Work by Current Bailey Opportunity Grantees
October 6-28, 2023
Work by Current Bailey Opportunity Grantees
Opening reception: Friday, October 6, 5:00-9:00 PM
Gallery hours: Monday-Friday 9 AM – 5 PM and Saturday, 10 AM – 1 PM. Additional hours: Fri Oct 13, 5-7 PM; Thu Oct 19, 5-7 PM; Thu Oct 26, 5-7 PM
The Arts & Culture Alliance presents an exhibit of painting, photography, ceramics, textiles, printmaking, and more by 16 of the individual artists who are recipients of an FY24 Ann and Steve Bailey Opportunity Grant. Artists in the exhibition include: John Allen, Ilina Arsova, Carra Artis, Michelle Barillaro, Tim Bridges, Shannon Davis Brock, Rebecca Buglio, Melissa Everett, Karen Ferency, Kathleen Janke, Cheryl Massey, Ty Murray, Jeremy Myles, Luis Santiago, Jessie Van der Laan, and Houston Vandergriff.
In addition, the First Friday reception features performances by artists who are also Bailey Opportunity grantees: Ty Murray, Jaleria Rivera, Appalachia: A Southeastern Wind Symphony, Domino Ensemble, Nief Norf and Roane Choral Society.
A part of the Arts & Heritage Fund, the Bailey Opportunity Grants provide financial and technical support to individual artists and small, professionally-oriented arts and culture organizations. The grants are designed to spur continued artistic and administrative growth in innovative, entrepreneurial artists and organizations at any stage in their development. Throughout the next eight months, the 19 individual artists will utilize their collective funds for local, regional, and national workshops, studio time, technical equipment, and more.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
John Allen received an MFA from the University of South Florida and a BFA from Clemson University. John has exhibited artwork nationally and internationally, and has been included in multiple juried art exhibitions, including the UNCA National Drawing Prospectus, the Cimmaron National Works on Paper Exhibition, and the ETSU Positive/Negative National Juried Exhibition. John has been an artist in residence at Maker’s Circle and the Hambidge Center for Creative Arts and Sciences. John’s work explores drawing in its many variations, while working concurrently in alternative photography. John also is heavily involved in local community art organizations, serving as vice president of A1LabArts and as a co-founder of The Big Camera. John’s work explores humans’ relationship with nature, using animals as a lens for mutuality with other organisms and as a lens for human behavior. John has taught Drawing and Art History at the University of South Florida, UT Chattanooga and Photography at Maryville College.
Instagram @john.allen.art
Ilina Arsova was born in Skopje, Macedonia, where she studied painting and art education at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University. Currently she is a PhD student in Socio-Cultural studies of Sport at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. As a member of the Association of Painters of Macedonia since 2005, she has exhibited in solo and group shows around the world, including in Washington, DC; New York City, NY; Berlin, Germany; Quito, Ecuador; Shanghai, China; São Tomé and Príncipe; Macedonia; and Malaysia. As an environmental activist passionate about adventure and mountaineering, the connection with nature becomes a significant part of my art works. In 2020 I became the first woman from Macedonia and among 70 in the world to complete the seven summits mountaineering challenge, including the exceptional journey to the top of the world, Mount Everest. Inevitably the art works are inspired by my journeys, portraying the lived experience in a form of visual diary, complimented by a conceptual performance named ZERO where the artist becomes part of the artwork. The fetus position of a female nude immersed with the landscape is a symbol of a new beginning, a hope for a new humanity with higher respect towards mother nature, emphasizing the elements which give life.
