Artist Lynn Thompson works primarily in acrylic painting media, exploring vibrant color palettes and dynamic compositions to bring subjects to life with energy and presence. Her work focuses on drawing inspiration from the organic forms and textures found in the natural world. Influenced by an interest in the interplay of color and form, she approaches each piece with an emphasis on movement and emotional resonance, using color to layer and blend hues in ways that evoke both realism and abstraction.
By combining bold, sweeping strokes with subtle details, they create images that invite viewers to engage with both the overall impact and the intricacies of the subject matter. Whether portraying animals or botanical elements, Lynn seeks to reveal the vitality and character inherent in their forms. The medium allows for a fluid manipulation of color and texture, supporting an intuitive approach where experimentation with layering and blending plays a central role.
Ms. Thompson’s body of work is unified by a commitment to expressing the inherent energy and complexity of natural subjects through a contemporary lens. The resulting pieces are characterized by a balance of vividness and delicacy, making them visually striking while maintaining an approachable, contemplative quality.
Lynn began her artistic journey with study at Rutgers University in Fine Arts program. In addition to being a fine artist Lynn is a graphic designer, with over 26 years’ experience, who has assisted many entrepreneurs with brand creation. As an experienced instructor, Lynn offers workshops and classes in art, color theory, graphic design, and marketing.
While working in the Adult Learning Community, her encouraging and patient approach to teaching helped to build confidence and inspire creativity. Lynn’s art offers an exploration of how color and form can convey mood and identity, contributing to a broader conversation about nature’s presence in modern artistic practice.
“Fallen Angel”
20×20
Acrylic on Wood in Wood Frame
$400
I paint with both oils and gouache. Landscapes and local scenes are my first love, but abstracts are a close second!
I am a self-taught artist whose work explores empathy, identity, and the human experience, intricately woven through social justice and introspection themes. I examine the stories of everyday life, offering a lens through which we can confront challenging questions about race, equity and the state of shared humanity.
My master’s degree in reading education and thirty years of reading aloud to children and being read to by children from storybooks where picture and text go hand-in-hand have influenced my creative choices. The daily interactions with children and the moment-by-moment immersion into their concrete thinking rests on my canvas via vivid colors, text, simple lines, shapes, and textures set into a narrative.
My practice is guided by the belief that art can foster empathy. My compositions often juxtapose vulnerability with strength, aiming to dissolve the barriers that separate people from one another; urging viewers to engage with the artwork and the issues it represents.
“Ballerina”
24×32
Acrylic on Canvas $450
Shelly Leitheiser has a passion for all kinds of visual art, including photography. Shelly has combined her professional and personal interests into an art practice that reflects her interests, including the beauty of nature, the colors of the universe, portraits and more. About half of her art practice is abstract paintings, the rest a variety of landscapes and portraits. The subject matter of Shelly’s art is as varied as what she imagines and sees in the world. Today she fuses traditional art skills and techniques using oil, watercolor, and acrylic with current technologies and digital art. She has been displaying her art in many art shows in Georgia and Minnesota, where she used to live, for most of her life.
Spears McAllester Biography
Award winning landscape and nature photographer Spears McAllester is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee. He grew up hiking the beautiful trails of Lookout Mountain, TN and developed a deep appreciation for nature.
An engineer by training, Spears has always had an eye for detail. He decided to pursue fine art digital landscape photography in 2010, after a trip to Torres del Paine in Chile. A February 2011 “Winter Light” workshop in Yosemite Valley taught by professional photographer Keith Walklet led to a new appreciation of the subtleties and beauty of light, and a passion to capture and share images of our wonderful natural world with others. Spears is proud to give voice to the beauty of nature through his photography.
Spears was accepted as a member of Chattanooga’s In-Town Gallery, one of the oldest cooperative art galleries in the United States, in April, 2012, and continues as a member and gallery officer.
Spears’ photography has been included in numerous juried regional art shows including the Wilderness Photography Foundation Natures’s Generosity Traveling Exhibition (2023-2024), 4 Bridges Art Show (Chattanooga), the Webb School Artxtravaganza (Knoxville, TN), the Wesleyan School Artist Market (Atlanta, GA), the Arts Alive Gallery Show (Florence, AL), and the University School of Nashville Artclectic show (Nashville, TN). His work is exhibited in academic, corporate, healthcare, and private collections.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.mcallester/
Phone: (423) 667-6992 (cell)
Patty, my wife, and I have been residents of Cobb and Paulding for over 35 years. For 6 years we owned Hiram Bookstore, and for the last thirteen years have been poll managers at the Paulding Senior Center. I am a published author and composer having published 25 books to date and written around 100 musical pieces. We are the parents of two grown children, Shelley Pritt, and Jeremy Powell. the grand-parents of seven grown grand-children, Reagan, Madison, Lincoln, Harrison all Pritts. And Victoris, James, and Jacob Powell. We are also the proud great-grandparents of three of the sweetest great-granddaughters in the world. Rory, and Aurelia Warriner, and Paisley Powell.
As an artist, I have had success painting and selling my artwork, and am looking forward to what the Lord has in store for my future here at SCAA.
Lindy Blosser is an award winning soft pastel artist. She specializes in both portraiture and animal art and accepts commissions.
Johnny Crawford is a visual storyteller and educator based in Atlanta, Georgia, who has documented the human spirit in 45 states and four continents for 36 years.
Johnny specializes in candid photographs that are inspiring and historical. His photojournalism approach to photography helps him produce excellent photographs out of routine subjects or situations. He has a passion for education stories, sports stories, and projects highlighting corporate responsibility.
Johnny was a staff photographer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) for over 28 years. During his tenure at the AJC, he photographed the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, 2004 G8 Summit of World Leaders, 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA; 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, and five U.S. Presidents.
He was the AJC beat photographer for Georgia Tech football from 2003 thru 2013 and NASCAR from 1990 thru 2013. He has photographed over 500 college and professional sporting events including football, basketball, baseball, soccer, gymnastics, track & field, golf, and swimming.
In 1994, Johnny was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He is the winner of the 2008 National Headliner First Place winner in Sports Photography, Georgia Associated Press 2008 Picture of the Year Winner, The Best of Cox Newspapers 2008 Sports Photography Winner, and 2008 Georgia Press Association First Place in Sports Photography and 2012 APME Georgia Newspapers Award in Sports Photography.
Johnny has an M.A. in Photojournalism from Ohio University and degrees in Psychology and Public Relations from Morehouse College.
Johnny taught photography at Grady High School, Marietta City Schools Adult Education Program, Clark Atlanta University, The University of Georgia and Middle Georgia State University. He was an Artist in Residence at the Tubman Museum in Macon, Georgia. At the Tubman, he has a permanent exhibit of thirty black and white portraits entitled “Leading the Way Macon’s Trailblazers and Activists.
He is currently documenting Black soldiers and nurses that served in the Vietnam War.
He teaches private photography lessons in the homes of clients in the metro Atlanta through his company, Privatephotographylesson.com
Arshaad Norwood is multifaceted Master Artist who creates visceral art that emanates the passion of his culture and the supernatural energy that empowers us all to pursue our dreams!
I make small-batch, handmade ceramics full of color, texture, and personality. My work blends nature, nerds, and storytelling, bringing together earthy textures, playful details, and a touch of whimsy. Every piece is one-of-a-kind, whether it’s a cheerful mug, a funky textured planter, or a collectible character like my Muddy Mumpkins. I love creating pieces that spark conversation and add a little art (and attitude) to the everyday.