Z

For the fourth straight year, Tullahoma Virtual Academy senior Arianna Marin will have artwork on display at The Parthenon in Nashville during the Middle Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition that opens in January.

“It feels like such a cool way to round out my high school experience,” Marin said. “It’s a big event, and I’m really excited about it and love that it occurs at The Parthenon. “I really like Greek mythology, and we went around last time to look at everything.”

Marin will have her piece “The Show Must Go On” on display at next year’s exhibit. The oil-on-wood painting will be featured in the 17th Annual Middle Tennessee Regional Art Exhibition, which starts on Jan. 23 and runs until March 1.

“The references I used and have in the painting are a collage of different theaters,” Marin said. “I’ve combined bits of each into the piece. The overall idea in the painting is for people to put themselves out there and express themselves while also using theater as a shield when talking about their feelings. It’s easier to put something out there versus talking about your feelings sometimes.”

While Marin cannot wait to see her artwork on display, her teacher, Kelly Orr, is just as excited. 

“I could not be more excited for Arianna,” Orr said. “She is an extremely talented student and artist that I have watched grow and develop since her freshman year in high school. She has left her mark at TCS and our community through the years by not only showing her art in multiple exhibits in the Tullahoma area but also creating murals for the school system and even speaking at a local TEDx Tullahoma about Autism and her art when she was just 15 years old.

“Her kind heart and talent have made her a pleasure to teach and mentor,” Orr continued. “I cannot wait to see what influences she will make with her art. I am so proud of Arianna and have been blessed to be able to be her art teacher and NAHS advisor for her high school years.”

Marin echoed those sentiments and stated she loves being one of Orr’s students. As Marin noted, Orr has been instrumental in pushing her to share her artwork, allowing her to have pieces on display in several exhibitions.

“I go to the virtual school, and there aren’t clubs here, so one of the worries for me when I started at TVA was that I wasn’t going to be able to be part of the National Art Honor Society anymore,” Marin said. “Mrs. Orr has been so great about telling me about opportunities and ways to still participate.”

Another person who is excited for Marin is TCS Director of Schools, Dr. Catherine Stephens. She offered her congratulations to Marin.

“We have some incredible artists inside our district,” Dr. Stephens said. “If you have walked around the high school, you can see some of the artwork our visual arts students have worked on, which is truly amazing. Arianna is extremely creative, and her talent is undeniable. It is no surprise that she has her artwork on display in the Middle Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition for the fourth straight year.”

More information about the Middle Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition can be found by visiting www.tnarteducation.org/middletnregionalstudentart.