Go here to read them all, or check out a new profile each Thursday in The Williamson Herald!

Zeitlin & Co. Realtors is the presenting sponsor for the tour that benefits the Heritage Foundation.  There will be six private homes on tour, and a rare tour of two Bed & Breakfasts in Leiper’s Fork.

In conjunction with Franklin on Foot, walking tours will be available on Saturday, June 2.

Walking Tour Tickets may be purchased by calling 615.400.3808 or by visiting www.franklinonfoot.com.  Home Tour tickets are $25 each before the tour and $30 on the days of the tour.  Home Tour Tickets may be purchased by calling 615.591.8500, Ext. 18 or by visiting www.historicfranklin.com.

DFA member meeting are the first Thursday of each month, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The next meeting will be June 8, 2012, 8:30 a.m. in The Franklin Theatre on Main Street.

To learn more about what we do and how to become a member, go here.

The Franklin Art Scene is a free monthly tour featuring artists and working studios, with work ranging from handcrafted jewelry to antique prints and original art to mixed media and live music. A $5 trolley ticket will carry participants to dozens of art studios and alternative galleries. To see this month’s participating locations, visit its  website. For more information, visit its Facebook Page.

May 1, 2012

Franklin Art Scene Welcomes New Artists, Galleries

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Local furniture maker Scott Moore will celebrate the grand opening of his new Saddle Creek Design showroom at 813 Columbia Ave. on Friday, May 4th, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. as part of the Franklin Art Scene. The studio has been months in the making, with a group of interior design students from O’More College of Design helping Moore to maximize the space where he will showcase his custom furniture creations.

This monthly art crawl features galleries, working studios and other locations that highlight the artistic talent represented in Downtown Franklin.

“This event is taking on a life of its own, with new exhibits and locations being added each month,” said Nancy Williams, director of the Downtown Franklin Association. “People are amazed at the level of artistic talent, and the diversity of work shown as part of the Franklin Art Scene.”

Exhibits ranging from original art and blown glass to handcrafted jewelry and mixed media. Live music, wine and refreshments are often available at participating locations. For $5, participants can hop on and off one of the Franklin trolleys that make the rounds among the locations during the event.

Other features in May include: 

At Orbital Arts on Second Avenue North, woodblock printer Brian Smith has released two new limited-edition, three-color prints that will be for sale – Hot Coffee and The Ryman. Smith will have at least one more print in the works for the Art Scene, along with a full complement of other hand-crafted pieces.

Imagine Gallery of American Fine Art and Objects at The Factory will be wrapping up the fabulous Fantasy Exposed photography exhibit, featuring the works of Vincent Serbin, Kasa Kavass and Trin Bailey. Also, local painter Christina Baker will be showing her new abstract series Fresh Water.

Village Real Estate Services at the corner of 2nd Avenue North and Church Street will be showing the music-themed guitars that artist Josephine Getz adorns with paint and mementos which tell the stories of the careers of timeless musical contributors like Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton, as well as modern superstars like Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert.

On West Main, artist Sketch Bourque will be showcasing his graphite-on-paper still lifes, portraits and drawings at Kaleidoscope, and the wonderful antiques and accessories shop will be holding a drawing for two tickets to the Franklin Rodeo.

To learn more, visit www.franklinartscene.com.

April 1, 2012

FRANKLIN ART SCENE FEATURES SEVERAL LOCAL ARTISTS IN APRIL

More than 25 Locations Include Working Studios, Alternative Galleries

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – The Franklin Glassblowing Studio on Columbia Avenue will offer live demonstrations of various techniques for working with art glass Friday, April 6, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. as part of the Franklin Art Scene. The studio will also feature live music by local guitar virtuoso Regi Wooten.

This is the eighth monthly art crawl through the historic streets of Downtown Franklin. Though March’s Art Scene was cancelled due to inclement weather, the free event is every first Friday.

“It’s incredible how much fresh talent accompanies each Art Scene,” said Nancy Williams, director of the Downtown Franklin Association. “There’s a large and steady turnout each month, and we contribute that to the artistic gifts of our community.”

Franklin Glassblowing Studio owner Jose Santisteban will offer participants an inside look at the intricate process of the art form. Santisteban studied with Chihuly disciples in Seattle and with Venetian masters in Italy, and his work is recognized as some of the best in the South.

