The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville proudly announces the selection of the 2025 class of Periscope: Artist Entrepreneur Training (Periscope Nashville), an annual business development intensive that empowers working artists to see their creative practice through an entrepreneurial lens. This year’s class consists of 24 artists working in an array of disciplines including music, literary arts, visual arts, film/television, jewelry, theater and more.
Artists are chosen for Periscope Nashville through a competitive application process and scored by a panel of community reviewers that includes leading artists, curators, musicians, and creative entrepreneurs in Nashville’s arts, culture and business sectors. Selected artists participate in nine weeks of entrepreneurial training followed by six months of individualized mentorship with high-caliber business mentors. The program culminates at the Periscope Pitch + Artist Entrepreneur Showcase in September where artist entrepreneurs unveil their creative businesses to the community.
The 2025 Class of Periscope Nashville is:
Amanda A. Blount
Film/Television, Multi-Disciplinary, Visual Art, Photography
Amanda Blount (she/her) is a retired military veteran, photographer, and filmmaker with a passion for storytelling through visual media. With a varied background in photography, film, logistics, contracting, and funding, Amanda blends her creative side with her experiences to bring projects to life.
As a grant writer and funding expert, Amanda helps creative artists secure financial resources. She is also the founder of Plough Monday Productions—a tribute to her rural upbringing in Mackeys, NC—focused on supporting creatives from marginalized communities.
Amanda is committed to producing important stories and elevating every project she works on, by understanding the story to be told and studying every role involved so she understands what it takes to produce impactful stories safely.
With a lifetime of experiences across multiple disciplines and a dedication to supporting growth in underserved creative communities, Amanda is a future leader to watch in independent art and filmmaking spaces.
Amanda McCadams
Culinary Art
Amanda McCadams (she/her) is the founder of Panache Candy Incorporated, a handcrafted confectionery brand known for its unique flavors, artistic designs, and commitment to sustainability. Born and raised in Tennessee, she calls Nashville home but considers the world her backyard. With undergrad degrees in photography and Spanish, plus a master’s in photography, she has spent her life exploring creativity in all its forms.
Never one to back down from a challenge, Amanda has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, SCUBA dived in premier reefs, ridden horseback to see Mexico’s monarch migration, and watched the mist rise over Machu Picchu—all with a camera in hand. After years of adventure and artistic exploration, launching a candy company became her next challenge—one that lets her transform inspiration from art, culture, and nature into something deliciously tangible.
With a focus on artistry, sustainability, and quality, Panache Candy uses only high-quality ingredients, free from artificial colorings and additives, and eco-friendly packaging—proving indulgence can be both beautiful and responsible.
Amanda Woods
Visual Art
Amanda Woods (she/her) is an abstract artist inspired by the movement of nature, both in shape and action. Working with acrylics, pastels, and charcoal, Amanda creates organic shapes that represent movement, aiming to foster a connection between the artwork and the audience. After a nearly 20-year career in marketing and graphic design, including serving as the Director of Marketing for an event company, Amanda recently transitioned into full-time art.
Her passion for art was rediscovered during the pandemic when balancing virtual school for four young children and a full-time job, she found solace in painting, often retreating to a small closet under the stairs. Today, Amanda paints, quite messily, in her garage where amidst the delightful chaos of pets and family bustling through, she has found her artistic sanctuary. Amanda holds a Journalism and Fine Arts degree, having initially attended college on a ballet scholarship. The arts have been a constant thread throughout Amanda’s life, deeply influencing both their artistic expression and personal journey.
Anna Wise
Visual Art
Anna Wise (she/her) was born in Birmingham, AL and has lived in Nashville, TN since 2011. She specializes in abstract figurative paintings using mixed media and oil paint, often using up cycled canvases. Her beautifully chaotic paintings explore creative identity, celebrate themes of individuality and resilience, and personify life’s experiences.
She has participated in solo and group exhibitions including KORE Gallery (Louisville, KY), Rockwall Gallery (Nashville, TN), and Red 225 Gallery (Nashville, TN). She participated in Superfine Art Fair in April 2023 and April 2024, and The Other Art Fair in May 2024 and was The Graduate Hotels’ artist in residence in 2024.
