Liz Fuller

Liz is an artist born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. Growing up, Liz was an artist and a budding naturalist from a young age. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration with a minor in Art History from Savannah College of Art and Design. Liz has an unyielding passion for nature. Her love for animals and plants alike greatly influences her work. Liz is constantly inspired by the world around her, even places as simple as her own backyard. She enjoys giving her viewers the chance to be face to face with the natural world around them, seeing eye to eye with beings they may never experience in such an intimate setting. In recent years, Liz has developed a strong affinity for birds. In her watercolor work she attempts to evoke the aura of early naturalist paintings. Liz approaches her subjects with the wonder of first discovery and works meticulously to document them accurately. Through her illustrations she strives to provide her viewers with a new perspective on animal life. She currently resides in Nashville and is pursuing a career in Natural Science Illustration. 

Michelle Kimbrell

 

Michelle earned a BA in Studio Art from Georgia State University in Atlanta and an Associates Degree in Business from Georgia Perimeter College. In 2013 she continued on to become a Holmberg Arts Leadership Institute graduate. Shortly after Michelle moved to Chattanooga and in June of 2013 started an internship with AVA. Since then she has joined the staff as a membership director. Michelle is also heavily involved with giving back to the community and is a volunteer at Mark Making, an organization built around empowering people through art. Michelle has become a well-known emerging artist and is very highly involved with The Open Press, a Chattanooga print co-op as a printmaking apprentice. She is also one of the activities coordinators for CYAN, Chattanooga Young Artistic Network. Her unique style of two-dimensional mixed media has strong connections to her life and challenges the traditional views of the style. “I want people to be able to touch my art and be part of it, not just an observer but a participant,” said Michelle. Her work draws heavily from her life, family, and friends giving each of her pieces a personal touch. 

Turry Lindstrom

Turry, a Chattanooga native, is a local metal artist growing in the community. He began his career learning how to weld at Chattanooga State College and soon after found his artistic outlet in it. “I come from a family of artist and it took me awhile to find my own way to express my art.” In 2013 Turry built his own studio and began to practice art full time. He says it has been one of the toughest years for him but also the most rewarding. His unique style of using feeling over measurement to create gives a vibrant hand crafted appeal to all Turry’s work. Having a formal training in metal work gives his creations an apparent raw talent while the brush like torch strokes burning into the metal give it a freedom uncommonly seen in his medium. “It’s a deep, emotional, guttural thing when I create,” says Turry. “Its one of the best things I’ve ever done; its peaceful even as sparks and flames are going around everywhere.” Turry’s work is beginning to spread into the community and has had pieces displayed at the Hunter Art Gallery.

Michael Smelcher

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. Now when not working on his art Michael works as an auctioneer at the Chattanooga auction house. Recently Michael created the Mardi Gras poster for the Chattanooga Bach choir that was auctioned for a higher price then any previous poster. 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. Working mostly with acrylics to create Michael says his work is often like an experiment that no one is in control of as he moves the paint through out the canvas. The goal to my work isn’t to record an action but to record an emotion. “I want you to tell me how it makes you feel not the other way around,” says Michael. 

Maria Willison

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 spending two years with 35.85 she went to work for Cessna Decosimo, an international artist with a studio in Chattanooga. Maria is highly involved with other artist in the Chattanooga community and takes time to support local artist. “Art is what we do but it's also completely part of us, we would die if we couldn't do it,” said Maria. “Its ingrained into our brains and the community is so important for us.” As a sculptor her creations are not only highly technical but also carry a variety of emotions within them. Maria draws a great deal of inspiration from the human body. Her attention to anatomy and structure brings her work to life with its depth of reality. Maria’s work is a combination of theories as she brings the ideals of form from past centuries together with modern concepts and new ideas.