Tarri Driver, MEd, BFA

Artist Bio

Tarri Driver is a lifelong creative artist with a wide range of independent, academic, professional and therapeutic arts experience. Her decade of work as an art therapist in Nashville (in public schools and a children’s hospital)—along with her experience teaching college-level art therapy courses and later years as an independent art instructor—inform both her worldview and her art. Since relocating from Nashville to a small town in East Tennessee, Tarri has retired from her career as an art therapist and re-embraced studio artmaking from her home studio, where she writes, illustrates, publishes original work, designs commissions and devises new creative projects. She is currently writing and illustrating the fourth children’s book in her Lunar Mooner Lula series, and a new book of short stories for adults. Inspired by the forest, the mountains, her garden and local critters, Tarri hopes make some sense of the world, bring joy and beauty, and provoke thoughtful reflection.

Education & Certifications

Master of Education: Expressive Therapies (Art Therapy), University of Louisville, 2006

Bachelor of Fine Arts: Studio Art (Psychology minor), Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), 2004

Registered Art Therapist (AT-R): 2006-2015 & Board-Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC), 2012-2018

Licensed Professional Counselor & Mental Health Services Provider (LPC-MHSP), 2011-2018

Career Experience

2016 – present: Independent Artist/Author/Illustrator/Instructor—Oak Ridge, TN

2012-2015: Art Therapist—Monroe J. Carell Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN

2012: School-Based Therapist—Vanderbilt University, Psychiatric Department, Nashville, TN

2011-2014: Adjunct Professor of Art Therapy—Trevecca Nazarene University, Nashville, TN

2007-2012: School-Based Therapist/Case Manager—Centerstone Mental Health Counseling Services, Nashville, TN

2007: Family Counselor—Family Solutions Assessment and Counseling Services, Franklin, TN

2006-2007: Art Teacher—The Discovery Center; Substitute Teacher (Pre-K-6)—City Schools, Murfreesboro, TN

2005-2006: Student Expressive Therapist—Baptist Hospital East, 7 Counties Services, Home of the Innocents, Louisville, KY

2003-2004: Student Art Instructor—Grammar School, Woodbury; Camp Will, Franklin; Adam’s Place, Murfreesboro, TN

Conference Presentations, Workshops & Community Service

2019: Art Volunteer—Willowbrook Elementary School, Oak Ridge, TN

2018: Presenter—Tennessee Art Therapy Association Annual Seminar

2017-2018: Presenter, Planner, Small Group Facilitator—Youth Pride Festival, Oak Ridge, TN

2017: Presenter—CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocate) fundraiser, Oak Ridge, TN

2017: Stress Workshop, an educational and experiential workshop for community activists, Knoxville, TN

2016-2018: Volunteer—Gay/Straight/Trans Alliance (GSTA), Oak Ridge, High School, Oak Ridge, TN

2013: Creative Pathway to Healing: Art Therapy-Informed Mindfulness, LPC Conference, Nashville, TN

2012: Art Therapy, That’s Cool! Wait, What’s Art Therapy? Area Association of Christian Counselors, Nashville, TN

2011: Telling Your Story, arts workshop, Immigrant & Refugee Resource Coalition Convention, Nashville, TN

2011: Bold Faces of Truth, collaborative with YWCA, local artists, domestic violence survivors, Nashville, TN

2010-2011: Board Member—PASTL (Promoting Artistic Strengths Through Logic) community org, Nashville, TN

2009: American Art Therapy Association Representative—HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) Conference, Nashville, TN

2008-2009: Board Member—YEAH (Youth Empowerment through Arts & Humanities), Murfreesboro, TN

2008: Presenter—Thirteenth Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health, Nashville, TN

2008: Crisis Counselor—Hurricane Gustav Response; Art Therapy Advocate—Center for the Arts Career Day, Murfreesboro, TN

2007-2008: Advisory Member—Alignment Nashville, Nashville, TN

2006: Facilitator—Therapeutic Art Group at University of Louisville Art Therapy Forum, Louisville, KY

2005: Captain Hook Was a Metrosexual, Popular Culture Association Conference, San Diego, CA

Selected Art Exhibitions & Awards

2019: Women’s Work: Parity, group exhibition, Oak Ridge Art Center, Oak Ridge, TN

2018: Queens’ Stories, collaboration with Southern Word and local women/artists, Nous Art House, Nashville, TN

2017: Speak Now, solo exhibition, UpFront Gallery; Protest Signs, group exhibition, A1LabArts, Knoxville, TN

2017: (Unmask)erade Ball, juried exhibition for Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault, Fredricksburg, VA

2017: Nasty Women Art Show, benefit for Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition, Nashville, TN

2016: Athens of the South Arts Festival, Nashville; The Boro Art Crawl, Murfreesboro, TN

2008-2009: One Night Only; The Vine Craft Show, group exhibitions, The Vine, Murfreesboro; Dangenart Gallery, Nashville, TN

2007: Murfreesboro Little Theater, Murfreesboro; Evolution 1&2, Dangenart Gallery, Nashville, TN

2005-2006: Salon D-6, Murfreesboro, TN; Come Buy My Window, Outside Art, Louisville, KY

2004: BFA Senior Studio Exhibition, MTSU; Amity Foundation Invitational Portfolio Exchange (2003, 2004)

2003: W.O. Benjamin Fine Arts Gallery, Fulton, MS; Student Art Alliance, KUC, City Hall Rotunda exhibits, Rising Junior Award, MTSU

2001-2002: Red Rose Café, Murfreesboro; The Liquid Lava Lounge, Nashville; Student Exhibition (Merit Award), MTSU

2000: Mark English Fine Arts Gallery, Franklin; Artrageous Silent Auction, Nashville, TN

1997: Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts (selectee), Murfreesboro, TN