Sai Clayton

Sai Clayton (she/her) is a Nashville-based visual artist and independent curator. Clayton’s work situates self-portraiture and cultural icons as representations of transcultural paradoxes. Her recent solo exhibitions include: [Freeze Frame], OZ Arts (2025), neutral zone, The Forge (2024); Game of Two Halves, Electric Shed (2024); and HĀFU, Random Sample (2023). Select group exhibitions include Flux, Haley Gallery (2025), Summer Break, Sheet Cake Gallery (2025), and Rise Above, Zeitgeist Gallery (2024). Residencies include the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center, State Gallery, Stove Works, and the Hamblet Artist-inResidence at Vanderbilt University. She currently serves on the board of COOP Gallery and is the Programming Director at Arcade Arts Nashville. She was the 2021-22 Curatorial Fellow at the Frist Art Museum and holds a B.A. in Visual Arts from Middle Tennessee State University. www.saiclayton.com

Kelsey Duncan

Kelsey Duncan is an American artist currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. Duncan received his Bachelors of Fine Art from the University of Montana and his Masters in Fine Art from Ohio University. He has been the proud recipient of over 10 artist fellowships that have allowed him to pursue a full-time studio practice through 6 different national and international artist residency programs. His work has been exhibited in group and solo exhibitions throughout the United States and Eastern Europe and Japan. More recently, Duncan has been an instructor of record at Ohio University and a long-term instructor at the Archie Bray Foundation, the 92Y and the Clay Art Center in New York. He currently serves as Assistant Professor in Ceramics at Middle Tennessee State University. Through his work in figuration, Duncan explores the resilient nature of the human experience and the complex politics of the human body. KELSEYDUNCAN.NET

Sarah Edmonds

Sarah Edmonds is an artist, printmaker, and community educator with a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking from Indiana University. She serves as Education and Programs Manager at Nashville’s historic Hatch Show Print, guiding hands-on programs that connect thousands of visitors each year to the craft and culture of letterpress printmaking through welcoming, mission-driven engagement. She has taught at colleges and universities and completed artist residencies in the Yukon Territory, Italy, and the Czech Republic. Her contemplative, process-based studio practice uses paper and fabric as surface and structure, often incorporating subtle color, intuitive markmaking, and hand-stitching. Sarah sees creativity as a life-enriching path that fosters curiosity and connection.

Carlos Hooper

Carlos Hooper is a graphic designer and artist that has been working in the field for over 30 years. He has worked for ad agencies, design firms, national and international corporations, in the US and Mexico. Throughout his career he has had the privilege of teaching at several colleges and exhibiting his artwork. He is currently working as Assistant Professor and Director of the Graphic Design Program at Lipscomb University.

Dr. Megan Jordan

Dr. Megan Jordan (aka Dr. Meg) is a Southern, self-taught artist who operates at the intersection of art, social justice, and research in Nashville, TN by way of Huntsville, AL. With a PhD in Sociology from Vanderbilt University, Dr. Meg is a National Award-Winning multidisciplinary artist, community organizer, and researcher. Her creative practice centers on whimsy, imagination, well-being, and the interconnectedness of all people, weaving these elements together to explore themes of justice, healing, and collective action.

Aisha KaiKai

Aisha SK, founder of Ish Picturesque, is a Nashville-based photographer and filmmaker whose work spans entertainment, fashion, tech, and commercial projects. Her experience includes coverage of major cultural events such as New York Fashion Week, the American Music Awards, CMA Awards, ACM Awards, and the Grammy Awards, as well as editorial shoots, runway shows, and leading tech conferences. She also works on corporate, commercial, portrait, and wedding projects. Her work has been featured in international media and magazines, including the BBC, and in local exhibitions throughout Nashville, Tennessee.

With a calm presence and a sharp eye for detail, Aisha creates imagery that is natural, elevated, and story-driven. Through Ish Picturesque, she brings a thoughtful, collaborative approach to every project, with an intuitive ability to translate moments into visuals that feel timeless and intentional.

https://www.ishpicturesque.com

Leah Langley McClean

DaShawn Lewis

DaShawn Lewis, a self-taught photographer, focuses his work on life happenings and promoting youth arts. Born and raised in Nashville, TN, his passion for photography traces back to his childhood. When making images, he prioritizes building community and fostering connections. Lewis uses the term “Life Photography,” which aims to authentically document real-life events, people, and environments. His primary objective is to highlight the significance of everyday life and everyday people. Recently, Lewis has collaborated on workshops and exhibitions with the Edgehill Brighter Days Program in South Nashville, under the leadership of Nancy Crutcher. Through community outreach, DaShawn has been able to connect and collaborate with other local artists, building a stronger arts community in Nashville.

Xavier Payne

Xavier Payne (better known as XPayne) is an award-winning artist and illustrator. Born in Flint, Michigan, and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Payne earned a BFA from Watkins College of Art Design, and Film in 2014. He began his professional career as a graphic artist working for companies with corporate clients. At the same time, XPayne moonlighted as an illustrator working for cultural icons like Spike Lee and Issa Rae, and gained support from the likes of Wesley Snipes and Martin Lawrence. In 2022, XPayne was named Best Artist of the Year by the Nashville Scene. His work is characterized by bold colors, organic shapes and patterns, and powerful, whimsical characters in fantasy settings.

Destiney Powell

Destiney Powell is a visual artist and founder of Poetically Illustrated Studios based in Nashville TN. Destiney’s work is a poetic expression of intertwined stories of the ancient past, present reality, and fantastical future. Currently, her work is inspired by African and African American history and creative expression of self. Through portraiture and figurative studies of body image and self-perception, Destiney is documenting a story from past to future of a collective experience within the African Diaspora regarding beliefs and identity around inner peace, acceptance, and connection.

Randy Wilcox

Randy Wilcox’s work is about conquering the cycles of addiction, abuse, anxiety and fear, both as part of his personal journey and as an inspiration for others. Wilcox worked for years in graphic design and fine art photography. During the pandemic, his work transitioned from photography to painting and mixed media. His first series, SHIFT, was inspired by his own path to overcoming anxiety and trauma. ICONS AND LEGENDS is Wilcox’s most recent series. In it he celebrates those who have fought through something to create art choosing each artist for their story of struggle, triumph over tragedy, and perseverance in the face of adversity. Art can heal and empower those who create it and those who partake in it. He wants his art to shine a light in the darkness of despair and celebrate the hope of overcoming.

Brandon Williams

Brandon Williams was born in Easton, PA. He received his BFA from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in 2013, and his MFA from Kansas State University in 2017. He has held previous teaching positions at Kansas State University and Oklahoma State University. Currently, Brandon is an Associate Professor of Art with Tenure in Printmaking/Studio Art for the Watkins College of Art at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. He specializes specifically in intaglio printmaking where he creates prints with contemporary techniques, approaches, and imagery. His prints have been shown extensively nationally and internationally in invitational and competitive juried exhibitions. He continues to make prints to this day. You can view more at brandonwilliamsart.com and on social media @rembrandn.

JR Ramsey

J.R. Ramsey is an artist born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Art with a concentration in sculpture from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She currently works and teaches at Cheekwood for the Adult Education Program, which offers continuing education for adults in gardening, design, and the arts. As a senior in high school, she received the Scholastic Gold Key award.