#ShantellMartin

If you've strolled through Germantown for a cup of coffee or enjoy dining in the flourishing Nashville neighborhood, you've likely come across Shantell Martin's uplifting mural on the facade of Rolfe & Daughters.  The loopy lines and printed phrases join together to bridge together ideas and merge faces into a community of shapes that invite the viewer in for a closer look.  Shantell Martin's creative process involves highlighting conversation pieces and expressions onto a canvas to invoke a response from viewers.  She blends faces, words, and ideas into wavy lines that connect concepts and themes of positivity.  Her signature style features black lines on white canvasses.  Martin aims to generate a "stream of consciousness" that serves as a visual narrative.  It serves Nashville well, adorning the walls of a chic restaurant.  The communal tables, which promote conversing and connecting, in Rolfe & Daughters is the perfect setting for conversations that Martin wants to inspire. 

"Are you being you?"

Martin's work explores the idea of identity and she poses the question, "Are you being you?"  As a child, Martin struggled as a mixed child in an all white family.  Art became an outlet to explore her identity, creativity, and expression.  Spread throughout the mural you'll also notice phrases like "Light On," "Look Forward," "Grow," and "Nash."

"Are you being you?" is an interesting question to pose in Nashville, a city that beckons dozens of people to move here everyday.  Whether in search for stardom, new business opportunities, or just a fresh start, Music City is an interesting place to search for your authentic self.



Shantell Martin's mural outside of Rolfe & Daughters

A British visual artist, Martin has painted all over New York (where she now lives), Miami, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Toronto, Hong Kong, Cambridge, and more.  She began with live performance drawings, which feature an artist creating a piece of work while engaging an audience.  The point is to create a unique piece of art that envelopes the energy from the crowd as well as the creativity from the artist.


Mural on wall of Rolfe & Daughters

Nashville is known for its musical prowess, but the art in the city is giving the cultural counterpoint a run for its money.  Check out Rolfe & Daughters for both edible and visual deliciousness.