Interview with Dr. Thomas: Foundations of a New School

By Finn Slayton, Gray Wright, & Grace Wilson “We've had several opportunities already and will continue to engage students in being part of focus groups.” Justin Thomas (Dr. Thomas) has been the principal at Nashville School of the Arts for 4 years. He is a hard worker who always gives everything he has to the students and faculty of this school. You can often spot him standing at the school’s entrance helping our students get through the Evolv detectors quickly and efficie

Finn Slayton, Gray Wright, & Grace Wilson

Dec 11, 2025

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All Roads Lead to Art

By Gray Wright The following interview has been edited and condensed. What does art mean to you? “ Everything. Art means everything to me. Art is the way of life, I think.” Noa says, He continued, “Art builds up who you are, who I am, who my neighbor is, who your neighbor is—even if it’s subconscious. I think it makes people much more mindful of the world around them. Artists tend to be more aware and observant of the world. I think art also allows for connection with the w

Gray Wright

Youth Poet Laureate Marcus Robinson Discusses His Evolution as a Poet

By Mar’Neacia Hardiman "Not everyone is a writer, but everyone has something to say." -Marcus Robinson It is a peaceful day at NSA, and there is one conservatory that does not get enough light, yet is full of talented artists, writers, and poets: Literary Arts. This conservatory is a creative way to express feelings, emotions, and imagination. One artist and poet who also participates in Southern Word, a poetry organization, is senior Marcus Robinson. He recently became the 1

Mar’Neacia Hardiman

The Accidental Popularity of an Instagram Hero

By Grant Thomasson Trailblazer posing for a photo. Photo credit @thereal_trailblazer on Instagram At the beginning of 2024, Quinten Brown was scrolling on Instagram late at night and was inspired by an account that showcased a made-up superhero character called Gamma Guy. Gamma Guy had a very large following. Having made his own costumes in the past, Quinten decided to create his own character. He assembled a costume, a collection of everyday items combined with a little sewi

Grant Thomasson

Ace’s Adventures Through Technical Theatre

Behind the scenes of the theatre’s backstage By Elli Thomas Bringing precision to every project, this is where craftsmanship meets creativity as Ace prepares to paint a set for Mr. Butler. Photo credit: Elli Thomas Ace Walker is a senior at NSA, Nashville School of the Arts, in the theatre conservatory. They had 4 years of theatre experience before coming to NSA, having attended IT Creswell, a school well known for its theatre program. They have worked in technical theatre fo

Elli Thomas

Inside the World of One of Middle Tennessee’s Aspiring Young Creatives: Jacob Watson

By Grace Wilson Jacob holds a letter from our friend Gabby Yuan in her back garden in Franklin. Photo Credit: Grace Wilson. I met Jacob Watson at a show in a friend of a friend’s basement, a venue dubbed Ryman 2 . Even before forming our friendship, I was keenly aware of his presence at similar events I would attend where I’d catch glimpses of a guy wearing a cardigan, a button up, and loafers in a sea of studded belts and Tripp pants. Now, Jacob and I meet about twice a week

Grace Wilson

One Girl’s Rivalry Between Sports and Art

By Cormic Evans Carson painting over a jar. Photo by Aixa Mota. It’s that time of the day. 7am in the morning and Carson Evans is preparing to head to school. Brushing her teeth and packing her lunch, Carson reflects on herself and on the day coming up. Before high school she played some sports, but those never stuck; however, she may have found something that has. She goes to the school where each of her siblings went. The following interview has been edited and condensed.

Cormic Evans

Dela-where? A Former Delawarean Says There’s a Lot to Love

Lynn Warrick proudly poses in front of a painting that captures the boardwalk on Rehoboth Beach. My bedroom wall constantly transformed throughout my childhood. During that time, my mom helped me hang up everything from Elsa posters to stick-figure drawings that I sloppily created with a dried-out yellow marker. She was most eager to sift through our messy drawers for thumb tacks, though, when she saw me unrolling a map of Delaware, the state she was born and raised in. Today

Diana Warrick

Parker Pate Discovers her Love for Tornados at a Young Age

By Anna Saakov Parker watching the Super-Res Velocity radar. Photo by Anna Saakov Parker Pate has been interested in weather (mostly tornados) from a young age due to hearing stories from time to time while growing up in Alabama, from a real-life story told by her grandparents to an interest that's still growing. She studies a lot of tornados from small ones to big and informs her friends when bad weather comes. She enjoys sharing her knowledge about tornadoes. This intervi

