I'm very excited to introduce Hannah Clayton to you all. I am absolutely in love with every piece of Hannah's artwork. Hannah's beauty truly shines from the inside out and through her paintings! She is amazing at what she does and beyond talented.

MEET HANNAH

Tell me a little about yourself... where are you from, and what you do?

I was born and raised in Franklin, Tn. While in college, my family moved to College Grove and lived on a farm with a pig and chickens. I graduated from Lipscomb University and have worked at Refresh Home, an awesome design and decorating shop in Franklin, TN, The Art Attic, an art studio in historic downtown Franklin, and I currently work for Medelis, a clinical oncology research company in the heart of Nashville, TN. I know, that last one still throws me for a loop! In between, I spend most of my weekends painting or participating in art shows.

Why did you / or what made you decide to become an artist?

Thinking back, I don't really know if there was ever a time where I wasn't an artist. It has never been something I wanted to be, chose to be or dreamed of being, it’s just something that I always was. As crazy as it sounds, art is and has always just been that, a part of me. I feel like I have been painting ever since I could hold a brush. My sisters would play with dolls and I would paint.

Which pieces of Art are your favorites?

That is a difficult question to answer because It changes frequently. Every painting I finish, somehow becomes my new favorite at the time, maybe because it’s just that, new. Not to mention the fact that I just get excited that the vision I had in my mind is complete in paint on canvas. All in all, its a great feeling.

But, to dig deeper into this question, honestly, it usually takes time for me to figure out my favorites. I think I know when I keep going back to look at a painting, and the more I stare at it the more I fall in love with it, and all at the same time, the more I notice about it, and it still remains complex and Interesting. All that being said, I guess my favorites are the ones that continue to capture my heart long after they are owned by someone else , but still stay vivid in my mind.

How have you seen your artwork evolve?

I think my work is always evolving. To me, and to all you other type B personalities, it’s a relief to know there will never be a time where there isn't something different to try, or new to learn. I take risks until I discover a technique I love so much and then I carry it over to the next piece of art I create. Through the process I surprise myself. Just last week I was up late painting and ended up applying some of my bath salts to my painting ( I know -odd) , but the texture it created was amazing.

What is your Personal Philosophy on your art?

It is important to me to stay true to the artist in me, I don't force art, I paint what my heart is drawn towards, If i am not inspired by it, I don't paint it. Passion is something I believe drives you to create whats truly inside of you. We all define passion differently, just as I define "Art" in my own way. Subjectiveness is what creates beauty in the world. Shapes, Colors, patterns, perspective is everything to the beholder. With every piece of art I create I keep this in mind.

What has been your most touching or amazing moment you've experienced as an artist?

I will never forget senior year of high school my mother told me we were going to go to stay at a bed and breakfast in Mt. Eagle for the weekend, and paint. I don't know if any of you have visited there before, but it is in the middle of nowhere, yet it is one of the most charming and beautiful places in my thoughts. We escaped into stillness -no agenda. I remember walking into one of the three shops that existed in the town, one of the walls was filled with art. My mother and I fell in love with a painting of an angel face. She had these beautiful almond eyes with dark hair and olive skin with wings the color of the ocean.

We sat in our cottage like room with a spread of oil paint and a lot of time. I recall my mom pointing things out that she saw and then I would notice them too. Its beneficial to paint with people because they teach you a new perspective, you try different things, you stretch yourself, you grow...and “wa- la” that is how breakthrough happens! The painting turned out beautiful, It was the first piece of art I had done that i felt proud of and it was more than just a painting to me. It brought me confidence and increased my joy.

I don't recall quite how it came about, but a lady that attended our church asked to purchase it. I remember I felt excited that another person wanted my painting. It was so affirming to me, but, if you asked me today, I would tell you it is the only piece to date I have regretted selling, it was more than a painting to me, it carried with it a story that was important to me…..

…Its funny how time changes your perspective on things. Even if it is just a handful of years..I use to determine the quality of my art by weather or not it sold, I looked to the opinions of others for affirmation to pursue my paintings. Today I paint for me, I paint because its a part of who I am, I paint because Its a gift from The Lord, I view it as a privilege, This is how I so often connect with the Creator. I crave to see the beautiful somethings he has to say on the blank canvas. I love to paint in both oils and acrylic. weather nostalgia, joy sadness or hope, I want to make someone want to keep looking at it, in hopes they experience delight wonder or even healing.

Anything else you'd like to mention that I didn't ask?

