Artists In Nashville

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Melody Erickson: Melody@ArtistsInNashville.com
Artists In Nashville
(615) 430-8344

ARTISTS IN NASHVILLE TO PRESENT ‘HOLIDAY ART PARTY’ -

FINAL GALLERY SHOW FOR 2011 SEASON - ON NOV. 12.

Event to Showcase Original Works by Six Nashville Visual Artists

     NASHVILLE, Tenn. (October 2011) - Six visual artists from Nashville will present their original works on Nov. 12 (Saturday) at Artists In Nashville’s "Holiday Art Party".

     The event will occur at Classic Modern at 2116 Eighth Ave. S., and will feature an art exhibition and live music. Show hours are 5:00-9:00 p.m.

     Admission is free. Attendees will enjoy original art, complementary beverages and live music performed by Nashville musician Aly Sands. For more information visit http//www.artistsinnashville.com.

     “We have timed this event to fall just before the start of the holidays,” said visual artist and Artists In Nashville founder Melody Erickson. “This will be our last opportunity to get together this year and we wanted to go out with a bang!”

     The event will be Artists In Nashville’s final show for the 2011 season. The following artists will have work on view and for sale:

     * Brenda Nichols (oil paintings and water colors), Jolene “JoMac” McKenzie (guitar-themed mixed media), Dina Lynan (jewelry designs in sterling silver), Linda Catlett (jewelry designs in silver precious metal clay), Michael Grine (abstract expressionist paintings in acrylic), Melody Erickson (earthy, primitive jewelry designs and floral-themed acrylic paintings).

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Following are some tips for preparing for a show where you are responsible for creating and executing your own display. Consistency in Theme and Technique Collectors want to see work that is consistent. They don't want to see all the work you've ever created while experimenting with different methods and styles.

1. When you apply for a show, be considerate. It's not about you. It's about the show. There are lots of other artists and other things to be coordinated.
2. Get your application in on time. 
3. Pay your entry fee on time.
4. Show up on time to appointments.
5. Arrive on time for events.
6. Have your display set up by the published deadline time.
7. Do not tear your display down before the published tear down time.
8. Do not try to dictate to the event management where your space should be situated because after all, you are a professional artist and have a large number of followers. 
9. If you have to pull out of the event, provide as much notice as possible to the event management. Do not just not show up. When you do not communicate your change of plans to the event manager you do not allow them the opportunity to fill your space or rearrange the space in order to provide a better visitor experience. This reflects badly on you, and you probably will not be invited back.
10. No Excuses! The quickest way to damage your reputation in any field of work is to practice poor follow through and hide behind excuses. If you've made a mistake, take ownership. You can lose credibility fast in this industry. Be a man or woman of your word and you will become respected by both event management and your peers! 

Eric L Hansen is an artist with works in several mediums. Printmaking, collage, photography, drawing, painting and computer-based imaging are his chosen media. He currently has several diverse bodies of work displayed on his website. His "Blood Rescue" series honors twenty-four rescued horses in mixed media pieces reminiscent of a shaman’s cave drawings. His “Dollhouse” and “A Child’s View of Rippaville” photograph series’ bring me back to the old family homes of distant relatives with whom my family long ago lost touch. Hansen’s eye surely is on the unique as well as the overlooked. His techniques in photography can breathe life back into the dusty old spaces of your mind – if you let them.

Hansen began making images at the age of 12, and while he later studied drawing and painting, print making remains his enduring passion. He earned a BFA degree at Newark College of the Arts in creative writing and theatre: the art of telling a story with actors, colour, light, shadow and space.

Hansen’s work has appeared in more than thirty group shows and solo exhibitions, where he has won numerous awards. His private collectors include the actress Drew Barrymore; and film and radio producer Margaret Koval. Some of his work was purchased recently by the LaGrance Museum of Art for their permanent collection. His work has been featured in Eyemazing, the Lucy Award-winning fine art photography journal.

Most recently, Hansen was the recipient of three First Place awards and one Honorable Mention in the 2010 WPGA Annual Pollux Awards! His First Place awards were in the categories of CitiScapes – Portfolio, CitiScapes – Single Image and Fine Art – Single Image. His Honorable Mention award was in Fine Art - Portfolio.

Eric lives in Spring Hill, Tennessee with his wife, poet Stellasue Lee and their two cats.

Several Artists In Nashville and Art Party members/alumni have works on display at Chromatics through June 3rd!

Tonight's opening was very well attended! Congratulations to: Robyn Morshead, Carla Christina Contrera, Nancy Hilgert, Elaine Allen

Congratulations to Christian Sperka (Animal Art Photography) for being the featured photographer in the latest TRVL magazine issue SOUTH AFRICA - GAME PARKS TRVL is a magazine exclusive to the iPad. Christian's work will also be on the cover of the next issue of PAW magazine. "Lucy (English Bulldog) was a great model." The PAW magazine (www.nashvillepaw.com) is available all over Nashville (for free!).

