Brentwood's rural beauty is a natural draw for the artistically inclined - at least that's what the area's internationally acclaimed painters will tell you.

Artist Paul Harmon lives and works at historic Twenty-Four Trees, where his 18th-century smokehouse studio is filled floor to ceiling with his distinctive stenciled paintings.

"I used to come here for hayrides when I was a boy, so I was naturally attracted to this area," Harmon says.

"I guess you could call it nostalgia."

Harmon's first art teacher was grandmother Adelaide Harmon, who founded the Nashville Artist Guild. His career now spans more than four decades and includes recognition by the Smithsonian, Monaco's Museum of Modern Art and the American Embassy in Paris.

But the most meaningful honor came in 1994, when Caen, France, staged a major exhibit of his works to commem- orate the 50th anniversary of D-Day.

"The vice mayor pointed to my paintings and said, 'This is the spirit of mankind that makes us want to defend democracy.' That was extremely touching to me," Harmon says.

Like Harmon, Russian-born painter Igor Babailov travels worldwide, but his roots arc planted firmly in Brentwood.

"Not just the people are nice, but the sunsets, the nature, everything reminds me of my hometown in the Russian countryside," he says.

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Babailov specializes in from-life portraits and has painted such luminaries as President George W. Bush and Pope John Paul II. He produced his first portrait at age 4 and left home at age 13 to study art in Moscow.

Over the course of Babailov's career, he has realized that art has no borders.

"Geography doesn't exist for me," he says. "It doesn't matter what language you speak or who you are in your religion or your culture, art can speak to you."

Sharing that outlook is a key part of
Babailov's identity as an artist.

"If you look at the progress of life, the whole idea is to pass on your

knowledge to the next generation," he says.

Watercolorist gail Mcdaniel would
agree. She began teaching classes 12 years ago and now holds workshops locally, around the country and overseas.

"When I make the students reach
beyond their grasp, and they try
something they haven't tried before, that's so rewarding," she says.

Mcdaniel's passion for arts education extends to the local schools. Each January, Mcdaniel opens her home for Chase Away the Blahs, a fundraiser that
provides grants and art supplies to classrooms in Williamson and Davidson counties. Nearly

$53,000 has been raised since the program's inception in 2000.

"Give some of those art teachers a little bit of money, and they can go to town," Mcdaniel laughs. "And some of the artwork the students do is amazing. They're so talented and wouldn't have the chance to express themselves without help."

Whether painting, teaching or fund raising, Mcdaniel finds joy in her work and her community.

"I am so fortunate to be able to do something that I love so well and be around such nice people," she says.

Story by Katherine Royster

Top: Igor Babailov (left) and actor James Gandolfini shake hands at the unveiling of the Brentwood artist's portrait of the television star.
Left: Babailov's portrait of Marina