Who or what inspired you to become an artist?
Oh, so many things! Honestly, one thing alone cannot inspire art. I think it's a combination of all the great teachers I have had, my love for art from before I can even remember, encouragement from friends and family, and everything that has ever happened to me.

What is your favorite medium/artistic outlet and why?
I love so many different mediums and techniques, but my favorite thing to work with would have to be pencil, whether it is graphite or colored. A close second might be printing or sculpture.

Why do you love Tennessee?
The best thing about Tennessee is definitely a toss-up between the nature and the people. I really like how, even though we have big cities (they're big to me anyway!), nature is still a huge part of our state. As for the people, they are probably some of the friendliest in the country.

What is your favorite place to visit in Tennessee and why?
Oh, goodness, I have no idea. It depends on loads of things. Sometimes I love going to the mountains and lakes. Other times, going to the bigger cities like Chattanooga, Nashville and Gatlinburg is awesome. Everywhere is an adventure.

Why do you think the arts are important to Tennessee?
I think the people of Tennessee are extremely talented. It has so many different people with so many things to offer. However, the arts are important to the whole world, not just our state. Through all types of art (musical, visual, performing, etc.) people who otherwise may not have a voice can speak.

Who or what inspired you to become an artist?
My childhood was filled with creativity in school during the ‘60s when the arts were still a part of daily curriculum. Paint and crayons were my favorites. Clay was fun, but I didn’t like getting my hands dirty.  I was given a camera early on and loved to create unusual images.

What is your favorite medium/artistic outlet and why?
I love creating things that have never been created before. Today, I am working in mixed media incorporated with my fine art photography. My camera is my favorite “paint brush,” and wood working tools come next. I have created something I call, “mixed media photography,” an unusual combination that works very well with particular photographic subjects.

Why do you love Tennessee?
I fell in love with Tennessee on my first visit 20 years ago and knew I had to live here. The beautiful terrain, the friendly people, the changing of the seasons and the accessibility of everything I wanted for my life. It is a quality of life that I couldn’t find where I lived before.

What is your favorite place to visit in Tennessee and why?
I LOVE where I live the most! A secluded, “best kept secret” area of Cheatham County. I always dreamed of being surrounded by trees — lots and lots of trees — and that dream came true in 1999!  Again, the accessibility of everything I need within 30 minutes makes life easy, exciting and enjoyable.

Why do you think the arts are important to Tennessee?
If we as a culture elevate the creative artist, then we elevate the culture simultaneously. In these economic times, especially, the arts bring a calming affect to a community providing something to look forward to in daily life, breaking up the monotony. We are living in a fast paced era; messages need to be quick and deep. Simplicity is paramount.

Who or what inspired you to become an artist?
Art has always been a part of my life. I was encouraged by my parents and by supportive teachers in high school. I am inspired by my surroundings and experiences to use art as self expression and reflection.

What is your favorite medium/artistic outlet and why?
I love playing with type in many various forms: stamping old letterpress type blocks, collage, photography, digital compositions, or a combination of all these methods. My interest in type and texture derives from my career as a graphic designer. Using typography to communicate messages for clients for many years, I developed a huge respect for type designers and the intricate relationships of shapes created in one, simple letter form. It’s nice to now be able to explore type as a fine art expression, as well.

Why do you love Tennessee?
I moved to the state from New York 16 years ago because of the optimistic attitude, energy and vibrancy I experienced when visiting (plus a better climate). In Nashville, I have access to amazing cultural venues, a great variety of locally-owned restaurants, parks and a growing arts community. I was able to launch and support my own design business here due to the economic opportunities. I love that I can go downtown any day of the week and it will be hopping! Around the state are terrific green spaces, lakes, festivals and cities, each with their own unique personalities. We have it all!

What is your favorite place to visit in Tennessee and why?
One of my favorite cities to visit is Chattanooga. It’s pedestrian friendly, lush with arts support, and has, of course, an amazing aquarium. Locally, I really enjoy Centennial Park. My daughter has enjoyed feeding the ducks there since she first learned to walk. The Parthenon, Athena and the English gardens bring a taste of Europe to the city.

Why do you think the arts are important to Tennessee?
Arts are as important to the human endeavor as any other industry. Many people directly make their living through music, writing, the visual arts and the performing arts and the state benefits indirectly by becoming a tourist destination and a place people want to live and raise families. It is the creative minds, those able to look at problems from different perspectives, who will lead us successfully into a better future. If we don’t support the arts, the state will not attract the diversity of mindsets needed to thrive.

