2021 Emerging Artist Fellows

Welcome to our virtual exhibit.

On display now at the Carroll Gallery

Join us in celebrating the 2021 class of Emerging artists with their exhibition at the Charles W. and Norma C. Carroll Gallery in the Marshall School of Art & Design. TFA 2021 Emerging Artist Fellows Exhibition will be on view August 23 – September 17, 2021. The public is invited to a closing reception on September 17, from 4:00 – 5:30pm.  All School of Art & Design events are free and open to the public. 

“We are extremely proud of this year’s class of Emerging Artist Fellows and all they are doing both artistically and in their communities all over the Mountain State. The exhibition is sure to be beautiful and thought-provoking with mediums ranging from painting and pottery to installation work and textile arts.” said Renee Margocee, Executive Director.  

Emerging Artist Fellows are thriving early-career artists who demonstrate a superior level of mastery and an aptitude to become successful creative professionals. Chosen by an independent committee of master artists and arts leaders, they contribute to the foundation’s mission of growing West Virginia’s economy by empowering promising creatives. 

Gallery Walkthrough

Blake Wheeler | Brandy Jefferys | Emily Prentice
Kelsie Tyson |Nichole Westfall | Suzan Ann Morgan

About the 2021 Emerging Artist Fellows

Blake Wheeler

Facebook | Blake Wheeler
Instagram | @bewheel

Blake Wheeler is a mural painter from Marmet. He creates outdoor scenes that surprise, inform, and spark the imagination of viewers. His painterly images may celebrate history, nature, or whimsy; his intention is to elicit enjoyment: “I hope that my work inspires and gives a pleasant experience no matter if the viewer just gives a passing glance or a close inspection.”

Learn more about Blake in “More than Entertainment” Portrait Essay by Kandi Workman

Brandy Jefferys

Linktree | linktr.ee/brandyjefferys
Facebook | @ArtByBrandyJefferys
Instagram | @brandyjefferys

Brandy Jefferys works in oils to create richly colorful still-life paintings of iconic Appalachian foods that evoke nostalgia and belonging. “The visceral, intimate connection to others and to home is what I’m after,” she said. Jeffreys also contributes to her community by teaching drawing classes at the Huntington Museum of Art.

Learn more about Brandy in “Tudor’s Biscuits, Alla Prima, and Pro-Wrestling” Portrait Essay by Kandi Workman

Emily Prentice

Website | EmilyPrentice.art
Facebook | Emily Prentice
Instagram | @emilyprentice.art

Emily Prentice, an Elkins resident, is a zine maker, quilter, and illustrator who uses her colorful art as a way to inspire others of all ages and backgrounds to find their own expressive voices through art. She said, “I want everyone to use creative play and curiosity as a means of changing the world.” An educator by nature and choice, she has created an online workshop/community space “to help students play every day.” 

Learn more about Emily in “Show Me Love” Portrait Essay by Kandi Workman

Kelsie Tyson

Website | KelsieTyson.com
Facebook | Kelsie Tyson
Instagram | @kelsietyson

Kelsie Tyson is an artist/activist who uses photography, fiber, ceramics, and large installations to pursue a visual exploration of body image, sexuality, and the intersections between them. Her goal for her art is to help other West Virginians to appreciate their own bodies. Her artworks are personal, open, and fearless. She lives and works in Lewisburg. 

Learn more about Kelsie in “But We Loved” Portrait Essay by Kandi Workman

Nichole Westfall

Website | NicholeWestfall.com
Facebook| Nichole Westfall
Instagram | @cocoispainting_

Nichole Westfall, a multidisciplinary artist, uses decorative arts as a means of expressing the fears, dreams, angers, and passions of communities that have been silenced. A resident of South Charleston, her work ranges from large-scale installations and murals to small assemblages and sculptures. “My work marries uncomfortable subjects with bold and hopeful design,” she said. 

Learn more about Nichole in “The Reclamation of Pink and Other Things” Portrait Essay by Kandi Workman

Suzan Ann Morgan

Website | SuzanAnnMorgan.com
Facebook | Suzan Morgan
Instagram | @suzanannmorgan

Suzan Ann Morgan is a textile/fiber artist with a passion for surface design. Among other techniques, she employs hand-dyeing and hand-printing fabrics, embroidery, and quilting. Her influences range from fine art training at the Oregon College of Art and Craft to traditional quilters in the Buckhannon area, where she lives.

Learn more about Suzan in “Rainbows of Thread, Bombs & Dye” Portrait Essay by Kandi Workman

Thanks

Thank you for supporting our 2021 Emerging Artist Fellowship Program.

Tremaine Foundation

BB&T | Now Truist Foundation

Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation

National Endowment for the Arts