Promoting Your Creative Work: Tips from a Pro

November 12, noon to 1 PM

Admission by donation. Reservations will end 24 hours before the event.

Want to learn to promote your art more effectively? Interested in becoming a teaching artist? Would you like to have your work in professional publications and exhibits all over the world? If the anser is yes to any (or all) of these questions, then you really can't afford to miss this lunchtime learning opportunity!

Leanne Trivett S, a native of Johnson City, TN, has accomplished all of this and more. We love Leanne's work, and she's already had pieces in a couple of our group shows here at Create Appalachia. Recently, her work was featured at Burning Man, and she's busy this fall and winter traveling the world teaching, exhibiting, and making art. She'll have a solo show in our Kingsport gallery beginning in January 2026. (More on that soon--keep an eye on our website and social media.) Of course, her artistic talent and skill as a photographer is at the center of all of her accomplishments--but as even she will tell you, your work goes nowhere unless you do the legwork to help people see it and understand your vision. She's a champ when it comes to that! At our request, she is generously preparing to share her wisdom with her fellow creatives who want to give their work a higher profile. Come learn and be inspired to take your own work to new heights!

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Leanne Trivett S is an award-winning photographer and visual artist whose work blends thepersonal and poetic through experimental self-portraiture, emotive florals, and vivid abstract imagery. With a BFA in Theatre from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a background as a professional singer, her foundation in performance deeply informs her visual storytelling, bringing theatre, emotion, and character into her photographs. Leanne’s techniques -- ranging from in-camera multiple exposures and ICM (intentional camera movement) to creative layering and blur -- embody her commitment to experimentation and emotional authenticity in her work.

Known for her colorful and current imagery, Leanne’s work has been exhibited widely across the United States and internationally. Her photographs have appeared in renowned venues including the Los Angeles Center of Photography, the Griffin Museum of Photography in Boston, CfPA in Carmel, CA, the KFF FotoFest in Japan, Millepiani Gallery in Rome, Art Fluent in Boston, the BRAHM Museum in North Carolina, New Orleans Photo Alliance in New Orleans, PH21Gallery in Budapest, and Fotonostrum in Barcelona, among others.

Leanne's imagery has been featured on covers and in publications such as Art Ascent International Magazine (Silver Award for Florals), SHOTS Magazine (Cover Spring 2025), Humana Obscura, Black and White Magazine (Winners), Monochromica, ARTDOC Magazine, Dodho Magazine, etc. Leanne’s work has been recognized by numerous international photography awards including the Julia Margaret Cameron Awards (2022, 2023, 2024), the Refocus Awards, ND Awards, Digital Photo Awards, Great Photo Awards, and Portfolio Platform (2024/2025). Most recently, she was named the winner of the EMERGE 2024 Fellowship Award, Photography Performance - Solo Show with A Smith Gallery, and selected as a satellite artist for D’ART Gallery.

As an educator and speaker, Leanne shares her creative process through workshops and lectures at institutions including Santa Fe Workshops, Maine Media, the Chicago Botanic Garden, Camversation (UK), and the Pacific Northwest Art School. She also gives art talks internationally - both in-person and online - for photographic societies, galleries, and clubs. Her talks have been featured by organizations such as the Edinburgh Photographic Society, FYV, Camversation, galleries, and photography groups across the U.S. Her teaching and presentations reflect her deep belief in photography as a tool for self-expression, transformation, and storytelling.

From her studio, she continues to explore the intersection of identity, memory, and beauty . Whether teaching, traveling, or building new bodies of work, Leanne’s practice remains rooted in self-expression and the endless possibilities of the photographic form. As she continues her journey, she remains committed to fostering creative dialogue and meaningful collaboration.

DONATIONS ARE REQUESTED BECAUSE we're a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and we reinvest all money collected from fees and donations back into serving creatives in our region. The suggested donation for this class is $10-$20. We'd appreciate a donation of what you feel you can afford.

If you can't donate right now, we completely understand! You can contact Katie Hoffman at katie@createappalachia.org and she'll send you the code for a for a scholarship ticket.

Create Appalachia strives to make our region a better place to live and work by supporting innovation and creative entrepreneurship. Our primary focus is startups and small businesses that marry creativity and technology. Our goal is to incubate new businesses, increase employment opportunities for creatives, and highlight the key role that creativity plays in the region’s economic vitality.

The Arts@Work Series supports entrepreneurial creatives and makers who wish to develop their professional business skills. Topics include introductions to business strategy, marketing, communication, pricing, and client relations.We also offer skill-based certification courses. The Arts@Work professional development series is curated to meet the particular needs of small creative businesses that combine artistry, imagination, and technology.