Instagram @ilina_arsova | Instagram @ilina_arsova_art
Carra Artis holds a BFA from Auburn University. She moved to East Tennessee in 2013 after a long career as art director at the University of Mississippi and as free-lance designer. Excited to find the weekly plein air group, “Tuesday Painters,” began wholeheartedly pursuing on-location landscape oil painting. She has also grown as well by traveling and taking workshops by highly respected plein air painters. Carra has shown and sold her work locally at several venues. Her style is contemporary impressionism. She paints in oils striving to capture the light, shadow and mood of the scene she is inspired to paint. She strives to leave out unnecessary detail to paint the essence of a moment in time. Carra is drawn to paint mountains, fields, rivers, farms and urban scenes. The majority of her work is plein air, with studio touchups. Larger works utilize plein air studies and photo references.
www.carraartis.com | Instagram @carraartis
Born in Gainesville, FL in 1969, Michelle Barillaro moved to South Florida and essentially grew up on the beach, which deeply instilled her love for the saturated colors and tranquility of this tropical environment. The built environment also enticed Barillaro, and she moved to Knoxville to attend the University of Tennessee’s School of Architecture. After completing her degree, she stayed in East Tennessee and absorbed its natural beauty. While in college, Barillaro took multiple ceramics courses and honed her sketching and drawing skills related to architecture. Just two years ago, she took an eight-week workshop on mixed media at her local community art center and felt the passion for creating – specifically painting – reignited. Abstracts have always been a constant, whether they feel soft and moody, linear and architectural, or suggest a sea or landscape. She paints the recognizable colors of Florida and the suggestion of the hills of Tennessee. Abstracts allow the viewer to see something related to their own personal experiences and dreams.
Instagram @m.bartist | michellebarillaroart.com
Tim Bridges
I am a lifelong fiber/fabric artist whose clothing designs are vibrant contemporary reinventions/reinterpretations and/or reflections of patterns found in Rococo and Art Deco architecture, coupled with and incorporating references to Appalachian quilting patterns and stitching. I work typically with used/recycled denim for its suppleness, hidden charm, and strength. Denim has demonstrated a willingness to be transformed, both in appearance and texture, creating a beautiful finale between the way it was originally designed and the way it looks after I have reinvented its form into a jacket, a handbag, a skirt, and/or perhaps a dress or even throw pillow. Much like a painter or sculptor, my designs can be recognized in my finished clothing, as much of each piece is hand stitched with reflective attention to details, such as thread colors and weight, embellishments such as beads, unique buttons and closures, and most importantly, interesting patterns within patterns. As an aside, most of my material supply has been garnered from friends who for various reasons no longer have need of certain items. Therefore some of my creations incorporate antique material reinvented for contemporary use.
Shannon Davis Brock, a Knoxville resident for the majority of her adult life, is an accomplished artist with a diverse portfolio. Graduating from Carson Newman College, Shannon’s artistic journey has been marked by significant milestones. In 2005, she embarked on an entrepreneurial venture by establishing Davis Studio—a retail space encompassing an art gallery and frame shop, fostering a thriving creative community. In September 2017 she married Greg Brock and in 2020, Shannon transitioned her focus to her personal artistic endeavors, adopting the name “BrockLine Art.” Her paintings span across an array of mediums, including watercolor, oil, and acrylic, showcasing her versatile artistic style. With a special affinity for barns, intriguing structures, pop art signage, and the endearing companionship of dogs, her artwork breathes life into these subjects with vibrant color and engaging compositions. Shannon Davis Brock’s journey from nurturing a creative hub at Davis Studio to embarking on her own path as BrockLine Art reflects her unwavering dedication to artistic expression. Her works invite viewers to share in her passions through art. As an artist, entrepreneur, and Knoxville native, Shannon continues to leave an indelible mark on both the local art scene and the hearts of those who encounter her creations.
