The 2024 Class of Periscope RAD is:
Andrea Henry
Cheatham County
Encouraged at an early age to follow her passions, Andrea Henry (She/Her) gravitated to art. At seven, while living in Hingham, MA she won a tea set as first prize by drawing a gourd from the TV show Learn to Draw with John Nagy. She took advantage of living in Rhode Island by taking many different courses at R.I.S.D. She began with children’s en plein air drawing classes at the park, then entered high school Scholastic Art Shows and was awarded an Honorable Mention. Over the years she has explored many forms of art including extensive jewelry making, lapidary work, stained glass, fused glass, oil painting, and pottery. After attending Moore College of Art, she continued with jewelry making and design while raising a family. She developed a fashion line called Picaso in the 80s. In the last 10 years, encouraged by her husband, she has concentrated mostly on watercolor with works also in pastel and colored pencil. Her style usually leans towards realism with the subject many times being botanicals. She has many possible painting subjects in her greenhouse Little Marrowbone Farm. She looks forward to new mediums and experimentation. She often carries art supplies for quick sketching wherever she may be. She loves making up her own palettes of watercolor with themes based mostly on subject matter. She loves making charts and studying the properties of particular pigments. Discovering new and great papers and art supplies makes her happy. She belongs to and posts to many art Facebook groups according to specific criteria. She also takes online and in-person courses when available. Andrea is a member of The Art League of Cheatham County.
Bobby Curlee Jr.
Lawrence County
As a content creator, Bob Curlee, Jr. (He/His) blends a unique set of skills in audio and video production coupled with skills in multimedia and web design. With a passion for storytelling through multimedia, he has spent over two decades pursuing his passion for blending sound, visuals, and digital interfaces to produce content that resonates with audiences.
Bob recognized early in his career the indispensable role of web-based content and the power of audience engagement. He expanded his skillset to include content creation, web design and even mobile applications. In the ever-evolving digital landscape, Bob brings an innovative approach to each project. By adapting new technologies such as AI and automation, the boundaries of content creation can be pushed, further enhancing the audience and consumer connection.
Julie Jack
Polk County
Julie Jack (She/Her) is a tenured, full professor of art at Tennessee Wesleyan, where she is head of the Visual Arts Department and has been instrumental in developing the Art Curriculum, the Fine Arts Major, and the Visual Arts Studios. She earned her B.F.A. at Middle Tennessee State University and her M.F.A. from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she was awarded the honors of graduate and teaching assistantships. Her major emphasis was Printmaking and she minored in Fibers. Julie Jack was an Assistant Professor of Art at Elgin University, in Elgin, IL, and then began her career at Tennessee Wesleyan. Ms. Jack has traveled extensively with students, visiting museums and galleries throughout the United States and Europe. She is published and has received numerous grants to benefit her institution and her students (including a sizable grant from the Mellon Foundation). In addition, Ms. Jack is a co-owner and operator of Art and Frame, a productive visual artist, exhibiting nationally, and creating art that melds her understanding of contemporary issues with her Tennessee roots.
Mary Ann Gilfillan
Cumberland County
Mary Ann Gilfillan (She/Her) is a nature and flower photographer who currently resides in Crossville, TN. Hailing from Illinois, she became interested in photography in college when she enrolled in a photography course that was an elective for her communications degree.
After graduating from Illinois State University, she moved back to the Chicago area where work, and eventually family, took up most of her time. It was a trip to CMA Fest in Nashville in 2016 when she decided to pull out her camera to bring with her that she discovered that the world had moved on from film to digital photography. Luckily two days later a digital camera was delivered to her office.
In 2018, she moved to East Tennessee and was totally inspired by the beauty of the State of Tennessee. Her photos have graced the walls of various exhibitions and galleries, including the prestigious Fairfield Glade Art Guild, the dynamic a1ArtLab in Knoxville, the esteemed Knoxville Arts Cultural Alliance, and the Sweetwater Valley Citizens for Arts.
