“Lantern Light”

Tracy City, Tennessee

Oak Ridge-based muralist Megan Lingerfelt was moved by the stories of South Cumberland’s coal mining history—how many early plateau residents made a living—as well as those of the miners who are highlighted in the Whitwell / Marion County Coal Miners Museum. She drew inspiration from the local coke ovens and used the oil lamp housed in the Grundy County Historical Society building as her starting point for the design.

“Color plays an important role in this one, and it is all about the glow and texture of the coal,” Megan says. “I also spent some time with a man at the museum who shared what it was like working in low-profile spaces, something I tried to portray with the floor and ceiling in this design.”

The Lantern Light mural is located on the side of the Goat Pen Hostel at 24 Main St. in Tracy City and was sponsored by the Tennessee Arts Commission and Tennessee’s South Cumberland Tourism Partnership.

“Brown Trout”

Madisonville, Tennessee

Florida-based painting duo Sarah Painter and Cosby Hayes (collectively Painter Hayes) drew inspiration from the region’s natural beauty when conceptualizing this Madisonville mural. Using backcountry and fishing guide Micah Howard’s brown trout imagery as a muse, they created this realistic painting to bring attention to the area’s biggest tourism draw: fishing.

“Our mural celebrates the rivers of East Tennessee that are renowned for their trout fishing. The brown trout is common throughout the area with late spring offering some of the best brown trout fishing ,” Painter says. "We wanted to paint something larger than life that honors the recreational wonders of the area.”

The Brown Trout mural is located at 201 Tellico St. North and and was sponsored by the Tennessee Arts Commission, MACA, the East Tennessee Foundation and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

“Dream Cloud”

Madisonville, Tennessee

Chattanooga-based muralist Nathan Brown has been painting his way across the South for more than two decades. The Los Angeles-born artist has long embraced the transition between cities through painting graffiti and exploring new territories via skateboarding. Brown draws inspiration from these passions, using color and form to play with perspective. Positioned at the intersection of abstractionism and street art, his work appears on multi-story buildings across the United States and Europe.

Brown based his Madisonville mural on two local landmarks, an underground lake and the Cherohala Skyway, putting his own unique spin on the interpretation, hand-mixing 58 colors to create a gradient wonderland of rolling hills, mountainous shapes and cave-like water features.

The Dream Cloud mural is located at 228 Warren St. and was sponsored by the Tennessee Arts Commission, MACA and the East Tennessee Foundation.

“Up in the Clouds”

Tullahoma, Tennessee

For Beechcraft Heritage Museum’s 50th anniversary, the nonprofit organization commissioned an aviation-themed mural by Nashville artist Kyle “Folek” Barton in one of its hangars. Started as a challenge to Staggerwing Club enthusiasts by aviation legend Louise Thaden, the museum continues to honor the history of the manufacturer by methodically expanding its exhibits within the 78,000-square-foot facility. The permanent display features historically accurate die-cut panels created by engineers at its Wichita plant; the aluminum planes highlight the evolution and use of the aircraft since the 1920s, including target drones for the military.

The Beechcraft mural is located inside the Beechcraft Heritage Museum at 570 Old Shelbyville Hwy. in Tullahoma.

“Hurrah!”

Sweetwater, Tennessee

Tennessee was the 36th and final state to ratify the 19th Amendment. The state Senate had already approved the amendment, but a tie in the House would mean defeat. The vote was in a deadlock, and Rep. Harry T. Burn wore a red rose, the sign of the anti-suffragists, in his lapel. After re-reading a note in his pocket he received that morning from his mother, Febb—“Hurrah and vote for Suffrage and don’t keep them in doubt!” it said—Burn took a stand, casting the tie-breaking vote to ratify the amendment and changing the course of history.

Cincinnati-based artist JennyUstick not only incorporated Miss Febb’s portrait into this new mural, but her actual handwriting, including an excerpt from page two of the letter, the postmark and the text from the envelope. Burn hailed from nearby Niota and practiced law on the second floor of the Scruggs Building (now called New Block) from 1927 to 1951.

The Hurrah mural is located at 211 N. Main St. in Sweetwater and was sponsored by the City of Sweetwater and the Tennessee Arts Commission.

