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.