Reuben Smith
Dickson County
Reuben Smith (He/Him) is a 2005 graduate of Berea College with a Bachelor of Arts degree and certification in Art Education. He is an artist who works in a variety of mediums including printmaking, drawing, digital video, performance chalk art and ceramics.
Reuben has performed and spoken around the country in a variety of settings and capacities bringing a message of hope and inspiration. In 2020, he founded SPORE CLAY WERX with his wife and together they have created and sold hundreds of ceramic mugs at various festivals and fairs in the Nashville community. Reuben relocated to Dickson, TN in 2022 and has become an active member of the Artist Guild of Dickson County.
David Jaggers
Coffee County
David Jaggers (He/Him) is a visual artist from Middle Tennessee working primarily in the abstract utilizing acrylic and oil-based mediums. Using primarily metal tools, David applies multiple layers of paint, contrasting matte and gloss, transparent and opaque and rough and smooth to generate organic complexity. The goal of David’s art is to capture the viewer’s attention at a distance with color and value contrast, and then draw them in closer to experience the textural and surface aspects of the work. Surface over content is the thread that unites all of David’s work. David has a B.A. in Art History from Western Kentucky University and has studied under renowned glass artist Kate Fowle Meleney, where he learned to incorporate texture and layering techniques from glasswork into his visual art.
Sommer Pearson
Dickson County
Sommer Pearson’s (She/Her) mission is to make the world a better place by promoting love, championing equality, and creating opportunities for others to succeed. Having seen the inequity of artistic opportunity between residents of Dickson County and its larger, more economically advantaged neighbors, she is driven to balance the scales. Through the newly incorporated Dickson Arts Council, Sommer is working to create a home for the arts in her hometown. She is passionate about bringing performing and visual art and arts experiences to her neighbors. She believes that the arts have the power to bring people together and that they are a critical component of a vibrant community.
Will Prater
Coffee County
Will Prater (He/They) is a native of Detroit, Michigan, but now lives in Tullahoma, Tennessee. He has been in over a hundred theatrical productions in his twenty-seven years of acting. He currently works as Creative Director of his own company, Crash Course Theater. His company, which is based on a minimalistic principle, states the purpose of focusing on the playwright’s voice and the actor’s choice. Will spends his time reading (play scripts), writing (play scripts/skits) and watching Broadway HD.
Whenever he is not “theater-ing” (he realizes it’s not a word, but insists on using it anyway), he spends time playing cards and other board games with his wife of thirteen years. He also has great joy in being the father of three gorgeous kids who are becoming three monstrous teenagers.
Monica Reynolds
Putnam County
Monica Reynolds (She/Her) is a fairly new artist located in the small town of Baxter, TN. When she first came to Baxter about 4 years ago, the first thing she noticed was an abandoned art studio a block from her apartment! After peeping inside the windows, it was quickly realized this space would be a great place to hold classes, exhibits, etc. Perhaps one day it will once again be able to create beautiful works of art and even help others to do so as well, or at least open their minds up a bit.
Jenna Horne
Bedford County
Jenna Horne (She/Her) first became interested in the art of mosaics about 20 years ago after seeing an artist in her South Carolina hometown create an inspiring community project by covering a (real) tractor with pieces of broken glass and grout. Jenna created her own spin on this medium by incorporating crockery, ceramic tile pieces and even scrap metal into her works of art. Her friends and family now save their broken cups and plates in the hopes that they will find new life in a mosaic wall hanging. Painting has always been an enjoyable outlet for her creativity as well. Most recently, Jenna has become very interested in learning beadwork and is creating one-of-a-kind fringed earrings made from Japanese Miyuki beads.