“QuackWalk!”

Sweetwater, Tennessee

A skilled industrial, graphic, large scale mural and commercial sign painter, Atalie Gagnet hails from Dayton, Ohio and spent nine days painting a graffiti-covered overpass in downtown Sweetwater accompanied by Cincinnati artist Chase Melendez.

The QuackWalk mural is located adjacent to Duck Park in downtown Sweetwater and was sponsored by the City of Sweetwater.

“Wave of Lace”

Lawrenceburg, Tennessee

Tennessee artist Megan Lingerfelt honored Lawrence County’s history in the women’s suffrage movement with a colorful new mural that spans a 50-foot-long wall in downtown Lawrenceburg. The project was a collaborative effort between DMA-events, Tennessee Arts Commission and South Arts, who oversaw the Southeast’s award of the National Endowment for the Arts’ Women’s Suffrage Centennial campaign.

“I use a lot of linework in my designs and had been playing with several Art Deco patterns in my sketches when I was asked to create this piece. Being a centennial celebration of the suffrage vote in 1920, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to use these patterns in a mural,” Megan says of her design. “The white magnolia and lace are nods to the white dresses worn by the suffragettes, one of the most recognizable symbols of the movement. With a hand gesturing toward a ballot box in a sea of saturated colors, this piece is meant to brighten Downtown Lawrenceburg while celebrating some of its past.”

The mural is located on the side of New York Styles salon at 119 E. Gaines St. in downtown Lawrenceburg and was sponsored by Tennessee Arts Commission and National Endowment for the Arts.

“Lady Justice”

Columbia, Tennessee

In 2021, Columbia joined our Walls for Women trail, and we got to work with the same artist who helped launch our nonprofit more than four years ago. When Tara Aversa, creator of the now-iconic Southern Magnolia flag mural, was tasked with coming up with a concept for Columbia, she chose to honor the strong women in her life, starting with her late grandmother—then midway through painting, another matriarch in her family unexpectedly died.

“Lady Justice is dedicated to the Maurillo sisters—my grandmother Constance and her sisters who came from a large Italian family and grew up in New York,” she explains. “I wanted to include symbolic flowers for different people in my life who have passed on, then it turned out in the middle of painting it, Carmella—the last living sister—died suddenly. We’re a tight-knit family with a bunch of strong, strong women, and I wanted to honor that bond and resilience in this piece. Connie Aversa is the rose in the lower right corner, the big white daisy is for my Aunt Pearl, the peony for my Aunt Sue, the white flowers with golden centers are for Aunt Antoinette, and the sunflower is for my Aunt Carm.”

The mural is located on the rail overpass on Carmack Boulevard near downtown Columbia and was sponsored by the City of Columbia.

“Refresh and Take Breath”

Tullahoma, Tennessee

We first saw Alabama muralist Daria Hammond’s work during our many visits to Huntsville and immediately reached out to the faith-based visual artist to come paint in Tennessee. She create this ethereal portrait that lives as the entrance to Tullahoma’s downtown.

"I love taking time to create spiritual and fulfilling messages for those that will cross my artwork's path," Daria says of her new work. "Refresh and Take Breath is a visual reminder to realign with what is good, with what revitalizes, and what strengthens. Refresh and Take Breath could be for the person who had a long day and needs to put his/her feet up. Or she could be a message for the one who has been grieving for years or has been experiencing pain for months. Regardless of how challenging it may look, be renewed and be restored."

The mural is located in DMA Alley in downtown Tullahoma on the back side of Memories Antiques and was sponsored by DMA.

“Vol Means All”

Knoxville, Tennessee

After working together on Walls for Women, Knoxville-based artist Paris Woodhull approached us about project-managing a mural install in Knoxville for the University of Tennessee. Following six months of meticulous location-scouting, we landed on a perfect canvas: a large public garage owned by the City of Knoxville.

Paris painted a variety of characters and Knoxville icons in her signature colorful and whimsical style. The result is a happy piece boasting “It’s great to be a Tennessee Vol!” and representing the various students who make up the university campus.

