THE FOCUS

Note: Jessica Wohl spoke with Eleanor Aldrich four days before the 2016 presidential election at her show "Love Thy Neighbor" at Sewanee's University Art Gallery. Eleanor Aldrich: Formalism is often thought of as apolitical, where as illustration can border on the didactic- how do you reconcile these in your work? Jessica Wohl: I was actually an illustration major in college, but as I graduated I instantly began distancing myself from that and realized that the work I was making was...

I am influenced by my immediate surroundings. Since 2008, I have split my time mostly between Memphis and New York. Working in both cities has inspired a sense of exploration and a certain amount of nervous anxiety in my paintings and drawing allowing for the funky raw history of Memphis to collide with the energy of New York City. Pinkney Herbert, Studio Visit, November 2016 Pinkney Herbert, Studio Visit, November 2016 This dichotomy fires my intuitive impulses, allowing them to surface and...

Anna Wehrwein is an artist living and working in Knoxville, TN. She is originally from the Boston area and received her BS in Art and BA in English/Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is currently an MFA candidate in Painting and Drawing at the University of Tennessee. Anna Wehrwein, Studio Visit, July 2016 Anna Wehrwein, Studio Visit, July 2016 My work explores the intersection of perspectival, color, and social space. Using drawing as a starting point, I’ve made pa...