Who or what inspired you to become an artist?
Comic books and cartoons.

What is your favorite medium/artistic outlet and why?
Concept art/character design. I like to read books and scripts and design everything.

Why do you love Tennessee?
I love Tennessee because I feel like I belong here.

What is your favorite place to visit in Tennessee and why?
I love to visit downtown Nashville because I like to go to Predators hockey games and concerts at Bridgestone Arena.

Why do you think the arts are important to Tennessee?
The arts are important to Tennessee because Nashville is the heart of the state's creativity with music and fine art.

Who or what inspired you to become an artist?
I was doodling on everything as a child and was scolded several times for ruining the walls in the house. I think I've always naturally been attracted to drawing and painting. Some of the influences from my childhood that have shaped me were growing up in England and loving the variety of flowers everywhere, colorfully animated Disney movies, and traditional Pakistani dresses and henna body art, which I experienced from my mother's side of the family. 

What is your favorite medium/artistic outlet and why?
My favorite medium or tool is, by far, my computer. Anything is possible. I love the entire process from making thumbnail drawings to bringing my concepts into Illustrator to sending files to the printer. However, the best part of creating on the computer is to see the final result, in the round. Any beautiful design can fall flat if the output material is poor. But if you have a good printing company with which you work, you can make a business card on a fibrous stock with foil stamping and an elegant die-cut, and you will have a fabulous finished piece of art for your portfolio.

Why do you love Tennessee?
I love Tennessee because there's a little bit of everything here. Hundreds of family farms — you can go blueberry picking or buy organic fruits. There are upscale boutiques for fashionistas, and art and culture galore. Tennessee is a good central location. In a matter of hours you could be at the Mississippi Gulf Coast beach, or meeting a client in Atlanta. The distance between Memphis and Nashville isn't too bad, so Nashville has been a weekend getaway destination for me many times.

What is your favorite place to visit in Tennessee and why?
I will admit that I have not been to Tennessee's eastern areas, but I hear that they are beautiful and I am very interested in visiting. So far, I absolutely love Nashville. The arts in Nashville are thriving, and the music and dance, as well. Once in a while, I will go there when there's a popular electronic music artist in town or to enjoy its counter-culture and to visit its many parks and museums.

Why do you think the arts are important to Tennessee?
The arts are important for everyone, but coming from one of the poorest cities, Memphis, I can tell you that enjoying art is a good reprieve from life's mundane problems. Art is a good extra-curricular activity for youth who may get into trouble otherwise. I am very supportive of the local public arts projects, such as the Urban Art Commission which beautifies lower-income neighborhoods, improves the quality of life and adds to the culture of the city.

Who or what inspired you to become an artist?
I was inspired to go to design school after high school. I went to the University of Florida and graduated with a Bachelor of Design, but ended up in arts administration most of my life.

What is your favorite medium/artistic outlet and why?
I love theater, film, music and visual arts, and you will see all of those outlets incorporated in my life. I have a group of women (25) that go to the theater regularly. I work at the Nashville Film Festival and love the movies. My husband is in the music business and I love being a part of that scene. And I started painting with acrylics just recently. I also collect art.

Why do you love Tennessee?
I came to Tennessee having grown up in Miami and living in Austin, TX, Portland, OR and Los Angeles. Tennessee was the biggest surprise to me. It is beautiful. I loved the incredible change of seasons, the vibrant arts community and the quality of life.   

What is your favorite place to visit in Tennessee and why?
While Tennessee has many beautiful areas with its mountains and lakes and cities, Nashville is my home and offers many of the activities that I love being a part of. I lived on Old Hickory Lake, traveled to East Tennessee, and spent time in Memphis. 

Why do you think the arts are important to Tennessee?
I have to live in a community that honors and supports the arts. It is that important to me.

Who or what inspired you to become an artist?
My parents are my inspiration. They have always supported my talents from a very young age and sacrificed many things so that I could go to the best schools to help me become a better artist and to follow my dreams. 

What is your favorite medium/artistic outlet and why?
My passion is designing in Adobe Illustrator. I thoroughly enjoy seeing that blank sheet of paper/canvas and seeing it come alive 4-6 hours later with a creation that I have made out of nothing,  like a brochure, or save the date card, or apparel design, that wasn't there before I started. I truly feel blessed to have this gift, and I thank the Lord for it daily.

Why do you love Tennessee?
The sheer beauty of the land, so green that sometimes it feels like the chlorophyll is going to fall out of the leaves! This beauty coupled with the artistic culture of the state and the friendliness of her residents make Tennessee the place we would like to call home for a long time yet. 

