Painter, sculptress and author chosen by notable Nashville judges and crowd voting for top honors at the Periscope Pitch
On Tuesday night, we named the winners of its 3rd annual Periscope Pitch Event at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center in front of a sold out crowd and awarded $7,500 in cash prizes.
After six weeks of intensive training and three months of one-on-one mentorship, a select group of 13 artists from a wide variety of disciplines had the opportunity to showcase their artwork and business plans at the Periscope Pitch. The event is the culmination of the our Periscope: Artist Entrepreneur Training program, presented in partnership with the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, Metro Nashville Arts Commission, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.
The top honor of the evening, the Pitch Perfect award of $3,500, was awarded to Megan Lightell, a contemporary painter with a focus on landscapes. Judge Max Goldberg, owner of Strategic Hospitality, said he “personally connected” with her work with the Land Trust for Tennessee, which Ms. Lightell collaborates with to capture natural landscapes that are in danger of being altered by human activity. Mr. Goldberg was so impressed that he offered to personally connect Megan with the interior designers he’s worked with for his renowned restaurants such as Le Sel, The Catbird Seat and Pinewood Social.
The Judge’s Choice award of $2,500 was presented to sculptress, Amélie Guthrie, whose wire sculptures imitate tree architecture using fractal systems. Judge David Rosen, President of O’More College, commented that Ms. Guthrie’s work, which can also take form in things like lighting fixtures was “smuggling art into our lives through function.
Tennessee Brew Works presented the People’s Choice award of $1,500 to author M. Simone Boyd. Ms. Boyd writes about relationships, marriages and families. Her work is aimed at transforming families, especially those touched by the cycles of poverty and incarceration. Judge Lauren Snelling, Artistic Director of OZ Arts, called Simone’s work “huge and important” to help address the challenges of today’s world. Jamaal Sheats, Curator of the Fisk University Galleries, and Stryker Warren, Entrepreneur, rounded out the judging panel.
In addition to cash prizes, all three winners were awarded a round trip flight from Southwest Airlines to anywhere they fly. The Pitch is sponsored by Southwest Airlines, Tennessee Brew Works, Pathway Lending, Launch TN, Frothy Monkey and The Curb Center at Vanderbilt.
Periscope provides a cohort of artist with the tools to see their artistic vision through an entrepreneurial lens including training, exchange, mentorship and exposure opportunities like the Periscope Pitch. Applications for the class of 2017 will open in January at abcnashville.org so keep an eye out!