Nancy Hilgert draws fine art. She’s been drawing since she was a little girl, growing up in Northern Virginia. Nancy’s primary instruments are graphite, charcoal and colored pencils. Her subjects range from figures to flora and fauna to architecture, and some abstract work thrown in for good measure.

Nancy grew up loving the outdoors. A typical day included skates, bicycles, tree houses and horseback riding. As a young girl she drew the things she loved surrounding her – farm structures, horses and landscapes. Years later, as a Fine Art major in the Art and Architecture Department of The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, she studied watercolor, figure drawing, sculpture, cinematography, several forms of print making and mixed media. She completed her college studies with a double major in Studio Art and Drawing, minors in Intaglio and Art History.

Nancy’s career path has taken her from creating billboards to publishing fulfillment, pharmaceuticals, corporate VP and finally – for reasons of physical and mental health – starting her own farm. For sixteen years Nancy built a business around an equestrian facility right here in Nashville – teaching and consulting buyers, caring for horses and tending to 100 acres of land. It was this pursuit that eventually brought Nancy back to art – or maybe better said, it brought art back to Nancy. In 2004 Nancy was called to switch gears once again, this time turning away from the horses in favor of art.

Nancy’s current inspirations include the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Northern California and Oregon coasts. The mountain trails, cabins, wildlife and flora have provided new inspiration for her work.

“Kitchen Window” and “Under the School House” from The Smokies Series won first and third prize respectively in the Drawing Division at Kingston Spring’s Art in the Park in October, 2010.

We recently asked Nancy to answer a few questions for us. Read on:

When and where are you happiest?

I'm happiest outside! I love trees, hiking, the Pacific Ocean, rocks and flowers - this is a long list. Obviously, I love nature. In terms of places I'm happiest, the Oregon Coast and the Great Smoky Mountains.

Describe a real-life situation that inspired you?

My trip to Oregon a year ago, touring the coast and the Willamette Valley was thoroughly inspirational. Being near the ocean, hiking through the redwoods and big spruce, photographing lighthouses was immensely inspiring. I visited a coop gallery Old Florence and met one of the artist members who gives creative spirit workshops. It was really fun and enlightening. I work to continually meet new artists, visit new galleries and view art of all kinds.

Who has most inspired you in your life?

This is also a long list! I love several masters long gone, like Leonardo da Vinci, Michealangelo and Klimt, but I have to add some of my art school professors, as well as J.D. Hillberry, a superior contemporary graphite artist.

What memorable responses have you had to your work?

When I do art festivals, the most enjoyable part is the consistent inquiries about how I do what I do. Yes, it's very realistic, but I love that they always ask about the execution. The most frequent question is "how do you have that much patience?" This is always amusing to me, because there is no patience involved for me. I just do what I do, however long it takes to get what I want in an image. Time just passes.

What is your dream project?

That would be a mandala that I've designed with a double overlapping frame, two layers of glass, two separate drawings, that make three images. More on that when it's complete!

Where is your favorite or most inspirational place Nashville?

I love The Frist Center, Percy and Edwin Warner Parks and Bowie Nature Park in Williamson County.

Where would you like to be professionally in five years?

In five years, I plan to have representation in three excellent galleries, anywhere in the U.S., and working on my craft full time. I've made significant progress in the last year, with lots happening this year as a result of diligence.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

DO WHAT YOU LOVE! In all things, follow your heart, know what you want and do it.

What are you working on now?

I have two series I adore and create in presently. "Ocean Things" inspired by found pebbles, coral, sand dollar and starfish from the Pacific, and "The Smokies Series" that is my longest running collection. I will continue to work in both of these subjects for a long time, because I'm so passionate about them.

What have you stolen/learned from another artist lately?

Can't say that I've really done that. I love to look at the work of others and see where parts of what they do that I like can be evolved to improve what I currently do.

What is one thing you can share with other artists in our group now? (piece of advice, favorite supplier resource, professional development opportunity/resource)

Again I would say do what you love - don't fall pray to fads or trying to create what you think is selling. That never works. Buy "Starving" to Successful by J. Jason Horejs if you are serious about progress in your career and certainly if you want to get into galleries. Do workshops, be searchable, and most of all, continually build a body of work.

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Nancy Hilgert is a member of the Arts Council of Williamson County, the Tennessee Art League and Artists In Nashville. She is a juried artist with the Tennessee Artisans Market at The Renaissance Center in Dickson, Tennessee. Her work is available online at her website, www.FineArtbyNancyHilgert.com and www.XanaduGallery.com. You may also find her work March 7th through June 3, at the Chromatics Second Floor Gallery Show, "in the biz 2.0", artists reception March 24th, 6 - 8 PM.

If you are a Tier 2 member of this site, you could be selected to be in our next Artist Spotlight!  To be selected, you must:

1. Become a Tier 2 member of this site and maintain that membership.
2. Maintain an active presence on the site.

(The only reason we would have to remove your interview at all would be if you had paid your Tier 2 dues only long enough to get your interview posted and then canceled your membership. We frown on that sort of thing.)