I just launched a new website for my art, and I could not be more excited to share it with everyone! Be sure to check it out and share it with your friends. www.HCcanvas.com My paintings will soon be available to purchase through the website. I also want to give a HUGE shout out to Tyler Landon, the creator of my website. He is an professional website builder here in Nashville, TN. So, For anyone looking to build a website, look no further!!

FEATURED ARTWORK BY HANNAH CLAYTON

I have only known Hannah a short period of time but I am proud to call this creative woman a friend!! Everyone please show her some love and checkout her pages to see more of her artwork. It was very hard to pick favorites.

Instagram: @HCcanvas

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HC-Canvas-1577695459227295/

You can follow Native in Nashville on Instagram at @NativeInNashville Thank you all for reading and to Hannah for sharing her amazing gift with the world.

I want to introduce to you all, a very talented local artist, Jessica Maraschiello. She is the first artist I want to feature on my new "Local Artist Showcase" . We have so much talent around Nashville, I would be crazy not to share their stories. I have known Jessica for what feels like forever, and she is not only a great artist, but a wonderful person all around!

MEET JESSICA

1. Tell me a little about yourself... where are you from, and what you do?

I was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, but I have also lived in Indianapolis and Dayton, Ohio. Nashville definitely feels like home. I just graduated from MTSU with a Bachelors of Fine Art in December, and now I am teaching classes at Sips N Strokes in the Gulch, painting pet portraits, screen printing T-shirts, and working on my personal body of work. I also am available for commission and freelance projects such as illustration, portraits, and whatever else I can get my hands dirty doing!

2. Why did you / or what made you decide to become an artist?

I have always enjoyed the process of creating something, whether it was making jewelry as a kid, choreographing dances in my teens, writing poetry and short stories, or making a piece of art. What really made me fall in love with painting was using it as therapy while going through a divorce. During an emotionally chaotic time, painting opened a new world of expression in which I did not need words. It helped (and still does) quiet my mind when the world got overwhelmingly loud with emotion and stress.

3. What kinds of art pieces have you worked on. Which one was your favorite and why?

I really love to dabble in several styles and mediums. Painting is my first and main love, but I have also discovered a whole new exciting world with printmaking. My personal body of work is primarily geometric abstraction that revolves around the elements of contrast and spatial illusion. I like to consider them the externalization of my often anxious psychological state of mind. I also paint pet portraits and silkscreen t-shirts. I don't know that I have an absolute favorite piece that I have done. It may sound cliché, but each one really is a piece of myself. I did a portrait of my late Grandmother as a gift for my mom, that I was pretty proud that I pulled off!

4. What has been your most touching or amazing moment you've experienced as an artist?

Anytime I have been accepted into a show or won a scholarship is such an amazing feeling. I think the most touching moment would be when my sisters commissioned a pet portrait for a friend whose dog had passed away. I was not there when she received the portrait, but my sister told me she looked out the window after her friend had left, and she saw her friend sitting in her car holding the portrait to her chest while she cried. Just thinking about that now makes me emotional! There have been several times a client has become emotional when they first see their portrait in person. That is always such a rewarding feeling.

5. What other artists have been inspirational to you in your work?

Kandinsky was my first big inspiration. I love how he deconstructed his compositions to such simple shapes, line, and color, but yet they were still so dynamic and intriguing. More current artists I look at are Jered Sprecher and Gianna Commito. I like to think of my personal work as a culmination of the inspiration from mainly those three artists, but I am always looking for new artists and inspiration.

6. Anything else you'd like to mention that I didn't ask?

I didn't start painting until my early 20s. I didn't pursue an education in art until I was 26, but it has been the best and most rewarding decision I have ever made. Being an artist has allowed me to see and interact with the world differently. Along with music, I believe visual art is one of the most powerful expressions of the human experience.

FEATURED ARTWORK BY JESSICA

To see more of Jessica Maraschiello's work you can click any of these links. Feel free to show her some love and like her on Facebook as well.

https://jrmaraschiello.carbonmade.com/

https://www.facebook.com/PetPortraitsbyJMar/

https://www.facebook.com/JRosebudDesigns/

Jessica can also be reached at JessicaMaraschielloArt@gmail.com if you are interested in inquiring about any artwork or shows.

Thank you Jessica for taking the time to take a look inside your artistic mind, which leads right to your heart! I am excited to share your beautiful artwork with Nashville !!

Local Artist Spotlight: Hannah Clayton

Local Artist Spotlight: Jessica Maraschiello