The Great Spring Art Hop
Scavenger Hunt Artists
Madeline Cramer, Stitched in Bloom
My work is rooted in nature and traditional printmaking. For this piece, I envisioned the rabbit as a living quilt of the garden, layered with botanical forms and subtle references to Southern craft.
The design balances negative space with pattern, allowing the silhouette to remain calm and grounded within its environment. The muted, earth-toned palette was chosen to harmonize with Cheekwood’s historic architecture and seasonal blooms.
Amy Wilson-Reilly, Sanctuary in the Understory
Jason Adams, Mr. Hops
Nashville based artist Jason William Adams focuses on drawing, painting and mixed-media collage. Letting the materials direct the process, allowing room for spontaneity and surprise, the aim is to continuously extend the range of his talent.
Mr. Hops is an expression of the nostalgia of Easter joy that translates through generations. With his bold neon colorway and friendly grin, he reminds us that life is sweet and makes us almost want to take a bite!
Angie Tune, Garden Dreams and Bunny in the Tulips
Angie Tune is a Nashville-based artist whose whimsical, impressionistic works celebrate the beauty of everyday moments. Working primarily in acrylics for this collection, she blends expressive brushwork with vibrant color, guided by her design background that brings clarity and balance to thoughtful composition. Her work evokes warmth, curiosity, and gentle nostalgia.
LeAnne Tucker, The Bunny Who Grew A Forest
I am an aspiring art educator and multidisciplinary artist who enjoys exploring a variety of materials and styles. Inspired by nature and places like Cheekwood Botanical Garden, I create imaginative, approachable work that encourages creativity.
The Bunny Who Grew a Forest transforms a simple figure into a living, breathing woodland filled with plants, creatures, and quiet wonder. Inspired by nature and storytelling, this piece invites viewers to slow down, explore the details, and rediscover a sense of childlike curiosity.
Diana Hunt, Little World Below
This piece invites us to shift our perspective. What feels ordinary from a distance becomes extraordinary when we slow down and look closer. It’s a celebration of how changing our viewpoint can uncover hidden beauty, new beginnings, and unexpected joy. Sometimes all it takes is a different angle to rediscover the magic around us.
XPayne, Bunny X
Xavier Payne is a visual artist and designer who uses color and icons to tell the narrative and nuances of the Black experience. Born in Flint, Michigan, and raised in Nashville, TN, Payne draws inspiration from Black American and West African culture, nostalgia, and history. He is known for his Black Pop series and has artwork in Spike Lee’s 40 Acres and a Mule collection, and has completed commissions for Issa Rae. XPayne has earned support from Martin Lawrence, Wesley Snipes, and Ice Cube, among many other cultural icons. Today, he seeks to work with brands and collectors who see value in his creative vision of making the world a more colorful and imaginative place.
Bunny X is a politically inspired and stylishly aware character design. Bunny X carries Malcolm X’s autobiography and is proudly wearing black and gold attire. Bunny X is a symbol of pride, identity, and social awareness.
Dharati “Dottie” Patel, Vision of Spring at Cheekwood
Dharati Patel owner of Thornbird Art Studio, a Nashville local, formally started creating art three years ago when she stumbled upon an elementary idea of painting in the style of Stained Glass. Through trial and error, she molded that small idea into a unique specialized art form which in turn led her to an expansive array of mediums. Dharati’s mixed media art pushes the boundaries of the traditional use of raw materials to create something new out of something familiar, reflecting and preserving moments of life whether lived, dreamt or inspired by travel, music, literature, theatre and dance.
What drew me to this idea was the destructing of an image, broken pieces (although in paintings it’s more like fragmented pieces) all coming together in a singularity to show light and beauty. For this contest, I have combined several pictures I’ve taken during my many visits to Cheekwood and pieced them together in resemble one singular vision of springtime at Cheekwood. Since the medium will be plywood and not a clear surface I usually work with, I decided to add crushed glass to highlight some of areas as a tribute to my stained glass style and light. The crushed glass will reflect light and add a layer of texture. The base of the painting is acrylic paint and the black borders are done with textured piping to make the overall appearance imitate stained glass even further. When I think of spring in Nashville, I think of Cheekwood, magnolia blooms, and of course the tulips. It is the vision of spring that I have.