Some artists—such as Ken Walls and Randy Purcell at Arbor Antique Mall—slated for the March Art Scene will return for Friday’s event. Both Walls and Purcell will work on pieces during the art crawl, giving participants a chance to watch their pieces develop. This is the fifth Art Scene for Arbor Antique’s artist-in-residence Ken Walls, and the first time Purcell will work in public.

“Many people who come through the art crawl have a story to tell about the piece I’m working on. It’s been really fun because I work on things with a nostalgic component,” Walls said.

Live music will be featured at several Art Scene locations this month, including acoustic blues guitarist Tiger Gagan at Damico Frame & Art Gallery and pianist and vocalist Lauren Jane at Gallery 202.

Other highlights this month include:

Gallery 202 on Second Avenue South will be highlighting Leiper’s Fork-based painter Stephanie Hardy and three-dimensional sculptor Emily Allison from Primm Springs. Hardy has earned much praise for her collection of equine portraits, in addition to her abstract landscapes. Allison’s figures, collage, recycled metal art and sculptures made from found objects have been seen at the National Folk Festival and in multiple galleries.

O’More College of Design on South Margin Street will feature the work of the students in the College’s fashion design department. The Student Gallery in the Abbey Leix Mansion is showing photographs of original designs, artful illustrations and completed garments that demonstrate the process of fashion design. The students’ renderings focus on shape, line shading and highlights. At 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., they will also be drawing names for goodie bags from whats-in-store.

The Rains & Christian Realty Office on Fifth Avenue South is showcasing the works of local artists Deann Hebert and Myles Maillie. Hebert is known for her brightly colored and highly textured paintings. Her signature impasto-style of applying layer upon layer of acrylic paint, and finishing with a high gloss UV-protectant varnish is a technique that she developed by trial and error. Maillie’s work has adorned everything from buses, box towers and room size murals to tee shirts and ties, making him one of Nashville’s most recognizable and enduring artists. His style is energetic, often full of frivolity but nevertheless articulate and well conceived.

Kaleidoscope, the antiques and home furnishings shop on West Main, just past Five Points, will host artist/designer Megan Whittier and her colorful acrylic paintings and prints. They’ll have great refreshments, and will also hold a drawing for an 11×14 “quote” print from Whittier, a fun art piece created with different typefaces and other flourishes.

The Franklin Art Scene features artists and working studios, with exhibits ranging from original art to handcrafted jewelry and mixed media. Live music, wine and refreshments are often available at the twenty-seven locations. For $5, participants can hop on and off one of the Franklin trolleys that make the rounds among the locations during the event.

March 2, 2012

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Franklin Art Scene participants will have a chance to watch local artists Ken Walls and Randy Purcell work on pieces this Friday, March 2, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Arbor Antique Mall.

This is the seventh monthly art crawl through the historic streets of Downtown Franklin. Every first Friday, the Franklin Art Scene features artists and working studios, with exhibits ranging from original art to handcrafted jewelry and mixed media. Live music, wine and refreshments are often available at the 27 locations.

“It’s amazing how much talent accompanies each Art Scene,” said Nancy Williams, director of the Downtown Franklin Association. “The turnout has been incredible, and we contribute that to the artistic gifts of our community.”

Ken Walls is the artist-in-residence at Arbor. The self-taught painter works with acrylics and oils, and will begin a piece for his latest “Neon” series – a collection that focuses on nostalgic landmark subjects – during Friday’s event.

Last month, Walls painted a sign from the Wigwam Village, a Kentucky motel that’s listed as a national historic landmark. The artist said that visitors often interact with him as he creates art from photographs, reminiscing about their experiences with the subject.

“Many people who come through have a story to tell about the art I’m working on. It’s been really fun because I work on things with a nostalgic component,” Walls said. He recently finished a commissioned piece for a South Carolina woman who watched him paint at December’s Art Scene.

“It’s just fantastic. I see familiar faces who come to check out what I’m doing this month,” he said.

Arbor Antique Mall will also host Randy Purcell, a creative artist who will work on his series of encaustic paintings. Purcell, who is also a sculptor and a collage artist, transfers ink from magazine pages onto a bed of beeswax to create his pieces.

“My work always contains the subject matter of dreams,” he said. “This process fits, because you can’t transfer images perfectly. Each little piece is like a puzzle when all the images fit together.”

This will be Purcell’s first time to work in public. His art has been shown at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, and he was chosen to exhibit an installation in “ArtPrize,” an international art competition.