The UT mural is located on the side of the State Street Garage and was sponsored by UT Admissions and Visit Knoxville.

“Magnolia”

Viola, Tennessee

Viola was once the smallest incorporated town in Tennessee—current census data has its population at 144—and Sara and Brian Covert, owners of Viola’s Pizza Co., wanted to bring art to their community, so they reached out about partnering.

After a successful crowdfunding campaign led by the Coverts, we hired Oak Ridge-based artist Megan Lingerfelt to bring her touch of organic beauty to Viola. This piece took her three days, 24 shades of paint and her mother Jeanne as an assistant to complete.

The Magnolia mural is on the side of Viola’s Guest House on the Square and was sponsored by the people of Viola and supported by Sunbelt Rentals.

“To All the Clever Girls”

Tullahoma, Tennessee

Tullahoma artist Jenalee Ipock painted a pair of female dinosaurs, Beth the Stegosaurus and Helen the T-Rex, filled with flowers and books on the alley side of the Book Shelf bookstore. This was Jenalee’s first outdoor full-scale mural, a project inspired by her oldest daughter, Eden.

“Eden has been obsessed with dinosaurs for years. She had a Tea-Rex birthday tea party, buys everything dinosaur she can find and can spout more dinosaur facts than I could ever fathom,” Jenalee says, adding that she wants all girls to know their interests are valid and and their personalities unique and special.

The Tullahoma dinosaur mural is in downtown Tullahoma on the side of the Book Shelf set back from Atlantic Street. This project that was sponsored by the City of Tullahoma.

“Masonic Mural”

Tullahoma, Tennessee

Kim Radford has become one of our go-to artists to creating original, inspiring pieces in small-town Tennessee. The Nashville-based muralist came up with this creative design on the side of the Masonic Lodge in Tullahoma after we received an Arts Build Communities grant from the state to provide innovative arts experiences that are new to community residents, develop arts programming that strengthens social networks through community engagement and undertake cultural arts initiatives that enhance a community’s identity. As part of this project, the Freemasons did substantial upgrades to their early-1900s building, including roof repairs and fixing up the wall for art.

The Eye of Tullahoma mural is located at Masonic Lodge #262 at 100 S. Jackson St. This project was sponsored by the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Freemasons of Tullahoma.

“This Girl Can (Sweetwater)”

Sweetwater, Tennessee

DMA represented the Southeast in the National Endowment for the Arts’ women’s suffrage project and was awarded the grant on behalf of the region. After putting out a call for rural cities, we received more than two dozen applicants, and a panel of judges selected Sweetwater as a recipient due to its ties to the suffrage movement. Brown Intermediate School students voted on their favorite piece of art and selected Nashville-based artist Kim Radford’s rendering.

“The iconic goddess painted by master Italian painter, Botticelli in the 1480’s is the muse of my design. I wanted to recreate her in true pop art fashion by hyping her colors and scaling her head to fit a two-story building,” Kim explains. “Supporters of the women’s suffrage movement wore yellow roses. Purple, white and green were also colors of the movement, so I flooded my design with a suffrage palette. This Girl Can celebrates girls of all races, ages, and phases of their life.”

The This Girl Can mural is located on Cleveland & Cleveland at the corner of Oak and Morris streets in downtown Sweetwater and was sponsored by Tennessee Arts Commission, the city of Sweetwater and the National Endowment for the Arts.

“Punch Bug”

Centerville, Tennessee

Artist and educator Whitney Herrington lives in Columbia, where she also has a studio downtown. When asked to be a part of Walls for Women, Whitney altered her original floral design after she saw the first few completed projects.

“The other artists’ work was so in-tune to their individuality, so I decided to do a design that was reflective of me as an artist as well as me as an individual,” she says. “I have a 1974 VW Super Beetle named Alice, and I based this design around her. This mural is 100 percent me and I am so pleased with the outcome.”

The Punch Bug mural is located at 102 S. Public Square in Centerville, Tennessee on the courthouse square and was sponsored by Cycles Gladiator and Tennessee Arts Commission.

