Owner
Nancy Fischman
Nancy Fischman has been working with clay for a long time, but most seriously since she turned 60 and could audit classes at ETSU without paying tuition. Starting with the basic introductory classes, Nancy reacquainted herself with wheel throwing and hand-building, realizing that she was better suited physically to the hand-building technique. First under Don Davis and then under Lindsay Rogers, Nancy began to develop a style that was both decorative and functional using slabs and various bisqued molds to form her work. She was delighted to be able to use the various kilns at ETSU, including wood and gas, as well as electric. Her dream was to one day have her own studio space to work in and to create a community-oriented arts space.
In 2016, Nancy was fortunate to find a building that would lend itself not only to her own studio space, but to 14 other studio spaces, a gallery, and a bakery/cafe. The transformation of the old wholesale grocery warehouse into Atelier 133, Fischman Gallery, and Lazy Lady Baking Co. would take six years, with an interruption around the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, 2022, Atelier 133 and Fischman Gallery came into being with a grand opening and ribbon cutting by the Chamber of Commerce.
Since May, 2022, Fischman Gallery has hosted monthly exhibits showcasing local and regional artists in Northeast Tennessee. There are 14 dedicated artists who work in various media in residence at Atelier 133. The bakery is thriving. The gallery has been host to other events, including spoken word and music, pop-up arts markets, and several private parties. The intention is to continue to be a community resource for the arts in all forms.
Nancy's studio is active (when she has time from gallery and administrative duties) and she continues to produce work adapted to her new situation, including experimenting with new glaze recipes and adapting to full use of electric kilns. She is amazed at the response from the community–from artists as well as patrons of the arts–to the gallery, and is excited to see her dream become reality.
Resident Artist
Jane Broderick
I identified as an artist at a young age. My images emerge from a place where dreams, deep reflection or meditation, and waking life reality connect. Oil painting, watercolor, pastel, and charcoal captured my focus for many years. I consider myself a colorist, using color symbolically. The ideas in each image intertwine in a non-linear fashion as a sort of dialogue with the meaning unfolding and becoming clear when the work is complete.
Currently I use threads and stitchery to form my images. I am excited to work with naïve figurative forms, geometric shapes, and the patching together of rich textures and colors in ways that sometimes seem visually competitive, in either a striking or extremely subtle way. Hand stitching is a must. The repetitive stitching process is a form of prayer for me. Each artifact imbued with the sense of healing and gratitude forplacesandencountersin life.
Resident Artist
Brandon Austin
Brandon Austin is a mixed media artist from East Tennessee and is currently a resident at Atelier 133. Brandon is highly involved in the local art scene, participating in various art markets and exhibitions. As the creator of Johnson City Art Popup, he coordinates events and shows for local artists to come together and sell their work, helping build the art community of East Tennessee. He is a self taught artist who loves trying new techniques and media, and is currently in his pyrography era. He has been experimenting with wood burning, painting, and other techniques to create beautifully illustrated artworks, drawing inspiration from nature and pop culture.
Resident Artist
Pam Faw
I'm Pam and I was born here in Johnson city. I'm 64 years old, and I have always loved art. My mom was a domestic house cleaner, cook, and seamstress. We learned our crafts from her. My sister got Mom’s seamstress skills, and I got her crafting skills. We taught ourselves other skills like crocheting, embroidery, painting, and making things. We all love to share our craft with friends and family. We would make something and give it away as a gift because we had no money to buy gifts. Where I grew up was a village, and we all shared our gifts with each other. It might be quilting, cooking, making clothes, or cleaning. I make my art out of love.
Resident Artist
Kristen Ollinger
Originally from southwest Virginia, Kristen currently resides in Johnson City, Tennessee. She has always had a love for creating artwork and has previously studied fine arts and graphic design. Kristen is currently an independently represented artist. She continues her journey through the self-education of new techniques and exploring various mediums and designs. Her primary focus currently is in the mediums of acrylics and watercolors with a colorful palette.