Rebecca Buglio was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She is an alum of the Rhode Island School of Design with an MFA in Ceramics (’16) and an alum of Berry College where she obtained her BA in art with concentrations in K-12 art education and studio art, ceramics (’13). She enjoys teaching children and adult ceramic and broom-making courses that use a variety of techniques while exploring nature for inspiration. Rebecca frequents art markets around East Tennessee selling her art as owner of Dust to Dust Studio. She has shown in a number of galleries across the United States and was a Hambidge Fellow in 2021. Rebecca currently helps run and lives at Rising Moons Farms in Philadelphia, TN with her fiancé. She works full time at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts as the Director of Local and Regional Programs.
www.rebeccajbuglio.com | Instagram @rebuglio
Melissa Everett is a self-taught quilter and textile artist living in Knoxville, TN. She received her BS from the University of Tennessee in Therapeutic Recreation in 2005. Always drawn to art and its importance in her life, she returned to making after the arrival of her first child. Everett’s work has been exhibited in national quilt shows; QuiltCon 2015, 2019, Modern Quilt Showcase at Houston International Quilt Festival 2019. As well as many exhibitions locally. She is the curator of Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild’s biennial modern quilt shows; an exhibit which brings her great joy in sharing the art and craft of quilting with larger audiences. Her work has also been published in QuiltFolk and Quilt Now magazines. Melissa is a process artist who moves organically through surface pattern design, experimentation with textiles and quilting.
www.melissaneverett.com | Instagram @mne_textiles
Karen Ferency was always a maker, taking design classes in high school and photography and jewelry classes at the Cleveland Institute of Art. Having lost touch with her inner artist when she detoured into the sciences in college, Karen’s renewed life as a potter began as a creative outlet at the end of each work day as a Water Resources Engineer. A community class in 2006 was the beginning of nearly two decades of learning, exploring, experimenting, building, and creating with clay. Such exploration became a deep-dive into pottery at the same time as growing her family. During that time, she started playing with different surface design techniques, notably carving. Karen loves the look and feel of raw clay, incised to create depth and texture. The whole process – from wheel throwing through glazing – is meditation and nature is often the inspiration.
Instagram @KarenFerencyStudio4B
Kathleen Janke experimented with various art mediums for years before becoming serious in the fall of 2019. Within two years, she sold her bed and breakfast to become a full time artist. In 2022 she sold work in 14 shows, via her website, and by word of mouth. Three craft guilds contracted her to teach classes, and she is currently building an art gallery and studio, Gracehill Fine Art and Basketry, in Townsend. Janke is a member of Southern Highlands Craft Guild, Piedmont Guild, Tennessee Craft, Tennessee Artist Association, Foothills Crafts Guild, Art Guild of Tellico Village, Blount County Arts & Craft Guild, Townsend Art Guild, Oak Ridge Art Center, the Arts & Culture Alliance, American Gourd Society, Handweavers Guild of America, and National Basket Association.
Cheryl Massey: The artist known as “Cherdo” can best be described as a lifelong enthusiast of paint, pencil, and pastels who patiently waited for the day when she could pursue her passion. In the background of career and family priorities, she developed her own artistic style independently. The Knoxville art community provided a wealth of opportunities to observe artists in action and feed her appreciation of the range of techniques and methodologies. With this abundant inspiration and a compelling drive to create, she considers herself to be in an “experimental” phase: I’m self-taught but not self-limited; I’m looking for new art endeavors every day. In the past year, her work has been seen locally in the Emporium, the Plateau Art Gallery, the Fountain City Art Gallery, private collections and various business venues. Currently, she is focusing on her own art business and exhibitions, as well as private commissions and sales of original art. My artistic process starts with a beautiful observation that my mind cannot seem to part with and ends with the hues that finally set it free on the canvas. I adore works that pop with bold strokes of colorful imagination.
Instagram @instacherdo
Ty Murray is a multi-faceted artist and activist. She takes interest in simultaneously celebrating and analyzing African American culture and identities through a myriad of artistic expressions. She received a BS in Public Relations, concentrating in Music Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She has served as a local musical tastemaker since 2017 as the DJ and host of Soul Power on 90.3 The Rock, where she spins two hours of soul, funk and feel good music every Sunday evening. As a modern day Renaissance woman rooted in the rural south, her art reflects who she is, where she’s from and what she aspires to see in the world. Through ceramics, photography, poetry, vinyl DJing and style, she chooses to create art that challenges, art that confronts, art that is loud, bold, colorful and soulful. To her, art is activism and she believes that music has the power to help connect, empower, and heal both individuals and communities.
