While Bennett Galleries Nashville showcases artists from all over, it's especially proud of its representation of local and regional artists. “We definitely have a lot of people coming in specifically hoping to see local artists,” says curator Miranda Herrick. “They want to be able to say, ‘My neighbors and my friends created these.’”
Founded almost 50 years ago, the gallery has fostered a multitude of connections within the community, including with artists, art lovers, and collectors. "We're Nashville's oldest commercial art gallery, and we're very proud of the relationships we've built with our community,” says Scott Kinman, its marketing director.
Due to these connections, local artists have a much broader audience viewing their work than probably anywhere else in the Nashville area. One of these artists is Kris Prunitsch Bennett. Originally from Hopkinsville, she has lived and worked in the Nashville area for many years. She also has an interesting tie to the gallery.
On June 23, 2004, Kris approached the founder and then owner, Bill Bennett. “I was impressed with Bill’s captivating mix of traditional and contemporary work by local as well as national and international artists,” she says. “I’d always felt my work would be a good fit at Bennett Galleries and asked for an interview.”
She got it, and he agreed to start exhibiting her work. Two years to the exact date, she became his wife. Now, 22 years later, her partnership with both continues.
“I still feel comfortable and confident exhibiting at Bennett’s with current owner, Elizabeth Perkins,” she says. “And, because of the inspiring environment and staff, I also feel continuously challenged to reach for new creativity, which for an artist is the point.”
Bennett Galleries Nashville currently has an inventory of 20 of her pieces. “Kris has a pretty distinctive style,” says Miranda. “She does large-scale paintings with a lot of mixed media and figurative [elements], and she also has a lot of variety with her subject matter, including landscapes and abstracts.”
Kris is well known in the Nashville Art Community and was chosen as the featured artist for The Brentwood and Harding Art shows, and is a top-selling artist at Artclectic, often selling out her shows.
“She's certainly one of the artists that people often ask about because they remember her work and want to see what she's up to now,” she says.
Kris is also, says Miranda, a joy to have as an artist on our roster. “She's completely down to earth, unpretentious, and a delightful human being, which is great, because we want the art process to be enjoyable. That's one of Elizabeth Perkins’ goals. She wants art to be extremely accessible, and I think Kris is a poster child for making art fun. She's just wonderful and super vibrant.”
The gallery often hosts shows, where visitors can meet the artists while viewing their work. “It puts a face to the art and makes it very human,” she says. “Everything that we display is handmade, but sometimes that's hard to imagine until you meet the person and hear what their process is and learn a little bit about their life story. It makes it more special.”
A unique exhibit of another local artist is being planned in the gallery this spring. “It's a retrospective on Anton Weiss,” says Miranda. “He has passed, so this will be a great memorial. We're going to have historical placards and memorabilia from his life, as well as an amazing collection of artwork.”
The gallery's events are always free and open to the public. Some visitors, especially art students, treat it like a museum and appreciate not having to pay to view impressive collections.
In addition to the art gallery, which occupies the first floor of the business, the second floor is dedicated to framing. "We have a huge inventory of archival-grade materials, and we frame everything from family photos and heirlooms to new works for local artists and major projects for the city's top interior designers."
To learn more, visit its website.
BennettGalleriesNashville.com
KRIS PRUNITSCH BENNETT
After graduating with a BFA in graphic design, Kris freelanced for an ad agency in Los Angeles and began a 35-year career as an international flight attendant. The many sites, cultures, landscapes, and colors of the world inspired her to paint.
In 2000, after transferring to fly out of Nashville International Airport, she participated in workshops with the late Louise LeQuire, Anton Weiss, and Randy Moberg. Her work has been commissioned for various restaurants, offices, and private collections. She has also received the Hopkinsville Art Guild Memorial Award and has been named a Madison Art Center Emerging Artist Finalist.