Resident Artist
Taylin Meneese
Taylin Meneese, an Appalachia based ceramicist, has been refining her skills in pottery for a couple of years. Along with being a photographer, Taylin has blended her artistic expertise with her passion for ceramics, creating a unique fusion of her two artistic pursuits. Her evolution into pottery has introduced a new dimension to her work, allowing her to explore the tactile and sculptural aspects of clay. Taylin's approach to pottery challenges more traditional forms, using color and form to create solely for artistic expression.
Resident Artist
Elena Corradino
I am a self taught painter from the corner of east TN, where I currently live with my husband. I’ve been making art since I could hold a pen in my hand. All I've ever wanted to do is create, and I've spent my entire life working to make this my reality! I’ve been making abstract art for over 12 years, though you will no doubt see faces in many of my pieces. I am a huge lover of contrast, and the color orange holds a special place in my heart. I take inspiration from everything all the time, with emotions being the driving force behind my creations. Currently I sell my art online via my website or IG, live paint with local bands, and do local markets when possible. I also teach resin and acrylic pour classes, which you can find more information about through the Kingsport office of cultural arts. In addition to these things, I write birth charts. Mostly my life is consumed by art and my business and frankly I wouldn't want it any other way!
Resident Artist
Russell Lawson
Russell Lawson; wire sculptor, tinkerer, flute maker, teacher. I work primarily in metal and more specifically wire. I use no heat or welding of any kind in my formal wire sculpture. I produce concert quality stoneware ocarinas. I am currently a resident artist at Atelier 133 in Johnson City, TN and produce my sculptures there.
Resident Artists
Smoking Gun Engraving
Smoking Gun Engraving is the artistic home of Kurt and Cassie Larsen. Silversmithing, engraving, and lapidary form the basis of our designs. We are inspired by nature and materials we work with, as well as by the beauty of our surroundings here in Johnson City. An introductory course in blacksmithing at the John C. Campbell Folk School in 2001 sparked an interest in metal smithing for both artists. Kurt spent several years pursuing the craft of banging steel as both a hobby and vocation. He worked at Middleton Plantation in Charleston, SC, as the interpretive blacksmith and was a member of the Philip Simmons Blacksmith Guild during their 12 years living in the Low Country of South Carolina. In 2015, he participated in Fleming College of the Arts Blacksmithing Program in Ontario, Canada. Cassie gravitated towards the ‘softer’ metals used in jewelry. A workshop in channel inlay silversmithing introduced her to the lapidary arts and the excitement of turning dull rocks into eye-catching ornamentation. A belt buckle commission in 2012 led her to pursue studies with master engraver Sam Alfonso, and to eventually pursue firearms engraving. Today the Larsens enjoy living in downtown Johnson City and working out of Atelier 133. Kurt has downsized from blacksmithing to creating personal ornament from silver and the gemstones he facets. Cassie fabricates jewelry, sets stones, and hand engraves on both jewelry and firearms. Their daughter joins them in working in the studio during her breaks from school.
Resident Artist
Katie Murphy
Katie Murphy holds a BFA in Studio Art from East Tennessee State University and is currently pursuing an MFA in Studio Art from Maryland Institute College of Art. Murphy is a painter working with ideas of personal feminism. She grew up in Mississippi where cultural norms and expectations had a profound impact on her and continue to provide avenues to questioning and rethinking contemporary womanhood. Questions of propriety, relationships and inhabited space inform her expressive figurative paintings. Murphy currently lives and works in Johnson City, TN.
Resident Artist
Carla Taylor
Carla Taylor is a multi-media artist living in Johnson City, TN. Although she has worked in textiles, clay and other mediums, at present she works mainly in mixed media collage. Her work usually puts emphasis on the element of line as its tool for expression. She creates figurative and abstract narratives based on her own experiences. She has been included in various exhibitions including Women’s Works at the Old Court House Arts Center in Woodstock, IL and From These Hills: Contemporary Art in the Southern Appalachian Highlands, at the William King Museum in Abingdon, VA. Her work has also been featured in several additions of The Hand Magazine. She is currently pursuing her MFA at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art.