Seek.

Renee Johnson

Johnson’s mom loves having her daughter as her own personal interior designer.

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Bring your vision. We'll provide knowledge, resources, and mentors to help bring it to life. Deal?

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Monday Motivation.
Wisdom from those who've been there.

The way we do anything is the way we do everything.

Martha Beck, psychologist

Request Info

Start your journey by speaking with an artist in the Admissions office.

The latest on social media

Jan 23, 2019

One of our favorite organizations in Nashville -- The Nashville Shakespeare Festival -- is now the subject of a favorite My615 episode, as well. Don't forget about their winter production of "Julius Caesar."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS2A_qFO-R8
https://www.nashvilleshakes.org/

Jan 23, 2019

Interior design student Renee Johnson opens up about a time she failed and the invaluable lesson it gave her: watkins.edu/dialogue/renee…

Jan 22, 2019

"I tend to gravitate toward a few different aesthetics, but the broadest things I can categorize it as is I tend to be a ‘nostalgist’… A lot of my work is built around the video games of my youth—old-school, 16-bit video games."
Read more about Andy and his work with the link in our bio.

Work.

Unframed.
Up close with the artists

Making the Un-Musical

Filmmaker and musician Mack Hoskins abandoned his job in advertising to reinvent a form he loved and hated. He’s happy about that now.

Making the Un-Musical

Filmmaker and musician Mack Hoskins abandoned his job in advertising to reinvent a form he loved and hated. He’s happy about that now. Read More

pARTners.
Explorations in collaboration

Watkins College of Art MFA Student working

Eye Opening

Designed by two artists, Watkins’s MFA in Visual Arts is allowing working men and women to discover, or rediscover, their callings as creatives.

Eye Opening

Designed by two artists, Watkins’s MFA in Visual Arts is allowing working men and women to discover, or rediscover, their callings as creatives.

Visit Campus

The best way to know if Watkins is right for you is to spend some time with us.

Implements.

The must-have tools of the creative

February 21, 2018

Eraser

Ashley Obel

February 21, 2018

Mod Podge

Angel Iwanowski

February 21, 2018

Micropens

Gilberto Acosta

February 21, 2018

Inkpen

Abraham Lara

SEE MORE See More

My615:
Journey Into
America’s "It" City

My615, Watkins College of Art, Nashville

Insider

Sometimes, it takes a while to know a city. With our list, you don't have to wait. These are the cool places to have on your checklist.

The Nashville Symphony

This multiple Grammy-award winning Nashville institution offers one of the finest concert halls and orchestras in the country.

The Cumberland River Greenway

Photographer Sam Angel introduces us to her favorite place in Nashville: a biking trail of golden light and industrial charm.

Art Student

There will be times when you need to resupply your toolkit and times when you'll want to be inspired by the works of others. We have both covered.

Tourist

When parents and friends are in town, you may want to play the tourist (and that's fine!). Fortunately, Nashville delivers even when there's a crowd.

Foodie

One reason Nashville has become the "It" City is its culinary excellence. We walk you through the high-end eateries and the cheap eats that feel just as decadent.

Parks/Nature

The color green has been shown to improve creativity. We give you the best spots to refresh your focus.

Spaces.

Favorite (and secret)
spots on campus.

Zulema’s café

“Convenient and peaceful.”

-Tim Amerine

Alternative process lab

“My favorite space is the alternative process lab in the photo department. It is truly understated how unique  the alternative process class is to Watkins. I would say  I particularly love it because it combines photography and chemistry. This class puts the control  back into the hands of the artist in many ways.”

“My favorite space is the alternative process lab in the photo department. It is truly understated how unique  the alternative process class is...Read More

-Josh Ungurait

Silos

“Bright, airy, collaborative, and conducive to intense concentration, Watkins’s new silo studios give our seniors the most inspiring laboratories in which to work and grow. 24-7.”

“Bright, airy, collaborative, and conducive to intense concentration, Watkins’s new silo studios give our seniors the most inspiring labora...Read More

-President J. Kline

Library

“The library is my safe place. It has everything I need—books and coffee.”

-Micaela Herrera

Mezzanine over the café

“My favorite spot is the mezzanine over the café. It’s almost always quiet, and you can’t beat the view of the water. It’s so peaceful. I can get a lot of work done while enjoying the view.”