What is your favorite place to visit in Tennessee and why?
I love downtown Nashville for its artistic culture and musical vibe, as well as the spirit of academia that permeates the streets with the more than 19 universities that are located in and around the city. In addition to downtown, I love retreating to the Smokies to a cabin for a weekend or a couple of days. The serenity and beauty of the mountains are just exquisite to witness, and they have fast become one of my favorite places to visit in this state.

Why do you think the arts are important to Tennessee?
It gives variety, vibrancy and joy to our lives and is a part of the culture of Tennessee. With this rich heritage, it is important for us to keep the arts alive in our homes and communities for future generations to enjoy.

Who or what inspired you to become an artist?
My great aunt Mary, a painter who lived among the Navajo tribe in Rehoboth, New Mexico.

What is your favorite medium/artistic outlet and why?
I like painting with elements of collage right now. I had a show a year-and-a-half ago at Jack Robinson Gallery on Hulett Street (South Main Arts District) in Memphis with my friend Suzie Millions in which I explored paint/collage techniques. It forced me to slow down my mental process and think about color and shape within the confines of two dimensions. I also experiment with photo manipulation on the computer.  I like the immediacy of that medium.

Why do you love Tennessee?
I like the feeling that we have three states in one, all defined by specific, distinct musical traditions! No other state can claim that!

What is your favorite place to visit in Tennessee and why?
I enjoy the solitude of the Smoky Mountains. I also like Shelby Forest State Park closer to home.

Why do you think the arts are important to Tennessee?
I think people don’t realize how important art is to their individual lives, or they are aware of it only on a subliminal level. Until it’s taken away, they may not be aware of it at all. Art makes people feel more complete. It needs to be promoted locally, statewide and nationally.

Who or what inspired you to become an artist?
My mother is a Native American Storyteller from the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe. I learned while touring with her and assisting her on drums that the arts can be a way to communicate with others, a way to connect through generations, a way to preserve hope, trust, logic, myth and wonder, and a way to overcome life's difficulties.

What is your favorite medium/artistic outlet and why?
I am a video and performance artist because I like to use my voice and to perform with an audience. In Native American storytelling, the audience influences the stories and they participate in the telling (sharing). I want my artworks to create places where people can create and share. The work depends on the viewer, and oftentimes the viewer creates it.

Why do you love Tennessee?
I love Tennessee because it is full of natural wonders and hard-working, good people.

What is your favorite place to visit in Tennessee and why?
Ruby Falls. And I love Graceland — Elvis is a dreamboat.

Why do you think the arts are important to Tennessee?
Because we have preserved history through the arts in this state - from songs written for the civil rights movement down to the stories the wallpaper tells at the Hermitage, home of President Andrew Jackson. Tennessee, as a state, has had a lot of trials and tribulations just like our nation, and the hope and strength of the American people is documented in its arts.  We need art just like we need our natural resources, our oral and written histories, and our beloved communities.

Who or what inspired you to become an artist?
I was artistically inclined from a very young age and was inspired by both of my older sisters who also were good artists. My mother encouraged and empowered me to follow my instincts and eventually I found my career path in graphic design and advertising.

What is your favorite medium/artistic outlet and why?
I became involved with community theatre at the age of 12 where my fascination with the performing arts first began. I was particularly intrigued with the design of the set and how it morphed to create different acting environments. As a result, my love of the theatre continues and presently I hold the title of president of The Jackson Theatre Guild where I act, direct and, of course, design sets for our very active theatre company. I also create and maintain all the branding/advertising materials.

Why do you love Tennessee?
It’s my home and, as the girl with the ruby slippers will attest, there’s no place like home. In fact, I still can recall when I was in college and flying home from California the plane would begin to descend through the clouds somewhere over Arkansas and suddenly everything was lush green for as far as you could see,and I knew somehow I was back where I belong.

What is your favorite place to visit in Tennessee and why?
There are many places, each with its own unique beauty and intrigue, but I can’t help but be drawn to the mountains and valley parkways of Middle and East Tennessee for their panoramic beauty.

Why do you think the arts are important to Tennessee?
As I mentioned earlier, I got my first chance to act in a theatre production at the age of 12. That opportunity at that particularly formidable age made a lasting impact on me. It gave me the gift of confidence and the knowledge that we are all capable of accomplishing great things. As a director today, I derive great satisfaction in watching the pride and confidence of others grow as they hone their roles and showcase their talents.