Meet Our 2023 Artists

Amanda Micheletto-Blouin

From a young age, Amanda Micheletto-Blouin had a passion for creating; anything from woven potholders to beaded objects to sculpture and drawing. Her early predilections led her to the Appalachian Center for Craft in Smithville, Tennessee. Experiences there were formative both in exposing her to the technical traditions of weaving and fiber work and allowing her the latitude to experiment within those parameters. She participated in artist residencies at the Mendocino Art Center in California and at Artspace in Raleigh, NC where her investigation into the relationship between tradition and the contemporary landscape continued. Her graduate work at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC investigated the intersection of the beautiful and the mundane which became the focus of her work in textiles. For the last decade, Amanda has been the manager of Jerry’s Artarama in Nashville, Tennessee, where she has continued her creative endeavors, which now encompasses the investigation into abstract painting on paper. She currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee with her loving family.

Donna Woodley

Donna Woodley is a visual artist whose works primarily discuss the relationship between Black culture and American culture. The exploration of black culture and its significance and presence within American culture is what primarily represents the themes of Donna’s work. Engaging with people that she knows in her work allows her to evaluate the complexity of human emotions and relationships and to render the figure accordingly. Informed by stereotypes, cultural similarities and differences, perceptions of beauty, mental and physical health, and esteem, Donna’s work often uses a touch of humor in hopes of opening the door for healthy dialogue.

Donna was named Nashville’s Best New Artist in 2016 by the Nashville Scene. She was one of the artists featured for the Representative John Lewis Mural project installed in downtown Nashville, TN. Donna has an extensive exhibition history, one of which was the award-winning group exhibition We Count: First Time Voters at The Frist Art Museum. As a professor of art at Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN, she enjoys helping students on their journey to become great artists. She is a resident of Nashville, TN where she is active in the art community and maintains her practice.

Lakesha Calvin

Lakesha Moore is an artist and arborn in Jackson, Mississippi, developed an appreciation for art while based in Nashville as a young child. Following high school, she received a BFA in Painting at Washington University in St. Louis (2005), an MFA in Painting from the University of Tennessee Knoxville (2009) and Lipscomb University in Instructional Practice(2016). Travel and experiencing other cultures has heavily influenced her life philosophy and work. At the center of her work are ideas of identity, memory, and belonging. Lakesha’s work has been shown at Fisk University, Tennessee State University, St. Thomas U.S.V.I., and Florence, Italy. As an art educator, she has taught in Metro Nashville Public Schools, and spoken to students at Frist Art Museum’s Celebrating Creative Careers event and Vanderbilt’s Black Cultural Center. She believes strongly in mentorship, youth empowerment and has had the privilege to lead a variety of workshops in art practice. Lakesha now serves as the Gallery Coordinator for Fisk University Galleries and Discipline Coordinator of the art department. To learn more about Lakesha and see her work, visit www.lakeshasmoore.com.

Destiney Powell

Destiney Powell, creator of Poetically Illustrated Inc. is a Nashville, TN based visual artist and illustrator. Originally from Mississippi, Destiney’s artwork is inspired by African and African American culture. Her pieces are created with the purpose of bringing past and future generations together by remembering and honoring our entwined stories and portraying the magic between communities.

Destiney works with oils, acrylics, and watercolors.

You can follow her work across various social media platforms under the username @poeticallyillustrated www.poeticallyillustrated.net

Elisheba Mrozik

Elisheba Israel Mrozik, is an internationally-acclaimed multidisciplinary artist from Memphis, TN, holding a BFA in Computer Arts from the Memphis College of Art (2006). Widely recognized as a global award-winning Tattooist, Elisheba’s expansive artistic journey spans from Tennessee to international platforms.

Upon relocating to Nashville in 2007, she delved into varied realms, including graphic design, anime, and contemporary fine art. She played a role in the Nashville Black Artists Renaissance and showcased her work at venues like Columbia State, The Ha Factory, Boheme Collectif, and Corvidae Gallery. Her dynamic live murals graced the Goo Goo Dolls’ Buffalo, NY event, and she made a notable appearance as a featured artist at the New York Comic Con in 2010.

Elisheba’s intrigue in tattooing sparked the birth of the One Drop Ink Tattoo Parlour in 2011. Notably, she emerged as the first licensed black artist in Middle TN. Her accolades include the title of Indieville TV’s Nashville Tattoo Artist of the Year (2015), coupled with prominent appearances on renowned platforms like Inkmaster and BET’s About Her Business.

2019 saw Elisheba joining forces with eight other visionary artists for a curated exhibit at The Frist Art Museum. Subsequently, she unveiled her immersive installation, “Blood at the Root”, conceptualized in synergy with her husband, under their avant-garde art consortium, EXO:DUS.

Elisheba’s literary contributions are no less impressive. Her trilogy of coloring books, which include titles like “Notable Nashville,” “Sovereign Goddess,” and “Nashville Strong,” have captivated readers and even bagged awards, such as Nashville’s Best of 2020 by The Nashville Scene.

Honored with the 2020 Nashville Emerging Leader Award, Elisheba now channels her talents towards crafting monumental public art that resonates with profound community significance. Her influential leadership at the North Nashville Arts Coalition underlines community-building and amplifies support for emerging artists of color.

In recent years, Elisheba has intensified her contributions to public art. Her collaborations with esteemed institutions like Vanderbilt Divinity School, Crossroads Campus and Pinnacle Bank have resulted in iconic murals at venues like Slim and Husky’s, 5th and Broadway, and the National Museum of African American Music. Her trailblazing achievements continued into 2021 when she became the first black woman to secure a Public Art commission from Metro Arts and the City of Nashville, culminating in an unique interactive installation at Kossie Gardner Sr Park. 2022 and 2023 had her featured in shows at The Parthenon and Tennessee State University.

Post her solo debut at NKA Gallery, Elisheba is on the cusp of redefining corporate aesthetics. As she embraces the future, her focus sharpens on curating transformative, high-impact public art installations while continuing her work as a culture bearer through the ancient, sacred art of tattoo. Undoubtedly, Elisheba’s overarching mission remains unaltered: to intertwine Fine Art with Community Purpose.