New Flying Solo Exhibits Arrive at Nashville International Airport® 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (October 30, 2023) – The Fall/Winter edition of the Flying Solo series at Nashville International Airport® (BNA®) has opened its doors to the public, inviting travelers to partake in an immersive artistic journey. The exhibit opens today and runs through February 25, 2024, featuring pieces by Cosima Aryee, Contemporary Collective, Audry Deal-McEver, Alison Fullerton, Samuel F. Spees, Jason Stout, Stacy Widelitz, and Alyssa Wood.

The Flying Solo series is a respected, rotating art exhibit that offers art organizations and gifted artists an opportunity to exhibit their work at BNA each season The artwork on display covers a wide spectrum, ranging from striking paintings and thought-provoking photographs to intricate blown glass pieces. These artistic expressions are carefully curated to provide travelers passing through BNA with a genuine taste of Nashville’s thriving arts scene.

Created in 1988, BNA’s Arts at the Airport is an ever-growing, ever-changing showcase of cultural diversity and creative talent in Tennessee. The terminal and surrounding facilities were designed to incorporate rotating public art exhibits, permanent acquisitions, and opportunities for live entertainment performances throughout the airport.

A brief biography of the featured artists and their work is as follows:

Cosima Aryee-Risolvo
“Intuitive Energy-scapes” (oil painting)
Located on Level 1 at the exit of the International Arrivals Facility (IAF)
https://www.cosimas.art/

Born in the coastal town of Taranto, Italy, Cosima Aryee spent significant time by the beach, where she absorbed the essence of marine life, embracing its inherent beauty, serenity, and boundless energy. Those who appreciate her art often express that her paintings transport them to an underwater world.

After dedicating three years to her service in the U.S. Army, Aryee pursued her education at the College of Art & Design, Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where she proudly achieved a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1995, majoring in both painting and drawing. As a mother raising two sons, she enjoyed a thriving career in Graphic Design and Marketing before embarking on her journey into professional art exhibitions in 2017.

Aryee currently resides and maintains her art studio in the scenic East Tennessee region, holding memberships in the Morristown Artist Association, the Tennessee Artist Association, and the Knoxville Artist Alliance.

Contemporary Collective
“Strength in Numbers” (Acrylic on canvas)
Located on Level 1 near the exit of the IAF
https://www.contemporarycollectivenashville.com/
@contemporarycollectivenashvill
Link to artwork

The Contemporary Collective, a well-established group of abstract artists, has been collaborating since 2012. Hailing from Nashville and its surrounding areas, its members span a range of ages, styles, approaches, and motivations for their artistry.

The paintings created by these artists go beyond visual representations, serving as living descriptions of their emotional experiences. Inspiration manifests uniquely for each of them, drawn from sources like nature, study, humanity, internal dialogue, our senses, music, emotion, or light. Each artist responds intuitively to the story that begins and unfolds on their canvas through color, texture, layers, energy, skill, and trust.

Examined individually, each piece becomes a gateway for a direct emotional connection between the artist and the viewer. When presented collectively, viewers are encouraged to engage with the artwork with a renewed perspective, allowing them to identify both common traits and distinctive expressions within and across the paintings, thus illustrating the captivating nature of abstract art and emphasizing the power of artistic collaboration.

Audry Deal-McEver
“Cross Pollination” (Ceramics)
Located in Concourse A near Kijiji Coffee
https://audrydealmcever.com/
@audrydealmcever 
Link to artwork

Nashville-based, full-time clay artist Audry Deal-McEver has exhibited her work in over 50 shows across the United States. These exhibitions include prominent venues such as the Museum of Ceramic Art, the Customs House Museum, the Disjecta Contemporary Arts Center, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and various nature centers and botanical conservatories.

Her educational background encompasses a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Ceramic Studio Arts from Ohio University, studies at the Burg Giebichenstein School of Art and Design in Halle, Germany, and short-term residencies at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Red Lodge Clay Center, Hot Springs National Park, and the University of Alaska.

