Raised on a palm tree farm in Jupiter, Florida, Nicole Bechill was on a creative path from early on. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Savannah College of Art and Design, Nicole explored the United States, living in Nevada and Hawaii along the way. She finally landed in Athens with her then-boyfriend, now husband, Jason,…
Squallé
Squallé is a multifaceted artist, coach and leader in the community. Born and raised in Athens, Squallé went on to attend Alabama State University, where he received a Bachelor’s in Engineering while playing basketball. Upon returning to Athens after college, Squallé immersed himself in the world of youth sports, coaching basketball, track, and stepping. Around…
Sierra Kirsche
Born and raised in Athens and Watkinsville, ceramicist and art teacher Sierra Kirsche was homeschooled until attending high school at Westminster Christian Academy in Watkinsville, where her mother was a teacher. Upon taking a ceramics class at Good Dirt with her mother her senior year, Sierra was inspired to follow an artistic path. She attended…
Eugene Willis, Jr.
Eugene Willis Jr was born and raised on the east side of Athens. After graduating from Cedar Shoals High School, he went on to study business, marketing and accounting at Athens Tech. In 2022, he founded CreativeSpace, a community art space on West Broad street, along with fellow Athens rapper Lo Down. Eugene is a…
Gunnar Tarsa
Gunnar Tarsa was born in New Jersey but spent most of his childhood in Gwinnett County, Georgia, where he graduated from Collins Hill High School. A lifelong lover of comics and drawing, he moved to Athens in 2013 to attend the University of Georgia to study art, where he earned a BFA in Drawing and…
Chris Taylor
Chris Taylor was born in Blue Ridge, GA and lived in Boone, NC as a child before moving to Dalton, GA where he graduated from Dalton High School. The day after graduation he moved to southern California where he earned a two-year degree in journalism. He moved back to Georgia in 1993 and to Athens…
Will Eskridge
Will grew up in Kings Mountain, NC and graduated from the University of North Carolina School of The Arts’ high school. He attended the San Francisco Art Institute, where he earned a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Painting. After college, Will moved back to North Carolina and worked as a graphic designer for many years…
Rebecca Wood
Rebecca Wood was born in Richmond, Virginia and raised mostly in Smyrna, Georgia. She graduated from Lovett High School there, and then attended the University of the South before transferring to the University of Georgia in 1975 to study painting and drawing. She is the owner of R. Wood Studios, one of the largest pottery…
Broderick Flanigan
Broderick Flanigan was born and raised in Athens, GA. He graduated from Clarke Central High School in 2002 and graduated from Georgia Southern University with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Science. He came back to Athens in 2011 and works as a visual artist/painter, community organizer, advocate for…