NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The third annual William Edmondson Arts & Culture Festival took place Saturday in Nashville, focusing on the theme of keeping the legacy alive. Organizers say it is Nashville’s only art and craft fair intentionally highlighting Black and brown artists and craftspeople.
Sculptor Wilson Lee Junior, who discovered his artistic talents at the age of 12, shared his perspective on creativity. “You don't count the time; you make the time count,” he said. Growing up with a woodworker father, Wilson quickly developed his skills and found inspiration in other artists, particularly the late William Edmondson. “He’s a stone carver; I’m a wood carver. So I said, wait a minute. When I saw his work, I said, okay, yeah, he reminds me of myself,” he added.
Mark Schlicher, a member of the Friends of the Edmondson Homesite Board of Directors, provided insight into Edmondson's background. “William was born to formerly enslaved parents on a plantation in southwest Nashville, now Green Hills. His widowed mother and siblings eventually settled in the Edgehill neighborhood.”
Schlicher explained that during the Great Depression, Edmondson was inspired to create using discarded limestone dumped in his yard. “From 1932 to 1937, he created hundreds of what were intended as lawn ornaments and decorations for tombstones for the Black community,” he said. His work garnered attention, leading to Edmondson becoming the first African American artist to have a solo show at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
The festival is held at the William Edmondson Homesite Park & Gardens, the location of Edmondson's former workshop. This year’s event invited many artists to this sacred ground as part of "WE Fest."
Emerging artist Jazz Lucas participated by typing personal poems for festival attendees. “I’m honored to be here to be a part of that legacy of being my own emerging artist,” she said.
Wilson hopes the festival inspires young people to dream big and pursue their own creative paths.
Major funding for WE Fest comes from the Tennessee Arts Commission and Metro Arts.
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