The Artist Journey: How did I get here?

This will be a show and tell demonstrations. Cindy will describe her process – along with examples and tell the story of her progression into where she is at now.

Artist Bio:

I’ve been drawn to the medium of clay since I was a little girl. My earliest memory is an elementary school field trip (while living in Japan) to a Japanese potters studio. It was the first time I experienced the wheel, throwing off the hump, as well as gathering raw clay. That experience has led me years later – sitting in front of the potter’s wheel in my own home studio.

I enjoy creating functional pieces utilizing different techniques for surface design. I’m most drawn to the Zentangle process on my pieces, using sgraffito or other surface tools. The non-representational designs as well as organic designs are satisfying to create and then share with others. I can’t imagine life without Zentangle and pottery.

Work Can be Found @:
KMA – Knoxville
Art Market Gallery – Knoxville
Foothills Guild
Southern Highland Guild

Artist’s Website: Shannon Deana Johnson

Jerry’s Artarama Materials Presentation

Members and guests love this opportunity to learn about new art products, see demonstrations, get free samples and a coupon from the best art store in Knoxville, TN.  Go to yourartsupplies.com to learn about their store and art classes.

Jerry’s Artarama is Knoxville’s premiere fine art supply store, carrying a wide selection of professional art supplies, materials, fine artist brands and framing.

Website: yourartsupplies.com

Nishita’s Watercolor Paintings

Nishita will share her journey as an artist with photos of her work along with a selection of her paintings.

Artist Bio:

Nishita Jain is a Maryland-based watercolor artist whose work captures the quiet poetry of nature through luminous washes and layered atmospheres. Trained in design and marketing before fully embracing painting, she brings a keen sense of color, composition, and clarity to her art. Her landscapes and tonal studies often explore fleeting light, seasonal rhythms, and the balance between spontaneity and control.

Jain has exhibited nationally and internationally, earning recognition from the American Impressionist Society, the American Society of Marine Artists, and Splash: Best of Watercolor. Her paintings have been juried into prestigious exhibitions including the National Watercolor Society and the Watercolor Art Society–Houston.

She is a member-artist at Artists’ Gallery in Ellicott City (AG EC), a cooperative gallery owned and operated by local artists and also serves as Gallery Manager for the Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House, where she curates exhibitions and fosters community engagement. Alongside her studio practice, she teaches watercolor and drawing, encouraging students to experiment fearlessly and develop their own voice.

Artist’s Website: https://www.nishita.art

Wildlife Photography – Artistic Photography of Wildlife from around the World

Jan Muir has been creating intimate portraits of wildlife in remote locations. She will share her art, favorite locations, adventure stories, and some simple tips to bring your own photographic vision to life.

Artist Bio: On the Edge of Wild

From the glitter of Las Vegas to the whispers of the Smoky Mountains, my art travels between urban pulse and serene wild song. My experiences touch each artwork and become a testament to the cultural vibrancy and untamed beauty that inspire me. From remote glaciers to bustling foreign festivals, each experience adds a vibrant thread to my artistic tapestry. Through my art, I strive to connect each of us to the majesty of nature and the diversity of culture, to ignite a passion for preserving our planet’s uniqueness and wonder.

Nature is my constant muse. It whispers to me, and I translate its voice into visual stories using photos, glass, ceramics, and paint. Each medium, in different ways, allows me to express the awe, the fragility, the resilience of our planet.
My artwork is always evolving and experimentation is my companion. Molten glass is coaxed into swirling orbs and becomes a frozen echo of sunlit waves crashing on distant shores. Clay, my ancient teacher, whispers stories of mountain ranges weathered by the winds of time, each crack and crevice a testament to resilience and beauty. Pigments, vibrant emissaries from faraway bazaars, remind me of the uniqueness and fragility of our shared humanity. Through these diverse mediums, I strive not only to capture the awe-inspiring grandeur of nature but also to ignite a sense of compassion, a call to protect the wild spaces that sustain us all. Each piece invites you to walk with me, to step beyond the familiar and embrace the exquisite dance of wonder that unfolds around us each and every day.

I invite you to step closer to both listen to the whispers of nature, and to see the vibrant cultural threads that weave us all together. Welcome to my journey. Please walk with me.

Website: Muir Studios

The Art of Inquiry – How Asking a More Beautiful Question Becomes More Beautiful Art

Through my work, I invite viewers to reflect on their own stories. Each canvas serves as a mirror, reflecting the wonder of our connection with God and with one another. In a culture that often shares mostly its curated “perfection”, my art, with its history of marks called palimpsest, can often shift the atmosphere of a space, just by being there. I did not begin my art practice until nearly 50 years old, so I am a passionate advocate for what I call a “middle kindling” – it is never too late to make physical things in the physical world for the good of our neighbors.

In this talk, Sheila Atchley explores the often-overlooked power of asking meaningful questions in the creative process. Drawing from personal experiences and her own art, Sheila demonstrates how inquiry can overcome creative blocks, and infuse your work (on canvas or in private art journals) with authenticity. Attendees will hear how to incorporate reflective questioning into their routines and discover how this transformative practice can elevate their art. Whether you are a seasoned artist, or just beginning, this presentation will leave you with fresh perspectives and actionable insight into your own creative practice.

Artist Bio: FOR SHEILA ATCHLEY, it all begins with an idea.

And then, she has to make. If the making involves anything from a large, commissioned canvas, to a page in her art journal, she picks up the paintbrush. If the making involves writing a blog post or book proposal, a caption or a class, she picks up the pen.

Regardless of the medium – words or art – it is important to Sheila to leave a legacy.

Through her work, she invites readers and viewers to reflect on their own stories. Each canvas serves as a mirror, reflecting the wonder of our connection with God and with one another. In a culture that often shares mostly its curated “perfection”, Sheila’s art, with its history of marks called palimpsest, can shift the atmosphere of a space, just by being there.

This artist will remind you that your vulnerabilities are what make you interesting.

She hopes that her work evokes a sense of peace and connection. In a world full of unattainable yet same/same/same ideals, Sheila’s art seeks to remind us that true beauty is practiced, rather than acquired or obtained

Join her on her late-midlife artistic path and celebrate the beauty of this life. Sheila anticipates your discovery of something of your own identity in her work, believing that “her vibe attracts her tribe.” Art resonates. Beauty calls, and beauty answers. Sheila often says “you are an unrepeatable, eternal, living spirit, temporarily lodging inside a human body and your experiences are worth celebrating.” If her pen or her paintbrush inspires you, she hopes you’ll explore further.

Website: www.sheilaatchley.art