A long-time member of the American Watercolor Society, Anne Bagby has painted for more than 20 years in Winchester, TN and has had more than 30 one-person shows. Her work is featured in numerous publications and several of her paintings were selected for the Art in the Embassies program, which exhibits original works of art by U.S. citizens in the public rooms of approximately 180 American diplomatic residences worldwide. Bagby has participated in numerous residency programs including Ucross in Wyoming, The Vermont Studio Center and two additional residencies sponsored by the Association of the Visual Arts in Chattanooga, TN. Locally, her work is featured at the Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Museum of Art as part of their permanent collection.

The work on exhibition at Nashville International Airport demonstrates her recent explorations of the human figure. The large paintings examine the masks of friends as well as strangers. “I try to find the secret meaning in simple things. The figures are masked in an effort to hide what is deep inside. Clothed and hidden by taste, by fashion and idiosyncrasy, our internal life is a mystery, ” says Bagby. Her painting process involves many layers of glazes, colored pencils, stenciling, and stamping. The various figures depicted are clothed as clowns, magicians, puppets, and jesters -- ludicrous, fearsome, decorative, and beautiful.

In the series of Little Harpeth River paintings on exhibition at Nashville International Airport, McGrew focuses on capturing the vitality of the natural settings that she paints. Through watercolor and graphite studies she explores the movement of the water currents of the river, as well as the ambiance of the surrounding trees and wildlife. Using her photographs and artistic studies of the area, McGrew creates oil paintings that convey the dynamism that she perceives in her surroundings. She says, “I use the tension of opposing colors as well as the careful treatment of light to translate the energy of the natural world into movement on my canvas. I consider the Little Harpeth River the heart and soul of Nashville, and I hope this series will encourage viewers to explore the natural environs of the city.”