By William Womack

Let’s assume the question was posed, “Where does someone start if they want to learn more about the local Middle Tennessee art scene?

The answer is quite simple: Mt. Juliet sculptor, printmaker, and marquetry artist, Amber Lelli, is a graduate of Murfreesboro’s Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), who has lived and honed her skills in the Nashville area for over two decades.

This year, in particular, has been keeping Lelli busy, as Rest in Pieces: A Solo Exhibition for Amber Lelli has run through Charlotte Ave, LeQuire’s Gallery, February 8 – March 20, but even as an understudy for Alan LeQuire (local sculptor of the world’s largest indoor statue in Nashville Centennial Park, the Parthenon replica’s Athena)

-and even having already created one of the most stunning pieces of art in the area, Celestial Falls, at Donelson Public library, Amber’s advice for those wanting to be a part of the art world is simple: “It will be tough. There will be sacrifice. The important thing to remember is, you have to love it enough for the sacrifice.”

Lelli’s parents immigrated to New York from Argentina in the 1980s. They were missionaries tasked with starting new churches in the city. It was in Queens, where Lelli was born.

Though the family would not stay there long after the birth of their third child, before Amber’s first birthday, her parents, with all kids in tow, moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado (so if you asked the artist where she was from, this would be her answer, The Centennial state).

A little over a decade later, at the age of 11, her parents packed up their lives again and came to Tennessee.

Having a love of all things nature, you can’t go wrong at the home of the Great Smoky Mountains, the Cumberland River, and waterfall after waterfall. Tennessee serves as an inspiration to anyone who appreciates beauty, or anyone with eyes, really. Amber, throughout her life, had an affinity for art and when it came time for college, she wanted a school with a great art program (MTSU).

It was here in Tennessee, a creator was born. It was this love of the outdoors and local nature that led Lelli to create Celestial Falls.

The stunning 28″ x 17″ sculpture is suspended from the ceiling of the Donelson Library, inspired by indigenous, Donelson flora and fauna, landmass, and water ways, each mirroring the natural beauty of the area.

The project took two and a half years to complete and was assembled by Lelli and her team. No small feat even for the understudy of Alan LeQuire, the sculptor of Athena, on the upper floor of Nashville, Centennial Park’s Parthenon.

Pertaining to Celestial Falls, “on the second floor, the sculpture features a chromed landscape with animals and plants native to Tennessee, resting on a sculpted landmass. Elements like the Tulip Poplar, historically significant to Native Americans and pioneers, are incorporated to emphasize local context. This whimsical scene on the children’s floor creates a playful, larger-than-life landscape, with plants ranging from 1’ to 7’4” in height. The chrome-on-chrome effect offers an interactive ‘finder’s game’ for children, while the blue gradient rods mimic a waterfall, visually connecting the second floor to the river components on the first floor,” according to Amber Lelli, says amberlellitart.com.

The process for Lelli starts with an idea, then she chooses her material. Printmaking and marquetry are faster forms of art, taking less time to form. Sculpture, while more in depth, still doesn’t force a set schedule for her. Amber prefers to work at her own pace.

“Throughout the two-year project, I served as the lead sculptor with Amber Lelli Art as the primary fabricator. I successfully brought together a local team and raised over $175,000 in in-kind donations. Additionally, 98% of the labor was sourced from Davidson County, underscoring the project’s commitment to local engagement and support. Collaboration involved Metro Arts, Messer Construction, Hastings Architecture, Capital Projects, and RBA Structural Engineers, among others,” says amberlelliart.com, of the project.

We can skip the boredom of terms like, “it girl,” but it would seem she is the now and future of Nashville art.

Anyone wanting to learn more about Amber Lelli and her art shuold start with going to her website, amberlelliart.com. From there, drop in on the folks at LeQueire Gallery at 4304 Charlotte Avenue, in Nashville. If you are lucky, she may be there working on the next great peice you will most deinitely be seeing around town soon. Hint Hin. Ask them about the upcoming exhibition, this month! (INSIDE/OUT: NEW WORK FROM JULIETTE ARISTIDES & LORI PUTNAM, March 25 – June 21) (then after that, The LeQuire Gallery is hosting an anniversary party for the anniversary of LeQuire’s Athena?)

“Alan Lequire, the guy who did the Athena statue in the Parthenon, the gallery she works out of is having a big thing in June, honoring the anniversary of the making of Athena,” says Womack.

More information about Amber Lelli and her art can be found at amberlelliart.com. From there, you can drop in on the folks at LeQuire Gallery (4304 Charlotte Ave., 37—), and if you’re lucky, Lelli might be there working on the next great peice you will most definitely be seeing around town, soon.

Hint, hint: There’s an upcoming exhibition, June —, at Centennial Park to commemmorate the anniversary of LeQuire’s Athena sculpture!

Amber Lelli can also be found on her socials,

About the author:

TRIMS: (Edits out): We can skip the boredom of terms like, “it girl,” or “young, attractive, and ambitious,” but it would seem she is the now and future of Nashville art.

Lelli continues to produce interesting piece after interesting piece.

for over two decades.

Even through

-And, enough so that, even as an understudy of Alan LeQuire (local sculptor of the largest indoor statue in Nashville Centennial Park, the Parthenon replica’s Athena)

as well as being an understudy of Alan LeQuire’s (local sculptor of the largest indoor statue in Nashville Centennial Park, the Parthenon replica’s Athena), through his

Though her Rest in Pieces: A Solo Exhibition for Amber Lelli ran Feburary 8 – March 20 at Charlotte Ave.’s LeQuire’s Gallery -and through an understudy for Alan LeQuire (local sculptor of the world’s largest indoor statue in Nashville Centennial Park, the Parthenon replica’s Athena) -and even having already created one of the most stunning pieces of art in the area, Celestial Falls, located at Donelson Public library, Amber’s advice for those wanting to be a part of the art world is simple: “It will be tough. There will be sacrifice. The important thing to remember is, you have to love it enough for the sacrifice.”

In lieu of any current Amber Lelli happening, The LeQuire Gallery is hosting an anniversary party for the

“To make Nashville’s Parthenon complete, a colossal statue of the goddess Athena had to be built inside it. But the Great Depression dried up funds. Visitors to the Parthenon were instead greeted by a small model of the statue and a donation box. The nickels and dimes slowly added up, and in 1982 construction at last began on Athena. It took sculptor Alan LeQuire eight years to complete, and a lot more time and donated money before he could paint and gild the goddess in real gold in 2002. After more than a hundred years, work finally ended at the Parthenon.” https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/14603

“At the time, some people said it was just a horrible thing for this pagan statue to be in a city park. They implied that it was created with government money, and it was not,” said https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/14603

After visiting the campus and gaining an admiration for the facilities, she chose MTSU.

recreation built in 1897 and, permanently in 1931.

or “young, attractive, and ambitious,”