Stove Works is a multifaceted Arts organization comprised of three core components: an Exhibition + Project Space, an Artist residency, and Educational programming. All public programming will be free, and ALL are invited to experience, learn, and participate.
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GOALS
Stove Works’ goal is to use Contemporary Art as a megaphone in order to foster an environment of exchange and reflection, to provide opportunities to learn from the experiences of others and to give voice. Stove Works seeks to bring outside elements into Chattanooga where creators, their work, and those that witness are engaged in a dynamic process: all three are impacted by the other in an evolving way, enriching outcomes for all. Stove Works aims to draw greater attention to the production of contemporary works in the Southeast, expand and educate an audience outside of traditional art goers, create an active base of arts advocates, and further establish the Southeast’s (and Chattanooga’s) contribution to the national dialogue surrounding contemporary art. PHILOSOPHY
Our organizational and educational philosophy is guided by the thoughts captured in Anthony Huberman’s essay “Take Care.” We seek not to take on the role of “explicator”, i.e. But rather, we seek to engage in dialogue, acting as an intermediary between individuals who know something and those who know something else. We hope to help people navigate the complex and interwoven narratives of existence using contemporary practice as the vehicle, allowing them and us to follow the life of an idea. STAFF
Charlotte Caldwell, Founder and Director, returned to Chattanooga after 14 years at large. During that time, she has worked in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors of the art world and received a MA from New York University in Visual Arts Administration. Her skills honed while Residency Director at the Wassaic Project and Project Manager at No Longer Empty. Josiah Golson, Programs Director, is an artist, lawyer, and writer from Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is the founder of the 800 Collective, a diverse group of artists using art as a means of civic engagement and public discourse. in Communication at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin. Developing his artistic voice while studying law, Golson aspired to address civic needs through creative channels. Golson’s work comprises creative workshops, public art projects, and community development throughout the United States. Golson is the author and illustrator of The Souls of Free Folk (Polyphemus Press, 2018), a genre-blending story inspired by the legacy of African American art and activism. Golson’s current project, FESTIVAL: An Aquarian Inquiry, is an art series that explores the artist’s use of popular music as a means of exploring identity and community. Caroline Gikas, Operations Manager, a native of Baton Rouge, LA, has worked for non-profit arts organizations in a variety of positions, from exhibition preparation and curatorial assistance to grant writing, arts education, and event planning. She has worked for commercial galleries as well as private collectors. Caroline graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South, majoring in Art History with a focus on Contemporary and Conceptual Art while also studying photographic processes and behavioral psychology. Meghan Lewis, Website and on-site Spanish Translator (Saturday only). She grew up in Colorado, graduated from The Evergreen State College in Washington, and subsequently taught first grade at The Living Wisdom School in Palo Alto while studying Iyengar yoga and Latin dance. A summer trip to Buenos Aires catalyzed a decade-long, entrepreneurial stay in Argentina where she founded the successful yoga studio, Buena Onda Yoga, and a closed-door restaurant, Jueves a la Mesa, before returning to the United States. Meghan is fluent in Spanish and has collaborated with women from around the globe in varied projects focused on her interest in supporting well-being and health via art, music, plant-based foods, and yoga. She currently works as a professional translator and has done translation work for travel guides, commercial scripts, Univision, arts/exhibitions, and scientific conferences. BOARD
Mary Howard Ade, Wes Aull, David Barnes, Whitney Barnes, Katherine Currin, Sara Tolbert, John Paul Hennessy, and Alexis Willis
SITE
Stove Works is located at the corner of Holtzclaw and 14th. Built in 1915, the building operated as Tennessee Coffin and Casket Co until the 1950's when it was purchased by Tennessee Stove Works for the assembly and distribution of cast iron stoves. The building has since changed hands many times over, and in the spring of 2017, it changed hands for the final time and now begins its journey as Stove Works. HISPANOHABLANTES IN SITU
Para que Stove Works sea accesible a una comunidad más amplia, hay una guía que habla español en la galería todos los sábados desde el mediodía hasta las 7 pm. Si bien a todos nos encantaría ser bilingües, actualmente solo uno de nosotros lo es. Meghan habla español, y tenemos la suerte de tenerla. ¡Así que ven a saludar!
