In 2011, a core group of local artistic influencers gathered to discuss the launch of an art crawl in downtown Franklin, Tenn. On Friday, Sept. 4, the community will celebrate those visionaries’ work as the Franklin Art Scene hosts its four-anniversary event in the 16-block National Register district.
Linda Childs–a staff member at the Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County–also coordinates the monthly art crawl on behalf of the Downtown Franklin Association. She says the Franklin Art Scene is a champion for Middle Tennessee artists, and estimates the event has highlighted between 400 and 500 artists since its launch in 2011.
“The Franklin Art Scene was initiated to promote local artists and build relationships among merchants and shoppers. We believe it continues to be a monthly highlight for many patrons,” Childs said. “It’s a valuable asset to our downtown, and shows the passion that Franklin has for this community and its unique talent.”
The Franklin Art Scene committee say that they believe hundreds of patrons will turn out for the free event, and that they’ve continued to experience consistent interest and growth over the past four years.
The event boasts more than 30 participating locations and restaurants each month, with locations dispersed in and around downtown—including the Second South District and Bridge Street, as well as Columbia Avenue. As part of the milestone evening, many of the galleries and working studios will serve complimentary refreshments, and some will offer live music.
Free trolleys, provided by the Heritage Foundation, circulate among all the stops for attendees to jump on and off at will from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The Sept. 4 locations are slated to offer a sweeping variety of magnificent work ranges from mixed-media pieces and handcrafted jewelry to turned wood to original paintings. Below are some highlights of the anniversary:
-
Gallery 202–one of the founders of the art crawl–will feature the works of Melvin Toledo, a fine artist who finds beauty in everyday life by painting through oils.
-
heylee b. is hosting Joanna Marie, a local photographer who will display her black & white exhibition of scenes in motion.
-
Shelley Snow will showcase her art at Historic Presbyterian Church this Friday. A Franklin native and watercolorist, she spent more than a dozen years growing up in the Carnton Plantation home with her parents and two sisters.
-
In addition to live music provided by Chaz Williams, Jack Yacoubian Jewelers is hosting Penny Felts, a concept photographer who will be showing works from a dream-based polaroids shot over the last year.
-
Savory Spice Shop is displaying the works of photographer Phil Savage, who embraces black and white infrared images with hand-tinted touches for a surreal, other-worldly quality.
-
T. Nesbitt & Co. is exhibiting Michael Poindexter’s expressive brushwork and well-proportioned draftsmanship, that reference the changing light and atmospheric conditions observed from life.
-
Williamson County Archives will showcase the Southern Charm Exhibit by the Nashville Artist Guild, which offers a diverse array of inspirations. In addition, music will be provided by Barbara A. Stone.
-
Landmark Bank is hosting James Redding, a landscape artist who is well known for the intricate detail and unmistakable realism found in his paintings.
For more information on indvidual sites and artists, visit www.facebook.com/franklinartscene.com. To download maps and applications, visit www.franklinartscene.com.
