Cookeville – Two local artists will be showcased at WCTE Upper Cumberland PBS’ Lobby Gallery located at 229 E. Broad St. in Cookeville from Jan. 7 to Feb. 25, in addition to a free reception with the artists on Friday, Jan. 11 from 5 – 7 p.m.
WCTE is excited to be kicking off this New Year with its new artists, Rachel Clark and Chad Smalt.
Clark obtained her BFA in ceramics at TTU’s Appalachian Center for Craft. Post-graduation, she worked as a studio potter under Susan DeMay, professional artist and ceramics instructor at Vanderbilt. After moving to Eastern North Carolina, she worked as the gallery preparatory for The Imperial Center for the Arts and Sciences and represented the arts and music planning on the First Friday planning board for the city of Rocky Mount, N.C. Clark’s work has been featured in venues including Strictly Functional Pottery National, the North Carolina Pottery Center, Dog’s Eye Gallery, and Emerge Gallery and is published in Ceramics Monthly.
Smalt is an oil painter from New York. He makes primarily atmospheric landscapes, mostly imagined. The paintings seek to create space and an unfinished. Smalt received his MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art in 2014 and is currently an Artist in Residence at the Appalachian Center for Craft in Tennessee.
WCTE invites the public to visit the WCTE Lobby Gallery Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. to view the fine art by Clark and Smalt.
“The Artist’s receptions are always a fun time to bring together people in the Upper Cumberland to meet and greet the new artists that WCTE Lobby Gallery is showcasing,” said Paula Walker, development/ marketing assistant for WCTE. “We’ve enjoyed finding and showcasing the great work of people here.”
For more information about WCTE’s Lobby Gallery hours or questions, call 931-528-2222.
WCTE has served the Upper Cumberland for 40 years as the region’s premier storyteller, and is the only television station in a 75-mile radius of Cookeville, TN. WCTE is a proud strategic partner with educators, health services, government, arts and music organizations across the Upper Cumberland. WCTE is a 501-(c) 3, and is owned and operated by the Upper Cumberland Broadcast Council. WCTE is one of only 350 PBS member stations nationwide.