WORKSHOPS & EVENTS
Paint Your Heart Out Workshops | Spring 2026
Workshops now open to members and non-members! Enjoy special pricing become a member.
Experience the power and immediacy of charcoal drawing en plein air.
Drawing is an essential skill for achieving observational accuracy and expressive rendering. In this focused plein air workshop, you will learn how to develop a landscape drawing to a fully resolved finish as a completed artwork or to use as an underdrawing for painting.
Friday, May 15
12:00 - 3:00 PM
Radnor Lake State Park
1160 Otter Creek Rd
Nashville, TN 37220
Working on site at Radnor Lake, participants will explore how to:
Identify and isolate compelling landscape subjects.
Design dynamic, balanced compositions
Establish strong value relationships and major shapes
Build depth, atmosphere, and expressive mark-making
Bring a charcoal drawing to a finished level
Use the charcoal drawing as underdrawing for plein air painting
Materials Provided:
Soft vine charcoal
Soft charcoal pencils
14" × 11" white drawing paper
Spray fixative
If you prefer to work with your own materials, soft charcoal is recommended.
Participants Should Bring:
Drawing board or canvas board of equal or greater size for 14" × 11" paper
Kneaded eraser and white plastic eraser
Portable easel capable of supporting the minimum size board
Join us for a focused day of observation, design, and expressive draftsmanship in one of Nashville’s most beautiful natural settings.
*Workshop require a minimum enrollment of 3 participants
Click here to read the Workshop Policies & Guidelines
Upcoming Events
The Hermitage Exhibit
We are thrilled to present The Hermitage Exhibit, open May 1 through July 15th!
Come see how The Chestnut Group artists have captured the iconic landscapes and historic architecture of this legendary estate. Whether you're a history buff or an art lover, there’s something truly special about seeing these "artist-captured" views in person.
All the artwork is available for purchase, offering a rare chance to bring home a piece of history while supporting the mission of The Chestnut Group.
Summer Art Show & Sale with Friends of Radnor Lake
We are excited to announce our 2026 SUMMER SHOW with Friends of Radnor Lake!
Thursday, July 16 - Sunday, May 19
Event Location:
Walter Criley Visitor Center
1160 Otter Creek Road
Nashville, TN 37220
The Chestnut Group: A 25th Anniversary Exhibition
We are absolutely thrilled to announce a very special exhibition!
The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center in Clarksville has invited The Chestnut Group to host a premier show this fall. This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our mission and talent in a beautiful museum setting—we can’t wait to see our 25th-anniversary collection come to life!
Colors of Shelby Art Show & Sale
The Colors of Shelby Art Show & Sale returns to Shelby Bottoms Nature Center this fall!
Mark your calendars for this captivating art show benefitting Friends of Shelby Park and their mission to preserve, enhance, and promote Shelby Park and Bottoms
for everyone to appreciate and protect.
Easels & Estate: : A Day of Outdoor Art at the Hermitage
For information visit The Hermitage Website.
Local Art Event: Master Artist Igor Babailov, painting from life
Master Artist Igor Babailov, world-renowned portrait artist to four Popes for the Vatican, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Supreme Court Justices, Nobel Prize Laurates, Celebrities, Royalty, Fortune 500 leaders, George Washington for Mt. Vernon and some of the most famous people of our times, will showcase his unique skill in drawing a realistic portrait of a person entirely from life.
Membership Renewal and New Registrations are now open!
Membership Registrations are open for 2026!
To become a member or renew your membership, follow these steps. We recommend you do this on a computer, not a cell phone to create your account:
Go to the home page, click “Become a Member”
Click “Become a Member”, then select your renewal level.
You will need to create a new login and password.
Complete your registration and checkout.
Watch for an email to activate your account and follow the prompts to complete the setup
This activation step is required to gain access to the new, gated member content.To access the Member Site (gated content) when you are logged in, click "Account" in the upper right hand corner and you will see a link that says, "View".
If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Lolly Brown at chestnuts.marketing@gmail.com.
Thank you for being a valued member and for the impact you make in supporting our mission. We’re excited for all that’s ahead
Warmly,
The Chestnut Group Team
Painting the Parks
Friends of Franklin Parks and The Chestnut Group are proud to partner in the second Painting in the Parks Art Show & Sale.
Friends of Franklin Parks exists to cultivate stewardship to preserve our cultural and natural resources, enhance the park experince and expand its legacy. What better way to honor this mission than capture the alresco vistas and beloved settings in oils, watercolors, pastels. Visit the Hayes House at Harlinsdale Park to view the work of The Chestnut Group artists and to preserve the scenes for future generations.
The show is FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Participating Chestnut artists donate a large portion of their sales to support the mission of Friends of Franklin Parks.