Featured Tennessee Artisans

I enjoy traveling and meeting artists of all walks of life throughout Tennessee. Each one has a rich story to share and a dedication to their craft that is inspiring to experience in person. I hope you enjoy a peak into that experience through the video I shoot and my discovery journal.

Tom Fuhrman – Fuhrman Glass Studios

Tom FuhrmanFuhrman Glass Studios is located in the beautiful hills of Cannon County in Tennessee. Fuhrman Glass Studios is owned and operated by glass artist Tom Fuhrman. He’s been working in glass since 1974. Prior to 1999 he was operating a hot glass studio part-time in northeastern Indiana.

At the age of 50, Fuhrman and his wife moved to Woodbury, TN after reading about it in John Villani’s 100 Best Art Towns of America. Tom decided to pursue his life passion after he and his wife saw an episode of Oprah about people in their retirement doing the exact same thing.

I got a chance to meet Fuhrman at his Short Mountain Studios a few times and watch him create these beautiful works of art. Tom is in the process of moving his studios to Oak Ridge. Once he’s settled in, I’ll pay him a visit and post more in my discovery journal.

Jack Martin – Hockaday Handmade Brooms

Jack MartinJack Martin is a fourth generation broom maker in Selmer, TN. His great grandfather, Will Hockaday, started making brooms in 1916 on the same machine that Jack uses today to handmake each and every broom.

Jack organizes an annual Broom Corn Festival in September attended by thousands who come to watch demonstrating craftsman and artists from around the area.

I met Jack last Christmas Eve when I was searching for a last minute gift that would communicate something more than that. Jack stayed open, and I made a 7 hour round trip to pick up brooms. I was blown away by his shop, his story and his amazing brooms.

Jack will be planting and harvesting some broom corn soon. I’ll post more in my discovery journal.

Carrie Nunes – Metalsmith and Jeweler

Carrie NunesCarrie Nunes is a metalsmith and jewler based in Nashville, Tennessee. Carrie is also a graduate gemologist who uses gems to add a pop of color to her work. Carrie works with sterling silver, 18 and 24 karat gold and bimetal to bring nature inspired jewelry to life.

I love watching Carrie work a sheet of silver through the entire process of making it into a work of art. Carrie’s rolling mill she speaks about in the video above allows her to create her own wire and to slowly flatten her recycled metals down to usable sheets.

Most of Carrie’s work is inspired by nature. You’ll see plants familiar to Tennessee, like Dogwood or hydrangea and plenty of leaf patterns. You can read more in my discovery journal.

Ed Wooten – Craftsman

Ed WootenI met Ed Wooten for the first time at Tom Fuhrman’s glass studio on Short Mountain. Ed had come over to help Tom turn over a large stained glass window Tom was working on for a local church. It wasn’t until later I discovered Ed also made fused glass and Shaker oval boxes.

Ed and his wife Janet have retired to Short Mountain in Cannon County, a place Ed describes as painted a spectrum of color between Spring and Fall. Ed serves on the board of the Arts Center of Cannon County and proudly displays the works of local artists in his home.

As you will learn in the video above, Ed learned how to make Shaker boxes from John Wilson at the Shaker Village in Pleasant Hill, KY. Read more about how Ed learned to make Shaker oval boxes.

  • Read more about craftsman Ed Wooten.
  • Browse more boxes by Wooten.
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