Blaine Steiner
Visual Art
Blaine Steiner (she/her) is an MFA graduate of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, who received her master’s in large-scale cast glass sculpture. When asked about being a glass artist, she always laughs. She does not consider herself a glass artist, but rather a sculptor who appreciates glass as a material of contradiction. She finds opportunity for self-reflection in glass as a medium which is often underestimated for its strength and versatility. Her work aims to embrace these contradictions and challenge the expectations of glass as a material for fine art. Most recently, she and her partner Sam Spees have been working to open a studio in Nashville, TN. Here they operate their combined design and lighting brands, Spees Studios and Pontus Design Co., working closely with architects and interior designers to bring glass to the music city.
Brian Myers
Film/Television
Brian Myers (he/him) is a socially engaged documentary filmmaker and media educator with an MFA in Social Documentation from UC Santa Cruz. His concerns span social inequities that develop in politically underrepresented communities.
His work includes: Far from Kawthoolei (2020), a refugee collaborative documentary exhibited at the San Diego Asian Film Festival & the PBS App. Land & Freedom: Talkin Food Systems (2014), an interactive documentary, story map, and walking tour focused on disparities in health. (2011-2018), digital stories of community concerns broadcast on KPBS. Morristown Voices (2023), action research & media arts project with youth from immigrant communities.
A recipient of the ITVS Humanities Documentary Development Fellowship (2022-2023), his proposed feature documentary Don’t Cross Our Picket Line explores labor history in the southern United States at the intersections of class, race, and gender and pivots toward contemporary issues of organized labor.
Clif Koufman
Film/Television, Music
Clif Koufman (he/him) is a Nashville-based musician, educator, and filmmaker dedicated to rhythm, storytelling, and artistic exploration. With a background in drum set and hand percussion, he has traveled to West Africa three times to study music, most recently filming master drummer Bolokada Conde for his next educational series. His creative work extends beyond music, including filmmaking and visual art. Clif has worked on a range of video projects, including
filming Grammy Award-winning musicians, directing a music video, and producing promotional and teaser videos. He is currently directing Living Music, a feature film about legendary drummer and composer Ra Kalam Bob Moses. Through Sound &Rhythm Studio, he teaches, performs, and creates, always seeking to inspire and connect through rhythm and storytelling.
Cresa Lenox
Literary Arts, Multi-Disciplinary
Cresa Lenox (she/they) is a writer and artist with an almost compulsive need to bring beauty into the world around her through various mediums. Born and raised in the heart of Music City, her community instilled in her a deep appreciation for the art of creative expression. Above all, she credits her grandaddy with recognizing the artist in her at a young age and ensuring she had the foundations to thrive in her talents. After detouring through more traditional career paths over the years, Cresa found that art was always her lifeline through it all. From selling custom-made jewelry pieces to exploring the human condition through performance or the written word, creation continues to be her driving force.
Dee Hammonds
Drama/Theatre/Performance Art, Music
DaJuana “Dee” Hammonds (she/her), a proud alumna of Fisk University (B.S.) and David Lipscomb University (M.Ed), is an arts educator, leader, and advocate. She is currently the music specialist at Warner Arts Magnet Elementary School. Most recently, Dee became an Emmy Award winner for her work on the MNPS District Song and Documentary, Every Student Known: The Creation of An Anthem. She was selected, for the second time, by the Country Music Association Foundation as a Music Teacher of Excellence.
She also received recognition by First Night Honors Awards as Best Actress in a Play. Dee is also the founder and director of Acting Up, a non-profit children’s musical theater program. DaJuana credits her drive for music and theater to her Elementary music teachers who gave her first solo, and arts teachers from Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts, where she landed her first lead roles and graduated valedictorian. Her two most memorable musical performances after high school are performing live background vocals for Grammy Award winner Natalie Cole and recording background vocals on the number one hit song, Believe, from the Grammy Award winning Brooks and Dunn’s platinum album, Hillybilly Deluxe. Some of her favorite stage performances include the recently performed Next to Normal as Doctor Fine and Doctor Madden, Fan Me With A Brick in the leading role of Catherine, Caroline or Change in the role of Dottie, Crowns in the role of Velma, and Ragtime as Sarah’s Friend, singing “Til We Reach That Day.” The most amazing part of her life is sharing it with the man of her dreams, Chad Hammonds. Together they have seven beautiful children, Leslie (16), Chloe (14), Carter (11), Ellington-Renee (8), and Grant (7), Dawson Rose (6), and Taye (29).
