Bio

Nashville-based artist Jake Greatens began creating art as a young child. Whether he was building things in the backyard with found materials or drawing and painting with whatever was available around the house, artistic expression has always been a major part of his life.

Jake grew up in rural Florida, where much of his childhood revolved around pop culture, sports, music, and the arts. He connected deeply with these influences because they made him feel part of something larger and introduced him to culture beyond his hometown.

After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Tampa, Jake opened a studio on Rattlesnake Point and began creating and selling his work. A year later, he and his wife opened CASS Contemporary, a contemporary art gallery.

Jake continued making art after the gallery opened, but his role as creative director, managing hundreds of artists, projects, and exhibitions, often pushed his personal practice into the background. After 12 successful years of running the gallery, along with an art consulting and management company, he decided to begin developing a new body of work.

Jake remains the owner and creative director of CASS Contemporary, where he manages works by artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol and organizes exhibitions featuring both established and emerging artists from around the world.