Sally Ahner: Painting the Interior Landscape

FROM THE INSIDE OUT: Painting the Interior Landscape
Welcome to our online auction & exhibition of original artworks by Sally Ahner

Bid between October 15-30, 2023

YOU MAY PICK UP ARTWORK at Art & Soul Nashville:
• Immediately following Poetry Night on Friday, November 3, 9:00 PM - 9:30 PM
• Saturday, November 4, 6-8 PM
• Sunday, November 5, 4-8 PM
• Monday, November 6, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
PICK UP at Art & Soul Nashville
4340 Sidco Drive, Nashville TN 37204

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ABOUT SALLY
Sally Ann Rhodes Ahner passed away in her home in Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. Born on July 11, 1948, in Christiansburg, Virginia, Sally was a woman of many labels - empathic teacher, healer, generous friend, skilled vocalist, piano virtuoso, dedicated aunt - whose impact on others far exceeded any categorization. She was a source of love, support, healing, and guidance for her ever-expanding community of students, friends, colleagues, and family.

A graduate of Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC with a Bachelor's in music and of Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, with a Master's in Music Theory, Sally taught students of all levels and spent over 30 years on the faculty of Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University. Her use of Alexander Technique and Healing Touch in her teaching changed the musical lives of many students and helped people discover and become who they truly are.

She nurtured her passion and gift for painting at Art & Soul Nashville, in whose community she found inspiration and acceptance.

In 1975, she found her spiritual home at West End United Methodist Church, where she was an active member: she served on committees, led Taizé-style services once a month, and composed the music for the communion service the church has been using for over 40 years. Sally believed in and experienced the Divine; it shaped her life and her outlook, and she extended the power of sacred healing to others.

When Sally received her cancer diagnosis in October 2020, she began an online journal at CaringBridge.org; she started each entry with "Dearly Belovèds" and, through her shared writing, gathered around herself a community of support and love that would carry her through her treatment and up until days before her death. She eventually ended each journal entry with the phrase "In the Great Love," and - as many people shared on her Zoom 75th birthday party - that's who and how she was. Sally's presence in others' lives was a life-changing balm, an ever-growing wellspring of love.

She was preceded in death by her father, Alan Lockwood Rhodes, and her mother, Frances Hypes Rhodes. She is survived by her siblings, Harry S. Rhodes (Becky) and Clifton E. Rhodes (Lynette), her six nieces and nephews, and her seven grand nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to Alive Hospice (www.alivehospice.org), Art & Soul (www.artandsoulnashville.com), or West End United Methodist.

Sally Ann Rhodes Ahner
July 11, 1948 - August 1, 2023

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FOLLOW THESE STEPS to view the artwork and place your bids:

1. Browse the artwork.

2. Select your favorite paintings by clicking the heart on the lower right of each painting. You are the only one who will see your favorites.

3. Purchase at the BUY NOW price or place your bid.

4. If you are the lucky winner, you will receive an email from 32auctions announcing your win and requesting payment.

5. Pick up your artwork at Art & Soul in Nashville at the prescribed time.
• Immediately following Poetry Night on Friday, November 3, 9:00 PM - 9:30 PM or
• Saturday, November 4, 6-8 PM or
• Sunday, November 5, 4-8 PM or
• Monday, November 6, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM or
PICK UP at Art & Soul Nashville
4340 Sidco Drive, Nashville TN 37204

6. OR, let us know if you need it shipped. Insurance, packing, and shipping costs are the responsibility of the winner.

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ART & SOUL INVITES YOU to this intimate opportunity to view the remaining artworks created by Sally Ahner.

Prior to her passing in August 2023, Sally requested that all proceeds from the sales of her artwork benefit the studio that meant so much to her, Art & Soul Nashville in Tennessee. To that end, we have created this online forum so you—her dear family, friends, and admirers in Nashville and beyond—may view her works, collect them, and know that you are also supporting the studio that meant so much to her.

Funds raised from "Painting the Interior Landscape" support the operating budget of Art & Soul, the studio. Donations you make via the DONATE button also go directly to support the studio. Your donation will enhance the impact of this auction.

SALLY AHNER: ABOUT THE ARTIST
A graduate of Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC with a Bachelor's in music and of Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, with a Master's in Music Theory, Sally taught students of all levels and spent over 30 years on the faculty of Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University. Her use of Alexander Technique and Healing Touch in her teaching changed the lives of many students and helped people discover and become who they truly are.

Sally was a woman of many labels—empathic teacher, healer, generous friend, skilled vocalist, piano virtuoso, dedicated aunt—whose impact on others far exceeded any categorization. She was a source of love, support, healing, and guidance for her ever-expanding community of students, friends, colleagues, and family.

She nurtured her passion and gift for painting at Art & Soul, in whose community she found inspiration and acceptance. Sally wanted the legacy of her creativity to support the longevity of Art & Soul, so it will be here to foster creativity and acceptance into the future. To that end, she donated her artworks to Art & Soul to be auctioned, with all proceeds to go to Art & Soul.

We at Art & Soul gratefully acknowledge Sally's gift that continues through her example, her spirit, and her generosity.

