From the rhythm of the music created here to the natural beauty of our parks and greenways, there is a spirit of connection, celebration, and resilience at the core of Nashville’s identity. This city is a dynamic place where history is created and preserved, where innovation thrives alongside tradition, and where Nashvillians—old and new—are the beating pulse of a thriving and changing city.
The Soundwaves Gallery: THE HE(ART) OF NASHVILLE is a celebration of place, people, stories, and community spirit at the core of Nashville’s identity as a uniquely creative city. Meet the artists!
Michael Ray Nott began his art career in Austin, Texas as a graphic artist. His work appears in a number of poster retrospectives from that era, including the books, The Art of Rock (1987, Abbeville Press) and Homegrown (2015, Texas Monthly Press). During that same time he was privileged to study photography under the legendary Garry Winogrand who made a profound impression on him through his philosophy of photography. Michael’s early work in music and street art has come full circle and found its place in his current work in street photography, capturing the zeitgeist of this remarkable time and place in Nashville.
Honkytonx_4 Archival photo print on Fuji Crystal. The artist’s photography developed naturally by way of recording the vibrancy of downtown Nashville. This photo is part of a series documenting the people, the music and social issues that make up Music City USA.
Bethany Primrose
Bethany Primrose is a contemporary surrealist artist. A native of Nashville, TN, she received her BFA from Belmont University and has worked in art institutions such as the First Museum and Hatch Show Print. She’s been creating art in one form or another all her life, exploring the mediums of photography, printmaking, design and all things paint.
She currently works in oils with the human figure as her primary subject. She is currently exploring the idea of duality in all of her works. The exploration is not only a thematic pursuit, but also a formal one. She plays with contrasts in her compositions—dark against light, strong against subtle, clarity against the surreal.
Bethany has recently shown at Cheekwood, The Coop Gallery and The Tomato Art Fest in Nashville and the Janice Mason Art Museum in Kentucky.
John’s Heart for Nashville Oil on canvas. The John Seigenthaler Bridge, which spans the Cumberland River in the heart of Nashville, represents more than just a physical crossing—it symbolizes a cultural and emotional bridge between the past and the future of our incredible city. Connecting downtown Nashville with the East Nashville community, it serves as a vein between the city’s diverse neighborhoods, cultures, and histories. The bridge’s combination of modern design, stunning views of the Cumberland River, and proximity to the iconic Nashville skyline, makes it a romantic and dramatic setting for these monumental life moments of love. In painting the Seigenthaler Bridge, the artist honors not only the architectural beauty of the structure but also the shining example of strength, compassion and empathy of the man that the bridge is named for, and his legacy that reflects upon Nashville.
Myesha ‘Marz’ Ramsey
Myesha ‘Marz’ Ramsey (b.1998) is a self-taught Black visual artist from the Southeastern United States whose multidisciplinary practice explores identity, cultural narratives, and the connections between mind, body, and soul. Drawing from her background in exercise science, arts, and psychology, she creates harmonious works that blend mediums such as canvas, acrylics, photography, fiber, and text. By weaving diverse materials together, Marz illuminates the harmony between them, also serving as a metaphor for human relationships and shared experiences. Looking ahead, she is eager to continue pushing boundaries, using her art to explore themes of love, identity, and community.
Downtown in December Digital photography. This photograph captures a fleeting, cinematic moment just days before the tragic bombing that would forever alter Nashville’s 2nd Avenue. The photograph, bathed in the warm glow of a December sunset, reflects the mirrored buildings along Commerce Street, offering a stunning juxtaposition of light, architecture, and time. The saturated colors evoke both a sense of nostalgia and poignancy, as the image holds the weight of history in its stillness. This photograph invites reflection on the fragility of moments, the passage of time, and the resilience of a community in the face of loss. Tied to The HE(ART) OF NASHVILLE, it speaks to the heartbeat of the city—its ever-evolving spirit, where light and shadow intertwine, and history is both preserved and reshaped.
This unique exhibition features 44 artworks by 44 local artists selected by the Nashville Soccer Club and the Arts & Business Council in collaboration with a three-person curatorial committee comprised of local arts leaders Michael J. McBride, Artist, Illustrator, Printmaker, Painter, and Instructor of Art at Tennessee State University; Amanda H. Hellman, Director of the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art; and Michael Mitchell (aka mikewindy), Artist and Art Education Coordinator at Tennessee State University.
The artwork will remain on display in the Soundwaves Gallery at GEODIS Park through the end of the Nashville SC 2025 Season.