“This Girl Can (Nolensville)”

Nolensville, Tennessee

Nashville muralist Kim Radford created the final piece in the inaugural Walls for Women project as a sister wall for a mural she recently completed in Huntsville, Alabama and a later installation in Sweetwater, Tennessee are part of a nationwide women’s suffrage project. The town of Nolensville came together to fundraise for this unique program—and to bring the town’s inaugural piece of public art from a concept to a reality.

“The pieces I’ve done in honor of the 19th Amendment are collectively titled ‘This Girl Can’ and celebrate 100 years of women’s right to vote,” she says. “A lot has happened in 100 years, and I am so proud to have two murals that champion our gender.”

The This Girl Can mural is located at 305 Sheldon Valley Dr. in Nolensville on the side of Mama’s Java and was sponsored by the Citizens of the Town of Nolensville.

“Hebe”

McMinnville, Tennessee

Cincinnati artist Jenny Ustick’s Walls for Women mural is a tribute to McMinnville’s statue Hebe, goddess of youth and renewal, who has stood proudly in the town center for over a century. An academic—she is also a professor of art at the University of Cincinnati—Jenny dug deep into Warren County’s history and geography, depicting its nursery culture, the Isha Institute, and the waters of the Barren Fork and Collins rivers, among other symbolism.

“A hand touches Hebe’s forehead as she projects her healing youthful strength across time and space,” Jenny explains. “The hand is derived from an etching of Frances Wright, outspoken suffragist from the 1800s. To the right of Hebe are crystalline forms derived from the saltpeter that was mined in the nearby caverns. I’m interested in the duality of it: used as an ingredient of gunpowder that fired guns in the civil war, saltpeter was also an essential ingredient of fertilizer that helped build the massive horticulture industry in the region; death and life, depending on how it is used.”

The Hebe mural is located at Security Federal Savings Bank in McMinnville and was sponsored by McMinnville Tourism Development Authority.

“Victoria”

Knoxville, Tennessee

In her first outdoor mural, Knoxville native and renown illustrator Paris Woodhull used a palette spanning 18 colors to paint her Walls for Women mural, Victoria, a tribute to her ancestor Victoria Claflin Woodhull, famed suffragist and first woman to run for U.S. president. It took her 10 days in excessive heat to complete with bucket paint and a set of brushes.

Paris’ art depicts a sense of harmony in a series of whimsical figures from all races dancing, hugging and making merry; many of them came from the sketchbooks she’s drawn in over the years.

“I wanted the bodies to interact with the space,” she says. “All of the colors are a compilation of inspirations from other illustrators I look up to, fashion, and textile and pattern design. I then put my own spin on them by adding and subtracting colors.”

The Victoria mural is located on the side of Printshop Beer Co. in South Knoxville and was sponsored by Visit Knoxville.

“Miss Wynta-Amor Rogers”

Nashville, Tennessee

This collaborative Walls for Women mural in Nashville was created by Nashville artist Cymone Wilder (lettering) and Florida muralist Sarah Painter (portraits), both of whom wanted to use women’s suffrage as a springboard into the larger conversation of women’s rights as a whole and the progress that still needs to be made. “Although this wall celebrates 100 years of women being allowed to vote, we can’t forget about the barriers Jim Crow created,” Sarah says, “and how it wasn’t until many decades later that women of color and poor women could truly have voting rights.”

This 170-foot-long wall focuses on the intersection of sexism and racism and recognizes the fact that women of color have historically been excluded from feminist movements. Embracing the Black Lives Matter movement, the portrait on the left features seven-year-old, Wynta-Amor Rogers protesting at a march. Cymone selected the quote “they buried us, but they didn’t know we were seeds” as a message of inspiration to the community while Sarah chose red roses as a symbol of love and solidarity with women of color.

The Wynta mural is located at 1414 Clinton St. in Nashville and was sponsored by Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery.

“Wisteria Maiden”

Tullahoma, Tennessee

We first came across Tokyo-born artist JUURI's work on our travels to Oklahoma City, then invited her to come paint in Tennessee for Walls for Women. Tullahoma was one of the sites where Japanese—mostly U.S. citizens—were interned during World War II at Camp Forrest, and JUURI drew inspiration from that history for her concept. The figure she painted is a famous Japanese character, also known from a beautiful kabuki play; the play has no storyline, but rather is an enchanting dance of the maiden among the purple Wisteria blossoms.

