Our Team
Mrs. Karlie
I am Karlie Cunha and welcome to my happiest place on earth! Owning my own art studio has been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl. A dream that I did not expect to become a reality so soon in life, yet here we are! My formal art education was acquired from Cumberland University in 2018. After graduating from Cumberland with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, I dared to dive into the world of business by obtaining my master’s in Business Administration just two years later. By August 1st of 2020, Wild Colors was officially open for business!
I developed a heart for teaching children while working at Whiz Kids preschool in Lebanon throughout and after college. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to teach classes such as Drawing, 2D design, Art History, Art Appreciation, and Mixed Media at the collegiate level. I have been an educator for nearly ten years now, and have been blessed to be able to work with all ages and varying abilities. At my core, I am a creative and an encourager. I am grateful to be able to combine my passions for art and teaching in order to help artists of all ages learn to be innovative, confident, and unafraid to think outside of the box.
I am a Lebanon local; a third generation female business owner; a wife to my biggest supporter and balance in life; a daughter; a sister; an aunt; a friend; a teacher; and most importantly a lover of Jesus. My number one mission is to always use this studio to bring the light and love of Jesus to others. Lebanon has been my home for 28 years, and I am eager to help grow the next generation of artists in this great community!
Mrs Amanda
Amanda Phillips has lived in Wilson County almost her whole life and was homeschooled growing up. She has studied art for 10+ years and received the opportunity to study art history in Italy for a semester during sophomore year of college. Since then, she has traveled to London, Paris, and Ireland to learn more about historic pieces of art. She minored in visual arts and has taken multiple art courses since college. She is married to her husband Eric of seven years and a mom to her one year old daughter JoJo. Amanda has taught various ages for over two years now and has found her passion in helping each person succeed in their individual artistic goals.
At Wild Colors, Amanda teaches adult oil painting, semi-private lessons, sip & paints/pop-up classes, and summer camps. Outside of the studio she teaches art for multiple homeschool tutorials in the area, and also runs her own business, AP Studio.
Mrs Gina
A lifelong artist, Gina Kelley Troutt has worked in the art field for over 10 years.
She studied at Cumberland University, where she and Mrs. Karlie became friends.
After graduating with a BFA in Art Education, Gina taught art at several schools and studios in the Middle Tennessee area. In 2023, Gina took a leap of faith, leaving her job as an art teacher to pursue her passion of jewelry-making. Now, she runs her handmade jewelry shop, Jewel Hippie, which can be found at shops and craft fairs all over the Middle Tennessee area.
Gina is married to her amazing husband, Lucas, who also shares a passion for art education and creativity. They live in Westmoreland with their adopted fur baby, Greta. Gina teaches adult watercolor, homeschool classes, summer camps, and jewelry workshops at Wild Colors.
Miss Lily
A graphic design student at Middle Tennessee State University, Lily Reece has grown up experimenting in art her entire life. During her sophomore year of highschool, she began working at Wild Colors, being mentored by her aunt in both teaching and painting. In the summer of 2023, she established herself as an artist taking commissioned work through her Instagram page gaining the attention of some of her favorite music artists! Her goal is to continue to work on her commissions, achieve a BFA in graphic design, all while inspiring and mentoring the students at Wild Colors.
At the studio, Miss Lily assists with summer camps, birthday parties, and pop up classes. She also does facepainting for events!