“Edison Hills is the landing place for all of the things that I care about.” – Abby Weeden.
(UCBJ) – Artist, photographer and entrepreneur Abby Weeden is using a keen eye and creative drive to give vintage items new life in the Upper Cumberland.
A 2016 Tennessee Tech University graduate in design, Weeden draws on the skills she developed at Tech as she sources and curates the vintage and contemporary items that fill the shelves of her Cookeville retail shop, Edison Hills New & Old.
“Edison Hills is the landing place for all of the things that I care about. My photo studio is there, so I work there for myself, but it’s also where I get to share the items I source from estate sales, auctions and markets all over the country,” Weeden said. “My eye for those items was shaped in part by my time at Tennessee Tech, and seeing people walk through our doors and connect with the pieces I find is so rewarding.”
A Cookeville native, Weeden found a new sense of appreciation for her hometown and the Upper Cumberland while living away from the area. In particular, her appreciation for the Appalachian Center for Craft — a Tech satellite campus nestled in nearby Smithville and home to Tech’s School of Art, Craft & Design — grew during the years she no longer called the region home.
“As a person who grew up in Cookeville, I don’t think I fully understood how special the Craft Center was,” Weeden said. “It wasn’t until I moved away for a few years that I realized that the way that Cookeville and the Craft Center are able to foster artists is very unique. The degrees offered at the Craft Center are super rare; it’s truly a special place right here in our backyard.”
At the Craft Center, Weeden also encountered Tech faculty members like Kim Winkle, director of the School of Art, Craft & Design, who fondly recalls Weeden’s time as a student.
“Abby immediately stood out as an exceptional student,” said Winkle. “Her work was consistently excellent, and she continually pushed herself to produce thoughtful and innovative pieces. The sky is the limit for Abby, and I look forward to seeing what she accomplishes next.”
In addition to her work as a photographer and owner of Edison Hills, Weeden serves on the board of Art Round Tennessee, a nonprofit that celebrates art and artists in communities across the state. She sees her time at Tech as a formative influence on the many facets of her creative expression.
“Studying graphic design as part of the art program at Tech gave me such a strong foundation of art theory, color balance and how things work in relation to each other; all of which translates to what I do as an artist, photographer and business owner,” Weeden said. “I use the skills and aesthetic approach taught to me at Tennessee Tech every single day.”
For more information about the School of Art, Craft & Design at Tennessee Tech, visit www.tntech.edu/art.
Photo by Matt Matheson.
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