2014 Emerging Artist
The Festival's Emerging Artists Program awards up to six artist scholarships. This opportunity is open to artists who have worked in the field on a more novice or part-time basis and would like to shift to making professional-level work full time. They may be people who have worked in another field for years and moved over to visual arts or are beginning their work in the visual arts immediately upon graduation. In support of this, AVA provides complimentary booth items, a daylong “how-to” workshop, and special visibility to several artists whom the jury selects for each festival. Please be sure to visit their booths and encourage them in their work!
Liz Fuller
Liz is an artist born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. Her unyielding love of animals and plants alike have a great influence on her work. Liz is constantly inspired by the world around her and enjoys giving her viewers the chance to be face to face with nature. Read More.
Michelle Kimbrell
Chattanooga, TN
Michelle moved to Chattanooga in June of 2013 and started an internship with AVA and has since then joined the staff as a membership director. She also is heavily involved with giving back to the community and is an administrative assistant at Mark Making, an organization built around empowering people through art. Read More.
Turry Lindstrom
Chattanooga, TN
Turry, a Chattanooga native, is a local metal artist growing in the community. His career began learning how to weld at Chattanooga State College and soon after found his artistic outlet in it. In 2013 Turry built his own studio and began to practice art full time. Read More.
Michael Smelcher
Chattanooga, TN
Michael is a self taught Chattanooga artist breaking into the community. Before starting on his own work he studied to become an art teacher as well as spent time as a marketing agent. The self-described “late bloomer” of an artist has been working hard to enter into the community and even has one of his works as the album cover for a local music artist. Read More.
Maria Willison
Chattanooga, TN
Maria graduated from Covenant College in 2010 where she studied sculpture. During this time Maria joined the 35.85 artist guild as one of their first full time artist interns. After 35.85 she went to work for Cessna Decosimo, an international artist with a studio in Chattanooga. Read More.