A $5 trolley ticket will carry participants to dozens of art studios and alternative galleries – restaurants and boutiques where visiting artists show their work. To see this month’s participating locations, and learn more about the Art Scene, visit its website.

For more information about the artists at Arbor Antique Mall, call Micki Goetsch at 615-599-1200.

For more information about Walls, go here.  For more information about Purcell, go to here.

February 1, 2012

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB ARTWORK ON DISPLAY AT FRANKLIN ART SCENE
Williamson County Youth’s Artwork to be Featured At O’More College of Design

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Artwork from 17 members of the Boys & Girls Club of Franklin will be on display during the Franklin Art Scene this Friday, Feb. 3, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at O’More College of Design.

January 4, 2011

THERE’S SOMETHING TO DO IN JANUARY!
Downtown Franklin’s Monthly Art Scene Provides Entertainment In Winter Months

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – The holiday festivities have come to a conclusion, but the downtown Franklin Art Scene is here to help keep the entertainment alive! The monthly tour of the arts takes place this Friday, Jan. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m., and will feature artists and working studios featuring everything from handcrafted jewelry to antique prints and original art, mixed media and live music.There is no set starting point or time. Participants are encouraged to visit as many art galleries as they’d like, and in whatever order they choose. Many locations serve light refreshments and wine. Don’t be afraid of the chill: a $5 trolley ticket will carry those who’d rather ride than walk to the dozens of art studios and alternative galleries.The Art Scene is an ongoing event, happening on the first Friday of each month. To see January’s participating locations, visit www.franklinartscene.com. For more information, visit its Facebook Page.

Who: Franklin Art Scene
What: Downtown Franklin’s Monthly Art Tour
When: Friday, January 6, 6 p.m.- 9 p.m.
Where: Downtown Franklin
Cost: Free to the public; $5 trolley ticket will carry participants to locations
Contact: cshelton@historicfranklin.com

December 2, 2011
‘TIS THE SEASON FOR THE FRANKLIN ART SCENE
Gift Opportunities Aplenty; Participants Using Art to Benefit Local Charities

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – ‘Tis the season to serve others! Not only will participants in the Franklin Art Scene’s downtown tour of the arts find great gift options at more than 30 locations, but they’ll also have the opportunity to combine creativity with goodwill. This Friday, Dec. 2, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Gallery 202 and Merging of the ARTS are both offering “community painting” pieces that will allow visitors to transform works into collective masterpieces.

The two locations will contribute proceeds from the night to the Fannie Battle Day Home for Children and My Friend’s House, respectively.

“This is something where everyone can contribute,” says Gallery 202 owner Kelly Harwood.

Harwood chose the classic “American Gothic” painting to recreate on canvas. Since Nov. 22, when it went on display, visitors to the gallery have been encouraged to help fill Harwood’s sketch. He says the artists have already incorporated unique touches into the painting, like the bushes added by visitors from California, and the ghost in the window painted by Franklin on Foot owner Margie Thessin.

“Our visitors had two minutes to make their mark on the world,” Harwood says. “It has our own twist on it.”

The completed 30” x 40” piece will be auctioned at Gallery 202 on Friday, during the downtown tour of the arts. Proceeds will benefit My Friend’s House in Franklin, a residential facility for abused and neglected boys in Williamson County.

Merging of the ARTS is offering a similar experience to participants during this month’s Franklin Art Scene as part of its “Little Angel” project. Owner Autumn Bethea has cleaned an old wooden choir angel she found at Arbor Antique Mall, and will display it for the public to embellish into an original holiday décor piece during the Art Scene.

The angel, as well as other original art items, will be given away at a drawing during the event. Contributions to the Fannie Battle Day Home for Children, an organization that provides care for at-risk youths, will be accepted during the event.

“The Franklin Art Scene is a great opportunity to let people know about the Fannie Battle Day Home and help those who truly need it,” Bethea says. “This year has been tough for a lot of people.  The charities have been hard hit by these economic times and there are so many that need our help.”

Bethea says that she chose the Franklin Art Scene to create the “community painting” angel because the event has consistently drawn large crowds.

“We are seeing the Franklin Art Scene grow in many ways and I’ve been so happy to see the number of families that are coming to the event together,” Bethea says. “It would be wonderful to think that this event might inspire a child to pick up a paintbrush and create art.”