T-O-N-I-G-H-T-  ….That’s right, some really talented local artists have come together to display their art at a fairly unconventional location, as a community event to bring art and education to an area that has become known as troubled. It’s something I’ve been part of for the past several months since it’s formation. Perhaps a little too late, the mall has made great efforts to clean up the crowd and enforce youth escort policies and beef up security, which I can see has helped…..unfortunately there are more store vacancies than before, but hopefully for them, that changes. But a group of merchants who care are reaching out to make something positive happen which is awesome, and how it should be! They have gotten a space at the mall, and gotten some art on display from the Lost Boys of Sudan gallery downtown, as well as trying to get attention from the media and city council / mayor. Of course we all know the media is often fixated on negative things, because the story sells. Hickory Hollow was a pretty decent, but fairly crowded area when I worked there years ago when new in Nashville……they went through a few rough years that unfortunately took their toll on the area and mall….the unfortunate thing about how public perception along with media reports usually works, the bad stick in peoples’ minds. Well isn’t it nice to know there are people trying to make a difference and make changes for the better?

Here is the gallery’s Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=704069638#!/thegalleryathickoryhollow I hope you’ll come out and check out our work and see how things like this can make a good impact on that community! It is tonight from 6-9 in the old Dillard’s wing, lower level. Park between Sears and the old Dillard’s, there is a mall entrance, the gallery is the first storefront on the left, across from the Bazaar. Holiday shopping crowds aren’t too bad, just come out I’ll be there later preparing my own works and hanging them.