Mia Cataldo
Bedford County
Mia Barrett Cataldo (They/Them) is a two-dimensional visual artist with a focus on portraits. Born and raised in rural Middle Tennessee, Mia has been drawing since they could hold a pencil. They have seen many different styles and influences over the years but always comes back to their favorite subject matter, science fiction. Be it characters from their favorite shows, or original designs of whimsical-humanoid creatures, Mia has always been passionate about the unique and strange perspective of things beyond our world.
Mia, a contributor to the Bell Buckle Arts Council, is working to build their brand and reach a wider community of artists and art appreciators. They have participated in events such as the Bell Buckle Arts and Crafts Fair, Murfreesboro Art Crawl, and more. They have also worked in freelance design making posters, product labels, etc. for events and businesses throughout Tennessee.
Jerod Ra’Del Hollyfield
Smith County
Jerod Ra’Del Hollyfield (He/Him) teaches film at Carson-Newman University and is the executive director of the Southern Oasis Film Festival in Sevierville, TN. Hollyfield’s short film, “Goodfriends” (2013), screened at over a dozen film festivals, including two Oscar qualifiers, and was endorsed by national disability organizations. He also created The Assisted Stories Project—a collection of video essays that aims to preserve the narratives of the South’s elder population. Hollyfield’s academic research examines the American South within a settler-colonial context. His book, Framing Empire: Postcolonial Adaptations of Victorian Literature in Hollywood, was released in 2018 by Edinburgh University Press. His other academic work has appeared in several journals and edited collections.
Crystal O’Neal
Bedford County
Crystal O’Neal (She/Her) is a passionate artist who revels in unveiling her God-given talent through vibrant paintings, murals, and diverse art projects. With an artistic spirit that thrives on experimentation, she fearlessly explores new mediums to bring life to her creative visions. Her art is a celebration of the beauty that surrounds us. She takes joy in capturing the essence of loose florals, the charm and warmth of pets and homes, and the character of vehicles. On her canvas, the colors dance freely, creating visual symphonies that resonate with viewers. Crystal’s work reflects her keen eye for the unique personalities in everyday subjects. With each brushstroke, she transforms ordinary scenes into extraordinary expressions of joy and wonder. Crystal’s artistic journey is a testament to her unwavering dedication to the craft, where each stroke and hue reflects a profound connection to her Divine gift and enthusiasm for sharing beauty with the world.
Clover Honey
Bedford County
Clover Honey (She/Her) is a small-town artist who loves capturing the magic of small-town, everyday ordinary life. She is a self-taught artist from Unionville, Tennessee. Working in oils, she paints an array of subjects from animals to landscapes to abstract if the notion strikes. Clover is working toward perfecting her portraiture skills so she can capture the people of everyday life as well as the places. Clover’s artwork is a reflection of the joy she finds in a small town and the connection most people have to the small town feel. When she isn’t in the studio creating or in the classroom encouraging other artists Clover enjoys hiking or driving around looking for inspiring scenes.
Musa Suber
Grundy County
Musa Suber (He/Him) is a self-taught artist who enjoys painting realistic-looking subjects as well as abstract. He can recreate a scene from a picture or a suggestion in the buyers’ mind. He paints in real-time during his shows, offering attendees a unique view of his natural talent. Musa’s interest in art sparked around the year 2006 while watching his older brother sketch.
Musa enjoys using a wide variety of painting styles with acrylic, watercolors, and oil paints. The painting that he is most known for currently is Leonidas the colorful Lion painting. He created this painting shortly after the death of his father at the beginning of 2021. In closing, Musa’s goal is to be able to share his art around the world and to have a legacy to pass on to his two children.
For more information on Periscope: Rural Artist Development, visit www.abcnashville.org/rad.
About the Arts & Business Council
The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville leverages and unites the unique resources of the arts and business communities to create a thriving, sustainable creative culture in Nashville. We accomplish this through six main programs: Education for the Creative Community, Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts, Periscope, Arts Board Matching, Fiscal Sponsorship, and Creative Advantage, among many other resources and opportunities.