One of the goals of the Association for Visual Arts is to support young and emerging artists with an exhibition. “This competitive exhibit is designed to showcase artists who display artistic promise, commitment to their work and fresh ideas,” said Neely Hyde, AVA’s director of exhibits.

Five artists will be featured in “Fresh,” opening Friday with a reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Garrett Carroll of Ringgold, Ga., edits his photographs in Adobe Photoshop with contrast, saturation, paint bucket and touchup.

“After about a year of taking pictures, I noticed most photos today were becoming repetitive, and I wanted to come up with something different,” he said in his artist’s statement.

Rachel Lee Clark, a painter who divides her time between Knoxville and Bowling Green, Ky., uses her work to explore various themes, challenge gender roles, make political statements and relieve her anxiety about making art.

Melissa Krosnick, of Cowan, Tenn., examines paint from a physical and psychological standpoint. She questions how painting becomes sculpture, how the viewer becomes a participant with the artwork, how paint tears when subjected to an intrusive environment and its validity as an art medium.

Daniel Marinelli, a sculptor from Johnson City, Tenn., attempts to blur the line between two-dimensional and three-dimensional art. He combines bookbinding elements with his wood and steel sculpture to suggest a narrative.

“Coupled with bookbinding is the immediate association with text,” he said in his artist’s statement. “My efforts are to take something we tend to interact with in a two-dimensional way and transform it into a form that the viewer is encouraged and persuaded to interact with in a more three-dimensional manner.”

Crystal Wagner of Knoxville is fascinated by the metaphysical world. Her three-dimensional, abstract wall pieces create what appear as imagined spaces and forms.

“As abstractions, their executions reference schematic illustrations, scientific diagrams and architectural models, while being organic,” she said.

“Fresh” will continue through Aug. 21.

AVA, 30 Frazier Ave., is open 11 a.m. -5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon-5 p.m. Saturday. For information, call 265-4282.