Haniyfa Muhammad Branka
Visual Art
Haniyfa Muhammad Branka (she/her) is a mixed-media artist, and published writer. In 2023, she founded HMB ArtHouse, an arts and crafts business, and Trust Yourself, a violence prevention non-profit organization. Haniyfa has been immersed in art from an early age, continuing as a teen artist participating in various art programs and attending magnet high schools. She studied art in college while earning a BS in Psychology and Human Services and continues her creative work from her home studio.
Her art uses eco-friendly techniques to explore human experience, inclusivity, and environmental sustainability. As a teaching artist at Turnip Green Creative Reuse, she shares sustainable practices with others. In 2025, Haniyfa was named a Buchanan Arts Emerging Artist Fellow. Her work delves into the complexities of life, offering viewers a space to reflect, connect, and discover pieces of their own stories within. Haniyfa’s contributions have earned her recognition in various media outlets.
Jen Vogus
Visual Art, Photography
Jen Vogus (she/her) is a Nashville-based photographer, educator, and disability advocate. Rooted in her personal experiences with her son’s rare genetic disorder, Jen discovered that photography is a powerful communication tool- bridging the gap between her son and the wider world. As founder and executive director of AbleVoices, she harnesses the power of photography to amplify the perspectives of youth and adults with disabilities as a means for self-expression, creativity, social connection, and work-based learning, all while fostering more inclusive communities.
Since 2018, she has grown AbleVoices from a grassroots initiative to a recognized nonprofit partner in Middle Tennessee, empowering participants to share their stories. Jen is honored and excited to be accepted into the Arts and Business Council of Greater Nashville’s Periscope Artist Entrepreneurship program to further her mission of uniting artistry with advocacy, education, and meaningful social impact.
Jim Willis
Visual Art
Dr. James Willis (he/him) is a philosopher; a psychologist; a shaman; a counselor; a mentor, and a teacher who has designed experiential education programs and taught developmental subject matters to students in high schools, community colleges, and universities in Indiana and Tennessee for over 40 years.
During his participation in the experiential intensive Gestalt Organization and Systems Development Program at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland (1985-87), Jim had an “artistic awakening.” With no formal training in art, he suddenly began painting what he describes as intrapsychic landscapes, which he uses to grow himself, support student development, and improve the functioning of groups.
Jim credits Art & Soul, Nashville for his finally coming to understand himself as a maker of “process artistry.” By self-organizing oneself to higher states of awareness, one can transcend one’s conditioned self and access abilities that flow from mystery and wonder.
Joshua Jackson
Drama/Theatre/Performance Art, Dance, Film/Television
Joshua Jackson (he/him) hails from the Kingdom of God and is a disciple of Christ. Born in Nashville, he graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance and Regent University with an MFA in Film and Television with a Producing specialization. He is currently the Healing Arts Project Inc.’s Middle Tennessee Coordinator, overseeing the region’s artists, instructors, classes, creative resources, exhibits, and events. Additionally, he is the originator of Moved, a creative ministry service that uses video creation and the performing arts to bring people closer to Jesus. Joshua and his lovely wife, Deja Jackson, have a daughter, Eden, who is two years old.
Joshua Lewis
Visual Art
When your eyes are locked in on the artwork of Joshua Lewis (he/him), you will discover his full array of materials and techniques used in the process of creating the works. Joshua sees art primarily through the creative process, the focus and inspiration of creating is the fuel behind his works. He believes art begins with ideas, materials, and the creation process instead of the final brush strokes or elements that are applied. He allows the materials to cultivate their own story by giving the materials new life, purposes, and usage. Joshua says that art is a form of therapy from his painful illness called Sickle Cell Anemia, which is the main source of inspiration in his work. He began using creative arts and woodworking as an outlet and medium to express his struggles, pain, and life by creating wood sculptures, mix media collages, copper repoussé, and screen prints.
