While having only opened recently, Soulios Gallery has already started to establish roots in Nashville through an educational focus and a passion for uplifting a wide range of artists and styles. Soulios Gallery is a fine arts gallery with rotating exhibits located just a short bus ride from campus at Cummins Station and officially opened on Nov. 12.
The gallery is owned by Steven and Ana Soulios, who sat down with The Vanderbilt Hustler to speak on their road to opening a gallery in Nashville, their artistic inspirations and what is next for the gallery.
Steven Soulios spent a lot of his free time collecting, dealing and curating art during his career as an attorney in New York and always aspired to have his own gallery.
“I was a young lawyer, about 30, some odd years ago in New York, and I started to get into collecting,” Steven Soulios said. “I wouldn’t say an addiction, but it’s a powerful interest and the more you collect, the more you want to collect.”
Ana Soulios has a background as an actress and dancer, now she applies her experience in visual arts to the fine arts space encouraging interactive exhibits and gatherings.
“We want the space to be like, really, like an ecosystem and an incubator, you know, for all kinds of creativity,” Ana Soulios said. “Not even just fine art, like, it could be music, it could be poetry, it could be lectures.”
The Soulios family had always intended to open a gallery, but they never expected it to be in Nashville. However, the needs of their family and the growing fine-arts scene in Nashville, called them to the city. Their son, Matthew Soulios (B.A. ‘25), went to Vanderbilt where he encountered the Next Steps program which he felt would be a great fit for his sister Alexis. The Soulios family then moved to Nashville, found the perfect location that reminded them of home and fulfilled their dream of opening a gallery.
Steven Soulios spoke on how he decided to select the historic Cummins Station for their location.
“It kind of reminded me of a building you would see at Soho, New York,” Steven Soulios said. “We kind of fell in love with it, although it didn’t look anything like what you see here now.”
Their first exhibit, which is concluding soon, features expressionist work by Arthur Robins, showcasing urban scenes from all around New York City, supported by ever changing, intricate perspectives and patterns. This was a full circle moment for Steven Soulios as he met Robins during his early days in New York, and the two became friends and colleagues within the art scene.
“Robins was selling small prints on the street, and they got to talking and became friends,” Ana Soulios said. “And then [Steven] ended up representing him and took him into galleries.”
With their first exhibit coming to a close, Soulios Gallery took steps towards creating more interactive programs and opportunities. More specifically, their next opening will feature Heidi Stephens who creates abstract vibrant paintings focused on human relationships. This opening will take place on Friday, Feb. 13 and include a Valentines Day themed art class for Next Steps and Best Buddies students.
Beyond these programs and educational opportunities, Soulios Gallery aspires to become a platform for young artists around Nashville to display their work.
“I also want to connect with the art departments at the schools to get the local college students who are studying fine art and painting and maybe do an exhibition,” Steven Soulios said.
In addition to wanting to build and display the next generation of artists, Soulios Gallery also hopes to shine a light on artists who have not received as much notoriety.
“That’s one of the things we want to do is not just have contemporary artists, young artists, but also kind of revive and further the careers of people who are kind of overlooked by history,” Steven Soulios said.
Throughout this conversation, the Soulios’ took their time to explain different pieces in the gallery and to educate me on artists and styles that are important to them. They did so in a patient and encouraging way that reinforced the welcoming and engaging energy they are intentionally cultivating within the space. My time at the gallery felt truly immersive, with Ana walking me through the work and explaining the significance of different scenes, and Steven sharing his artistic influences while filling in gaps in my own art knowledge. Their openness to teaching, sharing their story and genuine conversation made the gallery feel accessible and inviting rather than intimidating. Whether you are looking for a creative community, hoping to experience something new in Nashville, or wanting to be guided through and learn about artists both old and new, Soulios Gallery will welcome you with open arms.
