Julia Roach, Hope Church
The #FranklinArtScene is continuing its 5th anniversary celebration on Friday, April 1 by educating participants on Williamson County art and culture with a “Trivial Pursuit: Artist Edition” quiz and prize-drawing, as well as featuring a wide range of local artisans at new locations.
Coordinated by the Downtown Franklin Association, the free event will now include 28 participating sites dispersed in and around downtown—including the Second South District and Bridge Street, as well as up and down Columbia Avenue.
As part of the free event’s 5th anniversary celebrations, patrons will have the opportunity to participate in a Trivial Pursuit: Artist Edition quiz where they’ll answer questions regarding the featured artists and their work. Those who correctly answer eight questions will be entered into a drawing for the chance to win dinner for two ($100 gift card) to Puckett’s Boat House, as well as movie tickets to the Franklin Theatre.
Friday’s locations are slated to offer a sweeping variety of magnificent work, ranging from mixed-media pieces and handcrafted jewelry to turned wood and original paintings, including:
- Bagbey House, at 134 4th Avenue North, will showcase a variety of illustrations and paintings by Chris Ousley. Ousley enjoys painting and drawing all sorts of subjects in various genres – look out for landscapes, city scenes, and even pet portraits.
- Boutique MMM, at 238 Public Square, is going to display the colorful and cheerful works of Susan Hudnall. A longtime public school teacher in the art and media spaces, Hundnall has lead a life filled with creativity and finds her artistic satisfaction in acrylic paints.
- Early’s Honey Stand, located at 209 East Main Street, will feature works from award-winning visual artist Amy Stielstra. Her pieces vary widely in media, texture and color, and have appeared in books, magazines and national advertising.
- Hope Church, located at 1820 Downs Boulevard, is pleased to host artist Julia Roach, a producer of bright and thoughtful pieces. Roach sees the artistic process as an exercise in faith and an invitation to reclaim childlike belief.
- Jamba Juice, at 504 W Main Street, is set to show fine art photography from Franklin-based photographer Dorma Tabisz. Tabisz sees an image as a canvas and achieves her artistic vision by applying various visual enhancements.
- Jack Yacoubian, found at 114 3rd Avenue South, will recognize National Autism Awareness Month by celebrating the talents of five community artists who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
- Landmark Bank, over at 198 East Main Street, has tapped painter Wendy Fiedor to display her various paintings on canvas. After a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, Fiedor traded her corporate hat for a paintbrush in order to create faith-inspired art.
- Landmark Booksellers, located at 114 East Main Street, will have a collection of paintings on display from Bill Puryear. Expect to see landscapes that celebrate the beauty of nature and our environment.
- O’More College of Design, at 423 South Margin Street, has planned a bright showcase of posters and prints by the prolific, letterpress-extraordinaire Bryce McCloud. Expect novel prints and bold designs.
- Parks Realty, located at 415 Main Street, will have walls filled with the abstract works of Kimberly Kelly, a 2013 graduate of O’More College of Design. Kelly’s texture-filled pieces draw inspiration from landscapes, nature and the dynamics of human emotion.
- Savory Spice Shop, found at 324 Main Street, will display vibrant paintings by Caroline Thompson. Thompson trusts her creative instincts and believes artists who embrace their own creativity, rather than fight it, always create something magical.
- Shannon Eye Care, at 407 Church Street #1, will showcase a collection of pieces by LeAndra Crystal. Crystal originally enrolled at Fisk University to become a neonatal surgeon, but soon pivoted towards the arts. Her dual interests are often represented in her work.
- Stites & Harbison, over at 604 W Main Street, has orchestrated a wonderful showing by artist Hannah Croteau. Born and raised in Montana, Croteau’s paintings are deeply influenced by nature’s beauty and wonder.
- The Registry, found at 347 Main Street, will host Madelon Lehner and a collection of her one-of-a-kind scarves. Made from raw fibers, including 100% silk, wool, bamboo and alpaca, Lehner creates her shawls entirely by hand .
- The Visitor Center, at 400 Main Street, will showcase a collection of handmade ceramic plaques by Janeth McKendrick. McKendrick has called Franklin home for over 20 years and modeled each displayed piece after a historic building or site significant to Franklin.
- The Williamson County Archives, located at 611 West Main Street, is featuring the works of Laura Saylor Rheinlander, a Franklin local who has been painting and drawing ever since she can remember. Her art is characterized by fluid lines, textured brushwork and layering of color.
Many of the galleries and working studios serve complimentary refreshments during the evening, and some offer live music. Free trolley rides provided by the Heritage Foundation circulate among all the stops, and patrons can jump on and off at will from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
In addition to an online map and QR code, a Franklin Art Scene smartphone application is now available on Google Play. The download gives users up-to-date information on the upcoming art crawl and its locations.
For more information on indvidual sites and artists, visit www.facebook.com/franklinartscene.com. To download maps and applications, visit www.franklinartscene.com.