Katharine Poole
Drama/Theatre/Performance Art, Literary Arts, Music
Born on Martha’s Vineyard, daughter of a fishmonger/businessman and a writer/director, KW Poole (she/her) was immersed in the arts at a very young age. Writing poetry and songs for as long as she can remember, her creative writing talents developed and expanded while attending Boston University’s acclaimed Theatre Studies program where she began creating and producing original works. KW went on to earn a master’s degree of Education and direct theatre and music students. Inspired to share her enthusiasm for “the process” of performance-based arts, KW collaborated with her students to write, perform and produce original award-winning plays, culminating with a musical production (The Secret of the Seven Sisters) at Fringe Festival 2010, Edinburgh Scotland.
KW moved to Nashville to pursue her writing, co-writing songs, contributing journalistic pieces to publications (including Nashville Lifestyles, The Nashville Music Guide, Musikman International) and publishing two books (Six Nights in Deming and Jack’s Christmas Garden).
Lexa Herron
Residential Design
Lexa Herron (she/her) is a Residential Designer based in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a customer-focused, service-oriented Design Professional with over 6 years of experience in residential design and over 10 years of experience in management consulting. She designed for both Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware (RH) and while at both developed a varied and loyal client base. In October of 2023, Lexa resigned from RH to devote time to achieving a Certification in Residential Design from the Rhode Island School of Design (Spring 2026 or 2027) and to form an independent design firm.
Lexa is skilled in client relationship cultivation and retention, collaborative problem solving and finding creative solutions for many situations and projects. In addition, she is personable and possesses strong communication and organizational skills. When not working, Lexa enjoys hiking, biking, reading, mah jongg and spending time with family and friends.
Lyn Stevens
Visual Art, Photography
Lyn Stevens (she/her) is a self-taught photographer who blends her love of Nashville with her passion for music.
Her work has been featured in Billboard Magazine, the Nashville Music Guide, and on the live telecast of the CMA Awards. Additionally, her photography has been showcased at GEODIS Park, Five Points Post Office and the Frist Art Museum. Lyn received an Honorable Mention at the Regional Photography Art Exhibition in 2025 and an Honorable Mention at the Central South Art Exhibition in 2024. She is also a three-time Nashville Independent Music Award winner for her contributions to the city’s indie music scene. In 2025, Lyn served as a juror for the Middle Tennessee Scholastic Art Achievement Awards at Cheekwood.
Inspired by the vibrant energy of Nashville and its rich musical heritage, her photography offers a fresh perspective on familiar sights and sounds, creating a tangible connection to the heart of Music City. Lyn’s work is available for purchase at Nook, a modern boutique lifestyle store in Mount Juliet, TN.
Nicole Wilson
Public Art/Creative Placemaking, Visual Art
Nicole Wilson (she/her), 25, founded Selocin Streets LLC in her hometown Nashville, Tennessee. Working as a barista, she recognizes the importance of community through communication.
Nicole creates jewelry from upcycled materials, demonstrating how discarded items can become treasures. Wearing her creations, she noticed how people appreciated her artistic expression & prompted discussion of environmental concerns.
Each piece of jewelry represents a second chance, capable of lasting a lifetime. Nicole believes that fostering strong community is essential for protecting the environment & continues to combine her creativity & passion for sustainability through her handmade jewelry.
Rebecca Stone
Visual Art
Rebecca Stone (she/her) creates work that is a blend of artistic vision and the natural world’s beauty. Her photography captures delicate moments elevated by an eye-level perspective and the magic of reflection. Through her images, she invites viewers to pause, breathe, and immerse themselves in these small yet profound worlds.
Achieving these perspectives requires patience and careful positioning, but for Rebecca, the effort is essential to creating the perfect composition. She believes that beauty is universal, and that nature provides a sanctuary for all, offering a respite from both inner thoughts and external pressures.
Beyond her photography, she dedicates time each week to teaching and inspiring future generations, sharing her knowledge and passion so others can create their own personal connection to the natural world through art of photography.
Shaparak Malek-Morvai
Culinary Art, Music
Born in Montpellier, France, and raised in Nashville since the age of five, Shaparak Malek-Morvai (she/her) is a Nashvillian with a passion for music and food. An MTSU alumna, with a bachelor’s degree and an MBA, and is currently completing her doctorate in Education at Western Kentucky University. Her career has spanned the music and food industries, leading her to create LHYME, a feature blog that shares the stories of musicians worldwide through recipes inspired by their tastes, experiences, and nostalgia.
