Atelier 427

Muralists, portrait painters, illustrators, and graphic designers make up the staff at Atelier 427, a multi-function arts collective dedicated to uplifting the community with creative opportunities. These masters of shape and color include Michael J. McBride, a painter and a patron with an artistic style that can piece together monochromatic shapes in expressive human forms, or convey warmth in soft curves and umber colors. Other artists on staff include Abshalom Waters, whose striking, paint-splattered portraits cast African-American icons in a reverent light. Lee and Barbara Hodges let a love of music shine through in portraits of guitar pickers and the colorful, sleek silhouettes of saxophones, and James Threalkill puts to use a background in community outreach; after graduating from Vanderbilt University, Mr. Threalkil returned to the public housing community where he grew up and became a leader, using his artistic talents to develop neighborhood art programs and encourage kids to stay in school. When they aren’t adorning local neighborhoods with new vignettes, they might be found at the studio, where they host art events and get-togethers for art-adoring members of the community.