DUANE SHERRILLEditor

The Tullahoma Downtown Arts Crawl was the biggest yet as 20 businesses opened their doors to the arts with the event offering a wide array of artists from painters and sculptors to singers and ventriloquists.

“We’re showcasing local artists and that’s from vocal talent, musicians, visual arts, storytelling, illustrations, you name it we’re doing all that, photography, pottery, everything,” said Greg Gressel, Executive Director of South Jackson Performing Arts Center and a leader of the local arts council which meets the third Thursday of every month. The meetings are public and are announced in advance for anyone who would like to attend. “The arts council gets together and makes sure that the arts are coexisting together and working together.”

The 2025 iteration of the Arts Crawl along with a comfortable fall evening enticed many downtown to see what was offered. In total, 72 artists were announced to being performing or showing at the annual event.

There were many interesting individual artist stories at the art crawl. One was of Kate Hall who went from being a flight attendant to an artist, specializing in animals and outdoor themes.

Hall, who set up at Clayton’s Shoes, revealed she had been a flight attendant for 13 years but was grounded when COVID-19 shut everything down. That led to a career change as she found herself having a lot of time at home. Her mother-in-law showed her how to use colored pencils and she was off and running from there. Being an outdoors person, her work is inspired by sporting, wildlife and nature. She enjoys bird hunting and fly fishing with her husband.

One of the more niche presentations was by teenage ventriloquist Leah Rees who put on her show at Memorial Antiques.

Lilly shared the story of how she was inspired to start puppetry, noting that in fifth grade, she saw Darcy Lynne on “America’s Got Talent” and was amazed. This led her to get her own puppet a few months later.

“I saw Darcy Lynne on America’s Got Talent, and I thought she was just so good,” she said. “And it honestly inspired me.”

Along with ventriloquism, she said she also loved theater and was thrilled with the outcome when she approached the South Jackson Civic Center for opportunities. It opened the door to her public performances.

They were doing “South Jackson Goes Country” event, which was a perfect fit.

“Oh my gosh, amazing,” she recalled thinking. “I have a country puppet. How convenient.”

Meanwhile, over in the Avenues, Emily May-Ragland, art teacher from Tullahoma, was painting a landscape as many of her students set up for their art show. Outside in the halls of the Avenue, Katelyn Bratcher and Emma Carroll were doing dances from the play “Wicked”. Just outside, near Spinelli’s, Reilly Pearson and Beth Thames had their art on display for passersby.

“I do art because it makes me happy,” Pearson explained of his abstract and mixed media display.

Along with visual art, next door, at Daddy Billy’s, Steve Winstead and Elliot Abrose performed on stage. They were one of many musical acts that went on downtown. Jim Sartain, singer/songwriter performed at The Seafood Place while The Well Church had no less than six vocalists who performed during the Crawl. The Tullahoma News’ own Jon Gray, of Complex Concepts fame, told stories at Memories Antiques. One22 West had elegant music for its diners as they had a string quartet featuring Lisa Maurer on cello and Tammy Hurd and Natalie Halling on violin and Kenadie Halling on viola.

The Atlantic featured an even dozen artists including a jazz band and an array of visual artists.

The Chamber of Commerce featured rock jewelry and woodwork while Penny Jack’s had Mya Burrahm during live window painting along with an assortment of visual artists on display inside.

The Haunted Store had a trio of artists upstairs including Cheryl Nelson, Hannah Reichle and Marie Desilets, with viewers getting to shop for their Halloween favorites as they walked through the store.

In all, there 20 downtown businesses that participated in the art crawl. They included London’s, One22 West, City Sandwich Company, the Chamber, La Montia, Penny Jack’s, Tully’s Coffee Co., The Haunted Store, The Well, Memories Antiques, Lincoln Street Business Center, Clayton’s Shoes, The Seafood Place, The Downtown Avenues, Couch’s, Spinelli’s, Daddy Billy’s, The Atlantic, The Law Office of Jim Conley and Twin Cedars Construction.