She created LHYME by blending the words “lime” and “rhyme,” symbolizing the fusion of food and music. The name also honors her Persian heritage, as dried limes are a staple in Persian cuisine, while “rhyme” reflects her connection to music. She is also dedicated to education and works professionally in adult learning and training. She lives in Kingston Springs, Tennessee, with her husband, son, and their beloved guinea pigs.
ShenShen210
Visual Art
:ShenShen210: (Jodi Goldman-Hallford, she/her) is a pioneering artist whose bold, expressive work has captivated audiences for nearly four decades. As the first female graffiti artist on the West Coast, she shattered barriers, evolving her style from the streets to prestigious galleries, large-scale murals, and private collections worldwide.
Named Best New Exhibitor at Red Dot Art Fair during Art Basel Miami, Shen’s collectors include the Olympics, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Clint Eastwood, Carroll Shelby, Daymond John, and William H. Macy. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries, including The Oakland Museum of Art and the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art.
A dynamic live painter, she performs at corporate events, fundraisers, and nonprofit galas, raising funds for causes like anti-human trafficking and veterans with PTSD. Now based in Nashville, TN, she continues pushing boundaries with her fearless fusion of aerosol and fine art.
Susie Campion
Visual Art
Susie Campion (she/her) is an accomplished artist and graphic designer known for her botanical illustrations and fine stationery. Her paintings have been exhibited and sold at LeQuire Gallery, Gallery Tangerine and The Harding Art Show. She continues to showcase and sell her work in Nashville. With a keen eye for detail and a deep appreciation for nature, her artwork captures the delicate beauty of plants, florals and landscapes.
In addition to her artistic pursuits, Susie is an experienced graphic designer, working with architects, designers, and businesses to develop branding, advertising campaigns, and marketing materials. Her design expertise extends to non-profit organizations, including her work in Haiti, where she traveled extensively to assist a medical team supporting schoolchildren. Dedicated to service, she is a member of the Board of Directors for the Visitation Hospital Foundation in Nashville, contributing to healthcare initiatives for those in need. Through both her art and design, Susie blends creativity with purpose, bringing visual storytelling to life while making a meaningful impact in her community and beyond. Born and raised in Michigan, Susie and her husband Tom have made Tennessee home since 1997. She received her BFA from Arcadia University, Glenside, PA., she resides in Nashville with her husband and has two adult children.
Todd Herzberg
Visual Art
Todd Herzberg (he/him) received his BFA from Central Michigan University in 2012, his MFA from the University of Kentucky in 2018, founded Decoy Press in 2022 and is also the Director of Marketing at Tennessee Craft. Previously he was the Assistant Drawing Professor and Foundations Coordinator at Murray State University. He works predominantly in the processes of drawing, relief printing, lithography and animation which create complex stories with absurdist overtones.
His work has been displayed in the U.S. and abroad including: Hatch Show Prints in Nashville, TN, Münchner Künstlerhaus in Munich Germany, Site: Brooklyn in Brooklyn NY, Artist Image Resource in Pittsburgh PA, Hilo Gallery at the University of Hawaii, University Gallery at Inner Mongolia University in China, Firehouse Gallery in Baton Rouge LA, and the Metrospace Gallery in East Lansing MI.
Valerie M Wilhite R
Silversmith, Jewelry Design
Born in Tennessee, Valerie M. Wilhite (she/her) spent years as a scholar of the Medieval Mediterranean, teaching in the U.S., Paris, Barcelona, and the Caribbean before moving to her mother’s native Colombia in 2018 to study the art of jewelry making. Her training at the Escuela de Alta Joyería in Bogotá and Alquimia in Pereira focused on high jewelry, yet the importance of Colombia ́s pre-Columbian goldwork and its intricate filigree traditions became central to her artistic approach.
These influences, combined with her love of the ancient and medieval Mediterranean, have created a distinctive aesthetic. In 2023, Valerie came full circle, returning to Tennessee, where she now creates jewelry that reflects this journey—from scholar of the Middle Ages to artisan in the Colombian Andes. Drawing on her cultural background and unique experiences, Valerie crafts pieces that evoke ancient and medieval aesthetics while remaining fresh, organic, and modern.
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