These Walters State Art students expand their craft
July 30, 2026
For one week this summer, three Walters State Community College art students traded their familiar classrooms for studios filled with nationally recognized artists, new techniques and fellow creators from across the country.
Jami Coleman, Mia Kelly and Katherine Gonzalez-Mejia attended workshops at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, where they immersed themselves in hands-on learning designed to challenge their creativity and strengthen their artistic skills.
Each student explored a different medium.
Coleman studied basket weaving with artist Jada Patterson, learning both traditional techniques and the deeper cultural significance behind the craft.
Kelly participated in Gourding for the Love of It – Metal Leaf with artist Trustina Fafa Griscavage, experimenting with new materials while refining her artistic voice.
Gonzalez-Mejia attended Enamel Sgraffito, Paint, & Draw under the instruction of Kathy Wilcox, developing new techniques in enamel work while connecting with artists from around the country.
My time here is beneficial not only to my confidence as an artist but also to the skills and knowledge to better my artwork in a more professional way.
Jami Coleman
For Gonzalez-Mejia, the experience opened new creative possibilities.
“Arrowmont has been a very great experience, which has helped me grow with endless possibilities that art and different mediums have to offer,” she said. “I have enjoyed the Arrowmont community, and enameling has become one of my new favorite mediums.”
Kelly described the week as both inspiring and encouraging.
“What a blessing it was to experience this workshop,” she said. “I am so grateful to have had Trustina as my instructor. She was so encouraging and helped me grow greatly as an artist and person.”
Coleman said the experience strengthened both her confidence and her understanding of her craft.
“My time here is beneficial not only to my confidence as an artist but also to the skills and knowledge to better my artwork in a more professional way,” she said.
The opportunity was made possible through scholarship support from the Wingate Foundation and the Walters State Community College Visual Arts Scholarship Fund of the East Tennessee Foundation.
Experiences like these extend learning outside traditional classrooms, allowing Walters State students to study with accomplished artists, explore new techniques, and return with fresh ideas that enrich both their own work and the college's creative community.
