.

What is the inspiration of your work?

I never start making a quilt until I look at books about the history of quilts, and I let this history greatly inform my work.  Sometimes I feel like I was born in a different time period-I just want to make jam, bake bread, garden and be domestic. All these things to me mean the same as quiltmaking. There’s something about providing things that are nurturing; gardening to make food so people can eat, making quilts so people can stay warm. Providing comfort. We all need comfort. I used to make what some people would consider more “traditional” artwork-prints, paper-based art-but that just ends up piled in a corner or stowed away. Maybe somebody gets to view it at a show, maybe somebody will even buy it and hang it on their wall, but that doesn’t happen very often. With quilts it’s different. If somebody buys one of your quilts, they’re going to use it. I really like the idea of something that functions, that somebody can be comforted by something I make.

What are the goals for your work?

My goal is to sell my quilts though frankly I don’t feel completely comfortable with the idea of selling my work. I often just want to give my artwork to people if they like it. But it would be nice to bring in money from things I make so I can pay for my supplies and be sustainable. I’m beginning to get commissions to make quilts and I hope more come in.

What are your thoughts on the Nashville arts scene?

I think it’s supportive. Everyone knows each other, and I feel that we are in a great community where people help each other. However, I would like to see a greater connection between the music industry and the visual arts. I feel that for some odd reason it’s separated in this city and it shouldn’t be. It would be great if there were more crossover-musicians hanging out at art events, and visual artists supporting music shows. 

You can learn more about Jennifer's work at:http://jenniferquilting.wordpress.com/

Brady Haston-Painter

I had the opportunity to go to Brady Haston's place the other day. His garage opens up to reveal a super spacious studio, such a great space. Sitting amongst the ink bottles and paint tubes while looking through his sketchbooks, I learned more about his work.

What is the theme of your work?

My work is primarily reflections on Nashville, particularly my neighborhood which is the Dickerson Pike area. I am interested in exploring the past of Nashville and how it intersects with the present.  When going to a place, keeping in mind its past while seeing the layers of gentrification of the urban city is a way of continuing the thought process of understanding that place. Some of the pieces reference the past ,some reference the present and some reference the process of skipping back and forth between the two. I work on all the pieces simultaneously- I can’t work on one piece at one time.

What inspires your work?

I’m inspired by my surroundings, it could be as simple as a texture I see outside on a building, or some object I’ll see on the side of the road when driving home. For the most part I am inspired by my neighborhood, what is close to my home. Sometimes I’ll pull something from my sketchbooks but more often than not I am inspired by memory of places. I’ll play with a color, that will lead to shape, one thing leads to another, and soon I’m putting pieces together.  I have an abstract way of working, I don’t really have a goal in mind, it develops as I make the work. I’m inspired by history in so much as it helps me learn more about a place. The book “The Chronicles of the Cumberland” written by Paul Clements has inspired my work as well. It’s a collection of first-hand accounts of people who lived in Nashville before western settlement. Some of the accounts of savagery are similar to the level of savagery that happens today. It’s both this past and present that I am investigating.

What are the goals for your work?

I want to keep showing my work in Nashville and be part of the artist community here. Since I teach at Watkins it’s important for me to keep making work so I have credibility with the students. I have realistic goals for myself as a professional artist and am happy showing my work to a local audience.

What are your thoughts on the artist community in Nashville?

I think it’s grown and become more inclusive of young people. The Arcade and Fort Houston are bringing lots of young people in and giving them opportunities to show. When I first started showing in Nashville 15 years ago there were only a few galleries but now there are many more. Namely, there seems to be more commercial galleries around so there’s more volume which is good in creating critical mass and in turn getting more people interested in the visual arts.

Because Nashville is projected to keep growing more galleries will surely open. I think this will be a good place to be a visual artist if Nashville can sustain what keeps itself unique.

Lauren Athalia-Photographer

LaurenAthalia creates amazing photographs that tell stories. Symbolism and allegory abound in her images; they tell one story but allude to other ones. I got tospend some time with her in the studio and watch her at work.

What is the main theme of your work?

I focus on telling a story in my personal series. I want to bring to life what I see in my head and what I dream about at night. 

What inspires your work?

My work is inspired by fairy tales, folklore, books, movies, fashion, paintings and other photographers. Also, on occasion, I’m simply inspired by the challenge of creating something new.

What are your goals for your work?

Earlier in my career my goals were just to create a solid image - something beautiful and instantly rewarding. But lately my focus is on how I get to the end result. For instance, maybe it’s about how the set was created and who I collaborated with in order achieve the finished photos. Also, I’ve noticed that after each series is complete I’m ready to try again. Take a bigger risk and try something harder than last time. Maybe that means a more elaborate set, trying a difficult lighting technique or brainstorming with a new team of talent. This realization has made it clear that my goals have become more about connecting with others and constantly challenging my insatiable need to create rather than rushing towards then end; a nice photograph. Don’t get me wrong - the photos are an amazing part but it’s not the entire reward and it has taken me a while to realize the importance of this.

What are your thoughts on the visual arts scene in Nashville?

I believe there is more of a visual art scene than people originally think. Nashville is known for it’s music and rightly so but over the years I’ve noticed the visual artists begin to form a community. They are reaching out to each other via workshops, co-op workspaces, creative events, social media or just over coffee. I think artists like to see that they aren’t going at this alone and in turn this has brought more talented people out of the woodwork. I’m excited to see how the visual art scene will continue to grow and support each other.

To learn more about Lauren's work visit her website at http://www.laurenathalia.com