In honor of the 100th year anniversary of women’s suffrage, Nashville-based writer Kristin Luna founded Walls for Women, a state-wide mural festival spotlighting the talents of an all-female team of professional muralists. Each muralist was granted full artistic freedom, allowing them to leave their own piece of history behind. The month-long project was completed on August 18, 2020, the day of the 19th amendment’s ratification. You can read more about this monumental anniversary HERE, and keep reading to learn more about the Walls for Women murals and the stories behind them.
5 Walls for Women Murals
“Hebe” by Jenny Ustick | McMinnville, TN
Cincinnati-based artist Jenny Ustick created “Hebe,” in honor of the statue located in McMinnville. The goddess of youth and renewal is symbolic of a collaboration between Mary Cunningham and Laura Davis Worley, two women who worked together to make life better for their hometown of McMinnville.
“Hebe” by Jenny Ustick is located in McMinnville, TN.
“Wisteria Maiden” by Juuri | Tullahoma, TN
Juuri, a Tokyo-native, created “Wisteria Maiden” in honor of the Japanese prisoners held at Camp Forrest, an internment camp in Tullahoma during WWII. Juuri utilized wisteria flowers to represent steadfastness, a revered Japanese quality that she believes helped sustain the prisoners during their time at the prison camp.
“Wisteria Maiden – Fuji Musume, 不抜 -” by Juuri is located in Tullahoma, TN.
RELATED: Meet Walls for Women Artist Cymone Wilder
Walls for Women Mural by Paris Woodhull | Knoxville, TN
Paris Woodhull, a Knoxville native and illustrator, tried her hand at mural painting for the very first time with the Walls for Women project. Her mural, sponsored by VisitKnoxville and featured on the side of Printshop Beer Co., “aims to capture female creative energy for artistic placemaking in communities in need of joy, hope, and color during Tennessee’s Centennial of the 19th amendment.”
Paris Woodhull‘s Walls for Women mural is located on the side of Printshop Beer Co. in Knoxville, TN.
“Senderos” by Nicole Salgar | Maryville, TN
The 35-by-100-foot mural by Miami artist Nicole Salgar took more than 100 hours to complete. Nicole named the mural “Senderos,” which translates into the word for “trail” or “path.” The painting represents a woman who “portrays a gatekeeper to other dimensions or realities.”
“Senderos” by Nicole Salgar is located in Maryville, TN.
“Seeds” by Cymone Wilder & Sarah Painter | Nashville, TN
Cymone Wilder and Sarah Painter created “Seeds,” which was inspired by Miss Wynta-Amor Rogers, the resilient 7-year-old Internet superstar who went viral during the Black Lives Matter movement earlier this summer. The mural is painted on the exterior of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery, and it serves as a reminder that women’s voices deserve to be amplified.
“Seeds” features lettering by Cymone Wilder and portraits by Sarah Painter. It’s located in Nashville, TN.
For more information on the project’s artists and mural locations, visit the Walls for Women page. All photography by Kristin Luna.
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