Page 91 - Nashville Interiors - Winter (2019-2020)

his work been more abstract as he creates go along with it. And I think that’s some of the
more out of spirit than even out of an idea or an equality work — finding a way to make space
intention to say something specific. for the people that developed and built the city
after it gets so popular.” Above left: “It’s All Life,”
“It’s just kind of speaking to whatever’s floating
40x50 inches, oil on
around inside,” he says. Booker says the growth in Nashville’s art fabric
Oil painting is Booker’s primary medium, and his community has a different perspective from Above: “Hussle and
works run the gamut of sizes. But oil painting the black community because there’s already a Motivate,” 36x40 inches,
oil on fabric
murals and mixed media are things he has done smaller community where the competitive spirit
more of in the past couple of years. is akin to two athletes on the same team — they
both want to be MVP, but in the end you want
“Often I use found objects or incorporate some everybody to win.
other media into the painting. Sometimes I’ll
paint on fabric instead of canvas,” he says. “But “Even aside from a racial dynamic, I still feel that
oil painting is the foundation.” in Nashville,” he says. “People overwhelmingly
root for each other. At least that’s how I feel
A Nashville native, he has seen the tremendous about it. And that’s the energy that I want to
growth not only of the city, but of the art scene. bring too. I think sometimes if you bring that
And he is encouraged by it all.
energy into it, then you tend to get it back.”
“As more people come to the city with different Booker is the curator and artist in residence at
ideas and different backgrounds, the diversity is Woodcuts Gallery and Custom Framing and has
growing. And for artists, it’s a great place to be. an upcoming residency with Civil Rights Corps
Of course it’s getting much more expensive to in Washington, D.C. He’ll be making artwork
live in Nashville and all those things that kind of surrounding social justice issues. NI

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