2024

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2024 Master Artists and Apprentices:

*Projects are funded in part through a special partnership with the South Arts’ initiative In These Mountains: Central Appalachian Folk Art & Culture. 

An older man and a young boy, both wearing cowboy hats and white shirts, stand indoors at a desk with papers and CDs. The man gestures to the papers while the boy watches attentively. Framed photos are on the wall behind them.

Carlos DeFord Bailey, master artist and Quincy LeJuan Phillips, Jr., apprentice

Country Blues Harmonica. Nashville, TN.

Two people sit facing each other in a living room, each playing a violin. The room has a brick wall, red recliner, wooden chairs, framed pictures, and a side table with a mug and lamp.

Mike Bryant, master artist and Sharon Richards, apprentice

Old Time Fiddling. Kingston and Shady Valley, TN.*

A group of people form a tunnel with their arms while others walk through it in a gymnasium with wood floors and large windows painted with blue sky and clouds.

Leo Collins, master artist and Tony Branam, apprentice

Square Dance Calling. Heiskell and Jacksboro, TN.*

Two adults work on colorful craft projects at a table by a window. The woman folds green and red materials, while the man wraps multicolored paper around an object. Cars are visible through the window in the background.

Rafael Figueroa, master artist and Sandra Figueroa, apprentice

Cartonería. Memphis, TN

A man wearing a cowboy hat and denim jacket stands next to a seated man playing a black piano labeled Rockin with Jason D. A large painting of a pianist hangs behind them in a bright, art-filled room.

Jason D. Williams, master artist and Canyon Williams, apprentice

Boogie-Woogie Piano. Memphis, TN.

Three people stand indoors holding colorful piñatas. The person on the left holds a pink and purple piñata, the person in the middle holds a doll-shaped piñata, and the person on the right holds a multicolored donkey piñata.

Eva Rodriguez Luna, master artist and Mauricio Luna and Alejandra Berry, apprentices

Piñata Making. Knoxville and Jefferson City, TN.*

Two men sit on a bench playing string instruments, one with a violin and the other with a banjo. They are on a brick walkway near train tracks, with instrument cases nearby and shops visible across the street.

Trenton Caruthers, master artist and Jordan Judkins, apprentice

Cumberland Plateau Banjo. Cookeville and Smithville, TN.*

Two women sit on a dark couch with wooden walls behind them, each holding a mandolin. One woman wears a plaid shirt and the other wears a brown blouse. They appear to be engaged in conversation.

Lauren Price Napier, master artist and Reagan Brown, apprentice

Monroe-Style Mandolin. Hyden, KY and Springfield, TN.

A woman stands with arms crossed near a table with a checkered sunflower tablecloth. Another woman sits at the table, looking at her phone. The table holds hats, a mannequin head, and a vase with artificial sunflowers.

Maxine White, master artist and Morgan Washington, apprentice

Millinery. Jackson, TN.

Two women work together in a workshop, one applying stain with a brush to a wooden bench while the other holds part of the bench steady. Various tools and materials are visible in the background.

Sheila Collins, master artist and Paula Schuerer, apprentice

Woodworking and Furniture Making. Lewisburg and Franklin, TN.

A person in a hoodie stands beside another person painting a large sign indoors. The painter holds a brush and a can, while the room is dimly lit with shelves and supplies in the background.

Mike Wood, master artist and Avery Wood, apprentice

Hand Painted Sign Making. Jamestown, TN.*