“My favorite spot is the mezzanine over the café. It’s almost always quiet, and you can’t beat the view of the water. It’s so peaceful. I ...Read More

-Annalyse Moncrief

Print Center

“One of the things I most love to witness is how the print center becomes a hive of activity as the semester goes on. The high-end equipment allows students to breathe life into their creations, from interior design blueprints and museum posters, to book arts, 3D projects, and gallery-ready photographic prints. No one has to to leave the building to build his or her portfolio.”

“One of the things I most love to witness is how the print center becomes a hive of activity as the semester goes on. The high-end equipment allo...Read More

-Sam Angel

Reveal.

David Onri Anderson

Reciprocity, acrylic and graphite on canvas, 2018

After reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Native American scientist and poet, Robin Wall Kimmerer, I was compelled to respond to her wisdom and advice of listening to our Earth and reciprocating with gifts, practices, and responsibilities. I took notes on a canvas as a sort of underpainting of themes and thoughts, which later led to a small central image of a tree branch with leaves on a piece of notebook paper surrounded by a yellow brushy glow.

After reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Native American scientist and poet, Robin Wall Kimmerer, I was compelled to respond to her wisdom and advice of l...Read More

David Onri Anderson

Ancient ESP, acrylic and graphite on raw canvas, 2018

Living in Nashville my whole life, I've come to really appreciate this region where trees are abundant and mostly dominant. So with my painting practice, and my life as an organic being, I give my praise and homage to the great trees who provide for us many natural elements that we so often take for granted. Trees are our ancient elders that have taught us all we know from the beginning of time. This painting shows an inner vision of communication and energy sharing within an evergreen tree that circulates into the surrounding borders and back into the tree form.

Living in Nashville my whole life, I've come to really appreciate this region where trees are abundant and mostly dominant. So with my painting practi...Read More

David Onri Anderson

Daylight Vision Paper Lantern, acrylic and graphite on raw canvas, 2018

Absorbing the visions that come without effort, the paper sits in the sunlight, becomes colored by the changing time, expresses everything by remaining nothing. This is a painting that seeks to expound upon the emptiness of a paper lantern and the fullness it can become through its peaceful existence with surrounding energies.

Absorbing the visions that come without effort, the paper sits in the sunlight, becomes colored by the changing time, expresses everything by remainin...Read More

David Onri Anderson

Split and Reborn, acrylic and graphite on canvas, 2018

In the wintertime when the sun is scarce and feelings of loneliness and darkness creep in, I wanted to make something that would warm me up internally as well as take on these dreams of mortality, love, and sorrow. I began to paint candles in different forms and with different relationships to each other's flames, wax, and wicks. This painting shows a process of birthing, splitting, and rebirthing, a cycle of incarnations.

In the wintertime when the sun is scarce and feelings of loneliness and darkness creep in, I wanted to make something that would warm me up internally...Read More

Give to Watkins

Breakthroughs begin here. Support where the creative economy begins.

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Pipeline.
Watkins in the world

The Many Artistic Lives of Mary Gwyn Bowen

The recently retired nurse reflects on her long history with Watkins’s Community Education program and how it shaped her life.

Mary Gwyn Bowen, Community Education instructor with Watkins College of Art

The Many Artistic Lives of Mary Gwyn Bowen

The recently retired nurse reflects on her long history with Watkins’s Community Education program and how it shaped her life. Read More

News.
Stay current with Watkins

Eighteen for Eighteen

The stories you loved in 2018.

Eighteen for Eighteen

The stories you loved in 2018.

What’s Ahead:
Next at Watkins

February 6 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Seek.

Dialogue.Failure, creative routines, guilty pleasures, advice

Apply

Monday Motivation.Wisdom from those who've been there.

Request Info

Work.

Unframed.Up close with the artists

Unframed.Up close with the artists

Making the Un-Musical

Making the Un-Musical

pARTners.Explorations in collaboration

pARTners.Explorations in collaboration

Eye Opening

Eye Opening

Visit Campus

Implements.

Eraser

Mod Podge

Micropens

Inkpen

Zulema’s café

Alternative process lab

Silos

Library

Mezzanine over the café

Print Center

Reveal.

Gallery.Works to be aware of

David Onri Anderson

David Onri Anderson

David Onri Anderson

David Onri Anderson

Give to Watkins

Pipeline.Watkins in the world

Pipeline.Watkins in the world

The Many Artistic Lives of Mary Gwyn Bowen

The Many Artistic Lives of Mary Gwyn Bowen

News.Stay current with Watkins

News.Stay current with Watkins

Eighteen for Eighteen

Eighteen for Eighteen

Dialogue.
Failure, creative routines, guilty pleasures, advice

Monday Motivation.
Wisdom from those who've been there.