Franklin Art Scene returns on Friday, June 1 to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Better Cities for Pets alongside Mars Pet Care and the City of Franklin. The pilot project launched in June 2017 with 90 businesses in Downtown Franklin opening their doors to furry friends. Make your way to Downtown Franklin for June’s Art Scene installment and find pet-focused artists among more than 20 sites as you explore the crawl.                              

Featured artists in the June Art Scene include:

  • Franklin First United Methodist Church, located at 148 Fifth Ave. S., will feature artist the works of Mary Ann McGinley, in addition to Jen Vogus and photographs by Centennial High School Transition II students. Vogus is an educator, photographer and disability advocate who recently led a photography project to show off the talents of the Centennial High School Transition II special education students.
  • Finnleys, located at 435 Main St., will host artist Megan Matthews who paints wild animals, nature scenes and has recently been commissioned to paint pet portraits.
  • Gallery 202, located at 202 Second Ave. S., will host artist Vicki Sawyer whose goal with her paintings is to evoke feelings of peace, joy and often humor.
  • Imaginebox Emporium, located at 311 N. Margin St., will showcase original illustrations created by Cory Basil and his novel “Perils of a Fishboy.”
  • John M. Green Realtors, LLC, located at 118 Fourth Ave. N., joins Art Scene for the first time and will host artist Susan Napolitono whose charming pet portraits fit right into the Better Cities for Pets celebration.
  • Landmark Booksellers, located at 114 E Main St., will feature Karen Kingsbury, #1 New York Timesbestselling novelist and America’s favorite inspirational storyteller, with more than twenty-five million copies of her award-winning books in print.
  • Outdoor Classic Structures, located at 203 Second Ave. S., will feature the works of Essence DeVonne, a wood carver/mix media artist whose subject matters and mediums range from hand carved pop art cartoons and musicians to mix media butterflies and abstract paintings.
  • Parks Realty, located at 415 Main St., will display the works of John Cowden, a Nashville-based artist specializing in landscapes, portraits, still life and more.
  • The Cellar, located at 344 Main St., will feature the works of Mary Jo Graham and her hidden crosses paintings.
  • The Registry, located at 347 Main St., will host author Laura Schupp and a special book signing of her work “Our Newly Wed Kitchen.”
  • Twine Graphics, located at 304 Public Square, will feature Ryan Rado, who is focusing his work into details of contrast and texture.

The Downtown Franklin Association invites lovers of the arts to stop by all participating locations during the evening’s crawl, and the Art Scene trolley is also available for free rides throughout the event, sponsored by Genesis of Cool Springs. For more information on the Franklin Art Scene, a full list of artists and a map of all featured locations, visit https://downtownfranklintn.com/the-franklin-art-scene/