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CASS Contemporary is a modern art gallery located in Nashville’s Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood. On Saturday, May 16, the gallery hosted an exclusive VIP event for “Paint It Forward Vol. 3,” a fundraiser benefiting The Busyhead Project, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. A play on the phrase “pay it forward,” the exhibition celebrated mentorship, creativity, and community through art.
Curated by Jake Greatens, the artistic director and co-founder of CASS, Paint It Forward featured 22 artists from across the globe, including 11 established artists, each of whom selected an emerging artist to feature alongside them. One such artist is Adam Hall, a contemporary oil painter based in Franklin, TN., who was featured alongside Robin MacKillop, an emerging artist from Chattanooga, TN.
The private event was attended by many of Nashville’s notable leaders, educators, collectors, and creatives, as well as some of the artists whose work was featured. The event began with a cocktail hour, allowing attendees to mingle and view the featured artwork. This was followed by remarks from Cassie and Jake Greatens, co-founders of CASS, and a speech by Marissa Fontaine, CASS's social media manager, who shared her personal connection to mental health advocacy.
The evening concluded with an intimate private dinner hosted inside the gallery. Guests enjoyed a four-course meal with curated cocktails and wine pairings while engaging in conversations with the featured artists about their work, inspiration, and creative process