Anna Saakov

The Man Who Turned Down a $200,000 Job to Become a Photographer

By Parker Pate Before this interview, Cooper had just finished capturing an old mansion from the early 19th century. Photograph taken by Parker Pate. The following interview has been edited and condensed. I sat on the narrow staircase while photographer Chip Cooper stood below with a curious look on his face, his forearm relaxed on the railing. He was wearing a straw hat he got on his travels to Cuba, a linen button-up shirt with khaki pants, and tortoise shell circular glass

Parker Pate

Creating with Caleb: A High School Senior’s Journey in Art

By Ace Walker Caleb using apples as a reference. Photo by Ace Walker. It's a hot summer day in Nashville, Tennessee in 2016 and the people are in their homes or with their families. While this day goes by, 8-year-old Caleb Williams is watching cartoons wanting to make his own. He wanted his art to be on TV. He became inspired by what he saw, and this inspiration started his journey to come here. To our school, Nashville School of the Arts High School (NSA), where he has

Ace Walker

Peace Love and Paws, the Community-Driven Doggy Daycare: “Very hippy!”

Profile by Eduardo Encarnacion Darlen the dog whisperer standing next to her very hippy-inspired logo for her doggy daycare. Photo by Eduardo Encarnacion. It’s the morning— you hear barking and howling and voices calling many names coming from a red building on the corner next to the highway. This is Peace Love and Paws ; today’s story is about the domino effect that began this great daycare. Darlene Jacobs is the owner and founder of Peace Love and Paws, a family-owned doggy

Eduardo Encarnacion

Drawing Through the Noise: Dogs, Doodles, and Determination

By Mackenzie McIntyre Practice in motion. A friend asked Phoenix to draw something for her. He stays up tirelessly working on it. Photo credit: Mackenzie McInytre. For Phoenix, drawing has never been about perfection. Phoenix sketches through exhaustion, dogs at his side, pencil scratching toward something more than perfection. The following interview has been edited and condensed. What is one thing you wish people understood about being a student artist? “Not everything I

Mackenzie McIntyre

From a Former Ice Skater to the Captain of Her Roller Derby Team

By Kennedy Sullivan The following interview has been edited and condensed. NJRD blockers group together to prevent the opposing team’s jammer from passing through them. (Photo credit: Matthew Warren) The squeaking of wheels racing against a slippery wooden floor races on the track. Loud thuds can be heard on the ground, and shouts from players can be heard across the room. Crowds of people cheering on their fellow teams in the background. Roller derby is a rough and an adrena

Kennedy Sullivan

The Life of an Up-and-Coming Nashvillian Artist: Daisy Tingley

By Finn Slayton Before she stepped on the stage, she huddled close with her friends. She looked out at the curtains and could only imagine how many people were there. But she knew she could do it, because she’d done it so many times before. Daisy Tingley, while not born in Tennessee, helps Music City live up to its name. Since she was young, she’s been a guitarist, and a singer even before that. In her free time, she likes to eat sushi, be with her dog, and listen to music.

Finn Slayton

Commissioned Artist, Art Teacher, Mother: All in a Day’s Work for Michaela Schnetzer

By Davion Holt Michaela Schnetzer’s goofy sense of humor on display in front of a photo of Paul McCartney. This exhibition was held at the Frist Art Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo by Davion Holt. It’s a wonderful day at Nashville School of the Arts. There are kids singing and dancing in the hallway, painting murals in front of the school, and practicing lines for the Theater Conservatory’s next play. While all this is happening, there’s one teacher that’s making sure

Davion Holt

Self-Producing your own Squid Game Parody on Instagram Reels

By Simeon Page “You may think the theme is family, but it's more-so losing sight of family and sacrificing people,” Giacomo Minichillo awesomely poses with chroma-keyed “Stewie Griffin” on street corner. Giacomo Minichillo, a senior at Nashville School of the Arts, got his start making short form content on Instagram Reels in the form of comedic edits of the video game Fortnite . Since then, it has become something of a hobby for him. Giacomo has worked on numerous projects,

Simeon Page