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City Cast Nashville

Australian artist Wendy Murray is working on an ambitious project: To draw every building on Gallatin Pike. The 

 perfectly capture Gallatin’s character. But WHY Gallatin? I recently chatted with Wendy to answer just that question, and what she’s learned about Nashville in the process of working on this series.

What inspired you to draw every building on Gallatin Pike?

“I guess the long answer is back in 2011, I saw a copy of Edward Ruscha’s “

,” and ever since then, I've been looking for a drawing project that might fit that. I'd also been drawing what I call my daily drawings since 2010. I started out in rural New South Wales, Australia, and last spring, I was lucky enough to win an internship at Hatch Show Print. So I came out to Nashville for six weeks, and I just really loved Gallatin.

“There's a street like Gallatin in every city — a street with fast food joints, tire repair shops, coffee shops, supermarkets. They embody all the things that make the U.S. awesome and awful at the same time.”

What have you learned about Nashville while working on this project?

“There are so many kind and thoughtful people in this community. People have contacted me through social media and said, ‘It’s really hot out there, can I bring you a drink?’ The business owners are also supportive and amazing.

“I'm getting to know Gallatin as I draw it. I live close to one of two Krogers, and because I didn't have a car until last week, I was on the bus or on my bike. So I didn’t know the area around the first Kroger. Folks tend to stay in a radius around their house. I'm no scientist or urban geographer, but that's interesting for a car-centric place.”

What have been your favorites in the series so far?

. I really like that building. In Australia, they're called Nissen huts, but you call them Quonset huts. They're such lovely people as well, and they adopted one of the stray cats around there who had had some kittens, so I call in occasionally to say hi to them. I enjoyed doing the 

 and those older buildings there. I could sit in the shade of the Goodwill drop-off to draw those. That’s relaxing compared to, say, drawing 

 on the corner of Trinity and Gallatin, which was a hair-raising exercise, because folks fly around that corner and there are often accidents.

“That's why I haven't drawn the bank on the corner of Hart and Gallatin yet. I've just gotta find a safe time to sit there and draw, without a car flying through and smashing into me.”

🎨 Explore Her Art!

Australian artist Wendy Murray is working on an ambitious project: To draw every building on Gallatin Pike. City Cast Nashville recently chatted with Wendy to find out, WHY Gallatin?

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 is celebrating its 37th year this summer with a performance of “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” opening tonight! Here’s the history of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, and details about this year’s performance.

 “As You Like It” in Centennial Park for free. According to 

, the group had no money for marketing or costumes, no producers, and did not get paid. Yet, the event attracted a large audience full of families, the kinds of people who likely would only attend that one play all year.

Inspired by their success, the group performed “Pericles” the following year, and, despite being one of Shakespeare’s least known plays, it also did surprisingly well. Their third performance was their first professional production, and the official launch of Nashville Shakespeare Festival. Just like this year, the troupe put on “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” And for the first time, the actors were paid — about $50-60! (Actors are now paid a living wage.)

, performing fifty-minute “Shakespeare Samplers” at schools across Nashville. The festival began performing in the winter in collaboration with Belmont in 2008, and has also teamed up with the Nashville Public Library for 

, where anyone can read parts from Shakespeare’s plays along with the actors.

In 2018, Summer Shakespeare moved from Centennial Park to oneC1TY, due to 

 at Centennial’s bandshell. In 2026, they 

will return to the now-renovated bandshell

 to perform “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

 Every Thursday through Sunday evening from Aug. 21-Sept. 21

 Before each performance of “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” there will be nightly concerts, free lecture series, food trucks, and more starting at 5:30 p.m., with curtain at 7 p.m. Bring a picnic blanket or lawn chairs!

🎭 Interviews with the cast

Nashville Shakespeare Festival has performed in Music City since 1988. Here's its history.

Nashville Shakespeare Festival's History

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art

Capturing a Road’s Character: 3 Questions With Artist Wendy Murray

The History of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival

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Capturing a Road’s Character: 3 Questions With Artist Wendy Murray

The History of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival