Kenneth Alexander
Kenneth Alexander is a painter, motion artist, and curator based in Memphis, TN. He fuses anime and digital art with his traditional style to create a new vision often drawn from his dreams. Growing up in South Memphis, Kenneth was in constant pursuit of an art community. After being accepted into a local performing arts high school, he never looked back.
Kenneth’s artwork has shown in over two dozen exhibitions, including the Brooks Museum of Art, garnering him national attention. Chosen as a juror for the 2016 and 2021 Mid-South Scholastic Art Competition, and selected as the Key Note speaker in the former, Kenneth has influenced lives of young aspiring. After curating the Bicentennial for the City of Memphis, he has spread influence and inspiration to working artists all around the city. This is turn landed him more curatorial work for outside projects. He is well known for his work as a Set Designer and Art Director on networks like NBC, Apple TV, & BET. Kenneth draws inspiration from some of the great surrealists, namely Salvador Dali, but he is ultimately pioneering the way in a new age of digital art.
Instagram: @noviartwork, @frameworthygallery
Austin Blue
I am a San Francisco native, Atlanta based full time artist. I have exhibited for City of Atlanta, Super Bowl Live, and Lyft, to name a few and work as a Scenic Artist in film (IASTE 479). My work explores the concepts of contrast and harmony through shapes, color, and use of space. I tend to paint compositions consisting of geometric shapes with subjects (commonly animal or human) and I bounce from representational and abstract frequently. I’m self taught and make sure that little time goes by without learning something new pertaining to my craft. With that said, each piece I create is a milestone for me, as I'm constantly striving to learn more and improve. I want my work to pique interest, make people ask questions, and inspire creativity.
Ryleigh Hixon
Ryleigh Hixon is a 17 year old high school student who creates and consumes art voraciously. She wants to study and work in scenic design, but also has a passion for social and political work and all things musical theater and art related. Her passions and obsessions have always been a big part of her personality, and they constantly fuel her work. Ryleigh’s work showcases important and impactful people throughout history, using their words to evoke and create change within people and society. This will be the first time her work will be publicly on display, but she hopes it will not be the last.
LeMarques McClide
LeMarques Manuel McClide is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. At the age of 4, LeMarques’s mother discovered his talent for drawing from his uncommissioned artwork on the living room wall. The picture depicted a man standing near a railroad track. LeMarques often depicted persons, graffiti, landscapes and buildings in his early childhood artwork. This unique talent led him to enrollment at the Dekalb School of the Arts, a prestigious public performing arts high school in Atlanta. While matriculating, he developed a strong passion for visual arts and theater production. After graduating from high school, he decided to attend Southern Polytechnic State University (now part of the Kennesaw State University campus network) where he studied architecture and construction and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management. In 2012, he achieved a Master of Education in Professional Counseling at the University of West Georgia. In 2015, LeMarques reignited his passion and love for acrylic painting. Some of his most influential artists are Michelangelo, Vincent Van Gogh, Daniel Arsham, Pablo Picasso, Stuart Davis, Vik Muniz, Frida Khalo, Salvador Dalí. LeMarques depicts his creative and unique visions through his paintings and projects. He continues to elevate and develop his talents, while equally encouraging others to manifest their talents.Website: lemarquesmcclide.com/about
Elma Orr
Background: Elma Orr has a major in Economics, as well as a Diploma of Post-Graduation in International Economics. She worked 20+ years in Purchasing and Contracts for an Aircraft Manufacturer and Ford Motor Co. in Brazil and in the USA. She is a self-taught artist who started painting as a hobby and later decided to build upon her passion for art. Elma has been living in Dunwoody for 8 years.
Affiliations: Elma is a current member of Dunwoody Fine Art Association. Before moving to Dunwoody, she was a member of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council in Oxford, MS, and the of MAC – Mississippi Arts Commission, in Jackson, MS. She also was a grant recipient from the National Endowment for the Arts, through the MAC. In Grenada MS, Elma was a Downtown Association Committee board member, supporting projects for Downtown Revitalization.
Works: Elma paints in oils and acrylics and has held many art shows in Grenada, MS, Oxford, MS, Greenwood, MS and in San Francisco, CA. She has sold to many collectors in Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, Michigan, Georgia, and Saudi Arabia.
Email: ElmaOrr99@gmail.com
Mario Padilla
Mario has a Masters Degree of Fine Art from the New York Academy of Art, where he focused his studies on techniques in oil and acrylic painting, life drawings, anatomy, and composition. His undergraduate degree is in Philosophy from the National University of Colombia in Bogota, his hometown, where he later when back to teach a course on Aesthetics. His background in philosophy informs his current work greatly, as it is always reflective of humans and their context. His inspirations come from the essence and people of places he has lived and travelled. He has had solo and group exhibitions in many different galleries and other spaces, many of which he was the head organizer for—including the Mexican Consulate in New Orleans, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (for which he has also been a juror several times), and the New Orleans Healing Center. He works with the Roswell Arts Fund on their Roswell in Print initiative, and was part of an exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Arts of Georgia “Celebrating Georgia Artists of Hispanic/Latinx Origins.” Mario has always thrived at bringing artists and expressions together for a common purpose, and his collaborative organizing tendency informs the growth of his work.
Website: www.mariopadilla.com