Sally Ann Rhodes Ahner
July 11, 1948 - August 1, 2023

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ABOUT THIS COLLECTION OF ARTWORK and Sally's experience of making art at Art & Soul Nashville. Written by Sally, prior to her passing:

PREFACE TO THE COLLECTION
The title of this art collection, From the Inside Out: Painting the Interior Landscape, might need some explanation to those unfamiliar with what is sometimes called “intuitive painting.” Most of us think of art as representational of something we see with our eyes, despite the invention of the camera, which does that very well in a literal fashion. With the advent of the camera, painting styles changed, most notably through Impressionism, Expressionism, and the movements of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. There the artists’ impressions and expressions of how the object (if there is one) made them feel, or just paintings of the feelings themselves, became popular.
One might say there was the urge to “paint what you see” but also to “see what you paint” (quote from fellow Art & Soul member Noa Ben-Amotz). This freed up the artist considerably as to color, form, technique, and even subject matter.

THE PROCESS
Art is simply the result of expression during right feeling (or mindfulness)… Any material will do. After all, the object is not to make art, but to be in the wonderful state which makes art inevitable.
--Robert Henri, The Art Spirit

Everyone wants to paint from that place, but getting there can be something of a mystery. At Art & Soul, there were several “practices” designed to lead us into that interior space. These practices were gathered on Arunima Orr’s own sacred journey. “Nima,” as we fondly call her, would begin each session with movement to get us centered in our bodies and not stuck in our heads. She would put music of various genres on the stereo—music that invited movement, free and vigorous. Everyone began in their own way to respond to the music, with no particular movement pattern in mind. The space was roughly a circle, but as enthusiasm grew, people would shoot off in different directions and then come back in a real free-form kind of dance.
After a few moments of moving to the music, we were invited to allow our voices to sound. Groans, grunts, squeals, whoops, drones, guttural sounds—any vocal expression was acceptable (except actually singing a song). The point was to let your “inner voice” speak.
Usually the third practice was to sit in the circle with “playthings”—objects from glass beads to wooden blocks to blank CDs to rocks and shells, fabric, cardboard packing material—you name it—would be brought at the person’s choice and begun to be a symbol into some pattern. It was so free-form. While this was going on, we were passing the talking stick. Whoever had the talking stick could speak uninterruptedly, being mindful of the number of people who needed time to share. While the person was talking, people continued to create their play pieces, listening but not commenting, letting the words and the feelings of the speaker rest gently in the center of the circle. Sometimes emotions ran quite high, other times they were more moderate, but Nima was always there to hold the circle. Gradually the others learned to help her hold that circle, that sacred space.

Quite often, there would be another practice, what Nima called a “free write.” Nima would read a poem or a portion of a poem. Then she would read a line from the poem and ask us to write what came next in our minds—whatever it was—no attempt at form or content. If we wished, we could read them into the circle, and some remarkable verbal expressions resulted.

Finally, the circle dissolved as we went to various tasks. Some ate lunch, some went directly to the wall to paint or make art in whatever way they wanted to, some took naps. We were encouraged to stay in that space, that building, and that environment, which had become charged with this energy of creativity, so that it felt that making art was inevitable.
No attempt was made to prescribe the style or the media of artmaking. The wide variety of styles and genres and media was one of the wonderful gifts of making art in that space. We specifically refrained from “art criticism,” which often stultifies creativity instead of encouraging it. At the end of the day, we were offered an opportunity for people to witness what we had done during the day. Witnessing was different from criticizing. To witness meant to respond to the work in your own unique way. Witnessing was not required, but sometimes insights were brought forth that were helpful to the artist.

THE PRODUCTS
What you see in this collection are many of the products of this artistic process. Very few were planned. I learned that I love to paint spontaneously in acrylic, especially using palette knives and other objects besides brushes to put paint on the canvas—sponges or combs or brushes from the hardware store. Then I would just “dance” with the canvas and the paint and see what showed up. Afterwards I would look at what I had painted and see what I could see, sometimes tweaking it a bit. Especially I learned from my colleague, Karen Carter, to look for faces in what looked like chaos. When I would find those faces, I would bring them out in some fashion. I thought of them as part of the teeming inhabitants of my interior landscape.

Art & Soul is an arts studio dedicated to supporting individual creativity, personal growth, and artistic development. We foster a safe, stimulating, and rich environment for both beginning and experienced artists to connect with their capacity to create, explore, and discover the beauty and power of personal expression. To that end, mediums and practices that address the whole person—meditation, sound, breath, movement, music, writing, painting, drawing, and other visual arts—are offered through classes, workshops, and individual sessions. Membership to Art & Soul Nashville is available to anyone who is looking for the ongoing connection and depth of an established, supportive community. If you are looking for a studio where playful, authentic, and meaningful artistic exploration can happen, you have found it!

***IMPORTANT TAX INFORMATION FOR ALL WINNING BIDDERS:
Art and Soul Nashville, Inc. is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization. Tax-deductible contributions are limited to the excess of any money contributed by you over the fair market value of the goods and services that you received, and to the full extent of the law. Please retain this receipt for your tax records. Art and Soul Nashville, Inc.: EIN #45-4104005