“We Japanese are very steadfast and resilient people, and I’m sure that is how they got through this dark period,” she says. “Now I hope all citizens and visitors to the city, Japanese or not, can be inspired by my Wisteria Maiden.”

The Wisteria Maiden mural is located at 199 S. Wall St. in Tullahoma and was sponsored by Cycles Gladiator and Tennessee Arts Commission.

“Senderos”

Maryville, Tennessee

The brainchild of Miami muralist Nicole Salgar, Senderos spans 100 feet on a 35-foot-tall wall in Blount County. It took Nicole more than 100 hours to complete this Walls for Women installation.

The woman in the mural is meant to portray a gatekeeper to other dimensions or realities; her existence is one which flows through time without boundaries. The lock and key connect to gateways, or portals into the unknown, and they can also be interpreted as a way to unlock the hidden self. There is an archway at the center of her chest with an upward stairway , and a hand which is entering the frame holds the key.

“I intentionally set the woman in a range of misty mountains, since the town of Maryville is situated in the beautiful Smoky Mountains,” Nicole says. “I wanted to capture the environment as if it was twilight when everything seems to be covered in a soft illuminating glow. Ultimately, this mural is a culmination of the maternal & feminine spirit of all things, being tied together through reality, dreams, space and time. A boundless energy which makes up the entire universe.”

The Senderos mural is located at 601 E Broadway Ave. in Maryville and was sponsored by Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority.

“Black-Eyed Susan”

Manchester, Tennessee

Another component of a Tennessee Arts Commission Creative Placemaking grant, Nashville-based artist Lance Turner was referred to us by Matt Willey and came to paint a triptych beneath a bridge in Manchester along the Little Duck River Greenway. Lance seamlessly incorporated his surroundings with things flanking the river, including magnolia leaves that have begun to turn and Black-Eyed Susans, as well as gradients to create a golden sheen to the background.

The Black-Eyed Susan mural is located on the Little Duck River Greenway in Manchester and the recreation complex and was sponsored by Jack Daniel’s Distillery.

“You Are Not Alone”

Manchester, Tennessee

Sarah Painter and Cosby Hayes, a muralist team out of Florida, had come up to paint for DMA’s first ARTober event. While here, news of a teen who took his own life because of embarrassment and bullying hit the news cycle and impacted the community like a ton of bricks. Sarah and Cosby were inspired to paint an anti-bullying mural in remembrance of Channing Smith to serve as a reminder that there is always a helping hand out there and that suicide is never the answer.

The You Are Not Alone mural is located at 418 Woodbury Hwy. in Manchester and was sponsored by Jack Daniel’s Distillery.

“The Art of Harmony”

Manchester, Tennessee

Ty Christian’s work paints a powerful picture: that we should love and support our neighbor no matter the color of their skin, religion or political affiliation. He painted a mashup of outstretched hands as a show of unity to humanity. It's his third in an ongoing mission to spread the message of harmony through large scale pieces of public artworks. 

The Art of Harmony mural is on the back of the Good Samaritan building in Tullahoma and was sponsored by Jack Daniel’s Distillery.

“Play Well”

Tullahoma, Tennessee

Chris Tidwell, more commonly known as forBecks, has left his whimsical mark all over Middle Tennessee in the form of Instagram like hearts, painted pinwheels, balloons and his iconic LEGO men. A graphic designer by day, Chris came down to Tullahoma to paint a LEGO man in downtown Tullahoma as part of DMA’s ARTober.

The LEGO man mural is located on the front of One22West restaurant and was sponsored by Jack Daniel’s Distillery.

“Landscape of the Heart”

Tullahoma, Tennessee

Nathan Brown is one of Nashville’s most prolific muralists but he’s also painted all over the world, from Germany to Hungary to Kosovo. DMA was lucky to pin him down for ARTober, during which he spent the better part of a week splashing the downtown with colorful whimsy via a 50-by-30-foot wall on the back of the old Trader’s Bank in downtown Tullahoma. Nathan’s “Landscape of the Heart” represents the rolling terrain of Tennessee, as well the heart of the city—and the explosion of color coming to Tullahoma.