Deal-McEver has garnered several grants, notably an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Tennessee Arts Commission and an Individual Artist Career Opportunity grant from South Arts. Audry’s studio practice has received recognition in publications like Ceramics Monthly, and she has been featured on Nashville Public Television’s Tennessee Crossroads and the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler podcast.

In addition to her artistic endeavors, Deal-McEver has shared her expertise by teaching at various art institutions, including Middle Tennessee State University, Belmont University, and Vanderbilt University’s Sarratt Art Studios, as well as at workshop centers across the country.

Alison Fullerton
“FLY GIRLS: The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) of World War II” (encaustic wax)
Located on Level 1 near the exit of the IAF
https://www.alisonfullertonart.com/
@alison_fullerton
Link to artwork

Residing in Nashville, Tennessee, artist Alison Fullerton is a skilled encaustic wax (beeswax) painter, drawing inspiration from the ancient Egyptian art form. Her works have graced galleries in both the United States and Europe, where she shares compelling stories of resilient women through her art.

In 2016, Fullerton married into the military, the same year that the Department of Defense lifted the ban on women in combat. While stationed in Germany, she had the privilege of meeting female military leaders and hearing their inspiring stories.

Fullerton’s “FLY GIRLS” serves as a tribute not only to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) but also to all selfless women who serve in the military, aiming to secure the recognition and honor they rightfully deserve.

Samuel F. Spees
“Perfect” (blown glass)
Located in Concourse D, near Gate D2
https://www.samfspees.com
@samspees
Link to artwork

Hailing from Dayton, Ohio, Samuel Spees is a multifaceted artist, designer, and craftsman whose initial passion for football while at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky transitioned into a profound love for the art of glassmaking.

Since his college years, he has gained experience in various studios across the United States, such as the Chrysler Museum Glass Studio in Norfolk, Virginia, the Penland School of Craft in Penland, North Carolina, and the Pittsburgh Glass Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Presently, Spees holds the position of Director of Glass at the Nashville Glasshaüs, scheduled to open in November 2023. While overseeing studio operations, he simultaneously crafts his own glassware and sculptures and is actively involved in the design and creation of Glasshaüs-branded glassware and lighting.

Jason Stout
“In My Room, Alone with Everyone” (oil on canvas)
Located in the A/B Meeter Greeter area near Tennessee Tribune
https://www.thejasonstout.com/
@jason.stout.92
Link to artwork

Stout’s art delves into the realms of formal and figurative abstraction, while exploring themes such as power, history, and identity, especially through the guise of southern culture.

In 2001, Jason Stout obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in studio art from the University of Tennessee at Martin, followed by a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Painting from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2004.

Throughout his career, he has showcased his art in numerous solo and group exhibitions, and his creations have found their way into both private and public collections, including notable institutions like the University of West Georgia, Jacksonville State University, The University of Texas at Tyler, and the University of Tennessee at Martin. Furthermore, his art has garnered recognition through its inclusion in notable publications such as New American Paintings South Edition 2020, Thought Art Magazine (Issue 5, 2022), and various other national exhibition catalogs.

Presently, he holds the position of Professor of Art at the University of Tennessee at Martin and is also represented by REM Gallery in San Antonio, Texas, as well as Circuitous Succession Callery in Memphis, Tennessee.

Stout achieved recognition as the Tennessee Art Education Association (TAEA) Higher Education Art Educator of the Year for 2015-16 and secured the Best of Show award at Art of the South in 2016. His list of accolades further includes the 2017-2018 Ray and Wilma Smith Award for creative research, the 2019 University of Tennessee Alumni Association (UTAA) Outstanding Teacher Award, and the 2022 Cunningham Teacher/Scholar Award.

Stacy Widelitz
“Nashville to London: Non-Stop” (photographs)
Located in Concourse D, near Gate D4
https://stacywidelitz.com/
@stacywidelitz
Link to artwork

Stacy Widelitz began his journey as a composer at the age of 19, but it wasn’t until he co-wrote “She’s Like the Wind” with Patrick Swayze, featured on the iconic Dirty Dancing film soundtrack, that he gained widespread recognition. The song achieved the #3 position on the Billboard Hot 100 and secured the #1 spot on adult-contemporary radio charts. His extensive portfolio encompasses composition work for various films, made-for-TV movies, Disney’s Pocahontas II, and an Emmy nomination for his contributions to ABC’s World of Discovery.

