Jerry Green is the first person to receive the Community Arts Funding Event grant, started at the art studio Planet Altered, which provides funds for local artists to explore their creativity. He hopes to use the money to paint a large landscape.Jerry Green says art was "born to me when I was young," but he's only become its guardian and given it a good home in the last six months.
The Chattanoogan, who holds a bachelor's degree in fine art from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, worked at Wheland Foundry and Siskin Supply for many years. "You can't feed kids with paint," he explained.
After being laid off two years ago and casting about for jobs, Green said he felt a deep need to return to his avocation.
Then, several months ago and "by the grace of God," he said, he walked into a Southside art studio called Planet Altered, was told about and applied for the first CAFE (Community Arts Funding Event) Grant and eventually won the competitive prize.
Miki Boni, an artist who came to the city through the ArtsMove program of Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga, said the mini-grants program is a five-month, grassroots approach to reward emerging artists.
She first heard the idea on National Public Radio, she said, in an interview with officials who had started a similar program in Chicago.
"It's simple, direct, instant gratification," Boni said. "I brought it to Planet Altered, and they were receptive. None of us knew what we were really doing."
Green won the first CAFE Grant in October. Two artists, Amber Hall, whose project is to create a short film, and Kate Warren, whose idea is to start an art car, shared the prize in November. Battle Academy beat out other elementary schools to win the December award.
The last two grants will be given on Jan. 9 and Feb. 13. Applications for grants are still being accepted, and patrons are still needed for the January event at host Planet Altered.
At the event, three finalists - individuals or groups - who have been chosen from all entrants are invited to submit a 10-minute presentation about how they might use such a grant. Up to 35 patrons interested in supporting emerging artists pay $10 to attend and have a simple soup and bread meal. The $350 total - and anonymous donors have sweetened each grant - goes to the winner, who is selected by event organizers.
Jean Huddleston of Planet Altered said each entrant is asked questions after a presentation about what they need to succeed.
"It's really a gathering to hear their heart," she said. "We never know what's going to happen. The community has been so generous. I see this as the community [rising] up to help the community."
Green said he took three paintings and went into Planet Altered on a whim.
"My hope," he said, "was that they would see where I'm going as an artist. Trained artists can see where an artist is in a certain genre."
The Howard High School graduate said he had been an illustrator in the Marines, had worked with a civilian artist on portraits of military officials and was fascinated with drawing and sculpture while at UTC.
But when he took up painting again last year, his traditional landscape art took a form similar to that of the Hudson River School, a mid-19th-century art movement.
"This is something new to me," he said. "I've never tried to master any sort of style. My drive is to master that style. I hope it's going to pay dividends."
Boni said the judges at the first grant event felt Green's work was magnificent.
"He's a natural," said Boni. "He paints entirely from an inner vision."
Huddleston said Green grew up poor on the Southside and mentioned in his presentation that he wanted to draw so desperately as a 5-year-old that he went to work on the family's white, enamel kitchen table. His recent work, she said, caused her to "pick herself off the floor."
"He was just so impressive," she said. "It took him to get to Planet Altered for people to say wow."
The grant, said Green, encourages the artist to realize a progression in his work. His proposal, he said, was to move from very small landscapes to a large landscape, a painting that now hangs in the Main Street gallery.
"I was flabbergasted that I won," he said. "Total strangers gave me money. It was a boost to my ego. I know I need practice, but it verified that I'm on the right track."