Instagram @tys_eye | TysEye.com
Jeremy Myles an Artist & Ceramic Instructor living in Tennessee, born in Detroit Mi. Currently a Ceramics instructor at The Bottom Knoxville, Mighty Mud, and Former A.I.R. at Mighty Mud. During the pandemic Jeremy made his way to Tennessee to help out a friend, and found an art community along the way. In 2017 he obtained an Associate of General Studies with a focus in art from Oakland Community College. That year he was also a (MCAA) Michigan Clay Art Associations Scholarship winner. Throughout his life art has always been his passion across many mediums. Beginning his journey into art was with drawing and sketching. Handbuilding was his introduction into taking what he had envisioned on paper, and bringing it to life through clay. He took to wheel-throwing to expand the range of what he could achieve with clay. As an artist, always learning and growing, the goal is to take what he’s learned and integrate it into his art. Jeremy art can be both functional or sculptural, and he loves integrating Found Objects in his art.
Instagram @iamstoryh
Luis Santiago is a multidisciplinary artist focusing on collage. Originally from New Jersey, but now living in Knoxville, TN, Luis has always had a interest in art. Growing up on comic books and television, and using that media to escape a hellish childhood, Luis channeled that pain and negativity into his art. His collages, which he retreated towards during the tail end of the COVID -19 pandemic, show an artist probing the nightmares and dark fantasies of the viewer. Blending elements of surrealism, abstract expressionism, absurdity, and dark humor, Luis has made his collages stand out. Luis will never reveal what his collages really are about, as he would like the viewer to use their imagination to seek their meaning.
Instagram @LSartnstuff
Jessie Van der Laan was born in 1980 in Denver, CO. She received her B.F.A in Printmaking and Drawing from Washington University in St. Louis (2002) and her M.F.A in Studio Art from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (2009). Her interdisciplinary work is informed by her training as a printmaker, and a childhood spent knitting, sewing, drawing, and daydreaming. Her current work investigates memory, motherhood, identity through imagery that is shifted, interrupted, and repeated. She is currently developing a series of prints at Relay Ridge of Knoxville, in thanks to her 2023-2024 Bailey Artist’s Grant. She has shown her work in numerous national and regional exhibitions, including solo shows at Lindenwood University and Moberly Community College of Missouri, the Rose Center for the Arts in Morristown, TN, at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN, and Mighty Mud Gallery in Knoxville, TN. She makes her work at The England Studio, in Knoxville, TN, and is an Associate Professor of Art and Assistant Dean of Humanities at Walters State Community College in Morristown, TN. She lives with her husband and two children.
www.jessievanderlaan.com | Instagram @jessievdld
Houston Vandergriff is a globe-trotting travel photographer rocking an extra 21st chromosome. He received his Photography Certificates through the University of Tennessee Professional Programs after more than 200 hours of class time, homework, field trips, mentoring, and portfolio reviews. Born and raised in Knoxville, Houston’s camera opens doors for him around the world. He has traveled to 25 countries, and 49 of the 50 United States. His biggest passion, besides WWE, is helping break down outdated stereotypes. Houston enjoys visiting iconic places – like Big Ben in London, the Colosseum in Rome, tulips in Holland, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. But he also likes to get off the beaten path and explore new places, people, and experiences with his camera. Houston’s photography has given him a voice. Through various social media outlets (e.g. Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) he is working to change the outdated narratives surrounding Down syndrome and the disability community. Houston uses photography for inspiration, education, and advocacy. He spreads light and joy wherever he goes.
www.downsandtowns.com | Instagram @downsandtowns