Apart from his music composition, Widelitz has a strong passion for travel photography. During a trip to Tuscany in the Fall of 2015, he developed a keen fascination with the faces he encountered on the streets and in the cafés, inspiring him to capture them in striking black-and-white photographs. An admirer of film noir and classic black-and-white street photography, Widelitz realized that these influences were surfacing in the photos he was capturing. Surprisingly, he found that he could encapsulate emotional moments with his camera, recognizing that his lifelong pursuit of capturing such moments through music had prepared him for this new visual medium.

Having embraced street photography in the UK, Europe, and the US, “Nashville to London: Non-Stop” spotlights Widelitz’s hometown, Nashville, and the vibrant city of London, skillfully contrasting their distinct attributes while revealing a common essence.

Widelitz has held leadership roles as the past president of several prominent organizations, including Nashville Opera, Leadership Music, Nashville Film Festival, and Nashville Opera Guild. Additionally, he has served as the former Vice-Mayor of the City of Oak Hill.

Alyssa Wood
“Tennessee” (photographs)
Located on Level 1 near the exit of the IAF
https://www.alyssawood.art/
@alyssa.wood.photo
Link to artwork

Hailing from a rural area near Nashville, Tennessee, Alyssa Wood relocated to Miami in 2016 as the recipient of a scholarship to study biology in Miami, Florida. At 26 years old, Wood is currently dedicated in her pursuit of a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in photography at the University of Miami, where she previously completed her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in biology.

She is captivated by the often-overlooked intricacies—a tree’s gnarled bark, a testament to centuries of growth, the gorges etched by erosion, silently chronicling the passage of time, or the emergence of new life amidst the scorched aftermath of a forest fire.

Her photography aims to uncover the narratives woven into a location’s appearance, presenting a visual story that illustrates the delicate equilibrium between resilience and fragility.

Arts at the Airport
The Arts at the Airport (AaA) program showcases the region’s visual and performing arts. AaA is governed by a 15-member Arts at the Airport Foundation board, is funded primarily by the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, and receives some funding from the Tennessee Arts Commission. The award-winning Arts at the Airport program reviews and presents works by local, regional, and national artists for the enjoyment and enrichment of BNA’s passengers and visitors. In addition to visual art, Arts at the Airport includes live music performances on stages throughout BNA’s passenger terminal.

About Nashville International Airport®
As infrastructure critical to the region’s growth and prosperity, BNA® is a vital asset for Middle Tennessee and serves as a gateway to Music City and beyond. According to a recent study, in 2019 alone, BNA generated more than $9.9 billion in total economic impact, supported more than 76,000 jobs in the region, and produced more than $443 million in state, local, and federal taxes. BNA receives no local tax dollars. For more information, visit flynashville.com. Follow us on Facebook: @NashvilleInternationalAirport, Twitter: @Fly_Nashville, and Instagram: @FlyNashville. Learn more about BNA® Vision, our expansion and renovation plan for the airport, at BNAVision.com.

About John C. Tune Airport®
Located in West Nashville, only eight miles from downtown Nashville, John C. Tune Airport, also known as JWN®, is the busiest general aviation airport in Tennessee. It serves the needs of regional, corporate, and private aircraft and is a reliever airport for Nashville International Airport (BNA). JWN has generated $92 million in economic impact and is owned and managed by the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority. JWN receives no local tax dollars. For more information, visit flynashville.com/nashville-airport-authority/john-c-tune.

NASHVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT®,  BNA®, COMMANDER BERRY FIELD®, JOHN C. TUNE AIRPORT®, and JWN®, among others, are the registered trademarks and trademarks of The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (“MNAA”). Use of these trademarks without permission from MNAA is strictly prohibited.

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