The Landscape of the Heart mural is located at 101 W. Lincoln St. in Tullahoma and was sponsored by Jack Daniel’s Distillery.

“Digital Madonna”

Tullahoma, Tennessee

Our final installation during the October 2019 paint month, Mobē and Folek took on the challenge of revitalizing a forgotten warehouse on the main highway through Tullahoma. Buffed and painted in three days with full freedom given to the artists, the series of pieces have been described as connecting to the ancient concept of the divine while highlighting the modern digital world into which we're evolving.

The Digital Madonna mural is located on North Jackson Street across from Tullahoma High School and was sponsored by Jack Daniel’s Distillery.

“Virtual Chaos”

Tullahoma, Tennessee

When envisioning a space for high school students to work and thrive in, former Tullahoma Virtual Academy director Greg English wanted something graffiti inspired with plenty of color and movement. We turned to Nashville-based muralist Kyle “Folek” Barton to transform this space in the old West Middle School that’s now used as a study room and cafe for students.

The Tullahoma Virtual Academy mural is located inside the TVA Cafe at 301 W. Decherd St. and was sponsored by Tullahoma City Schools.

“Bertha the Octopus”

Tullahoma, Tennessee

Pure magic happens when you give an artist full creative rein, which is how this bold, beautiful octopus came to greet passersby on 41A in downtown Tullahoma. After securing a Creative Placemaking grant through the Tennessee Arts Commission, we reached out to our inaugural muralist, Tara Aversa, and asked her to come down and paint whatever she was feeling called to do. The result took three days with a one-inch brush, and Bertha immediately became a local celebrity, in addition to Tullahoma’s first public mural.

The Bertha the Octopus mural is located at 401 S. Jackson St. in Tullahoma and was sponsored by the Tennessee Arts Commission.

“The Good of the Hive”

Manchester, Tennessee

As long-time fans of Matthew Willey’s work, we were thrilled to get the chance to bring the acclaimed artist and activist to Manchester for his first Tennessee mural—and his 23rd installation in his the Good of the Hive series. In an attempt to paint 50,000 bees, the number signifying a healthy hive, Matt is raising awareness about pollinators and inspiring people in communities of all sizes across the United States—and around the world.

The Good of the Hive mural is located on the Little Duck River Greenway in Manchester and was sponsored by the Tennessee Arts Commission.

“The American Flag”

Manchester, Tennessee

This American flag-inspired mural was a labor of love by Tarabella Aversa on the side of Wheeler Construction & Restoration's building. Her tiny, one-inch brush was the largest applicator of paint as this celebration of the United States of America grew outward into downtown Manchester, Tenn. from the central, fully opened magnolia flower seen in the middle through an ethereal Stars and Stripes, ghostly and floating as a window into the universal symbols of freedom, justice and the American South.

The Southern Magnolia mural is located at 121 S. Spring St. in Manchester and was sponsored by CapStar Bank.

“The Manchester Postcard”

Manchester, Tennessee

The postcard concept comes from all over the United States in cities big and small. Eric 'Mobē' Bass brought this relatively simplistic design to life by taking a read on the location and community. The background represents the pastoral, farming nature of the region while capturing the spirit of Tennessee, in addition to a hidden motif. This postcard is designed to welcome visitors to our community while providing residents an opportunity to teleport into the countryside and beyond.

The Manchester Postcard mural is located at 909 Hillsboro Blvd. in Manchester and was sponsored by Coffee County Bank.

“The American Eel”

Tullahoma, Tennessee

Ivan Roque found us through the network of the internet. We loved his work, he loved the thought of painting a triptych in the river, and a story was born. The Florida-based, Cuban-American artist gravitates toward depicting flora and fauna native to the regions in which he paints. Representing a stylized American Eel in true Miami colors, this fish is an endangered species found only on the eastern coastal regions of the United States.

The American Eel mural is located along the Little Duck River Greenway in Manchester and was sponsored by L&H Distributing Co.