Gregory Ridley enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the arts which earned him honors as a painter, sculptor, and teacher but his highest acclaim came later in his career for his mastery of metal arts, especially copper friezes. Born in Smyrna, TN, his family moved to Nashville when he was 11. After his service in the United States Navy during World War II, he returned to Nashville and enrolled at Fisk University where he studied under the renowned Harlem Renaissance painter and muralist, Aaron Douglas, who remained a close friend and mentor until his death in 1979. Like Douglas, Gregory Ridley was a social realist who sought a larger integration of the Arts and his metal reliefs, in particular, exhibit a style of rhythmic narrative inspired by Douglas’ murals. Ridley’s work was shown in significant exhibitions and institutions throughout his career as he continued to evolve his style and expand his mastery of various media. Ridley dedicated much of his life to the education of young artists, holding highly revered faculty appointments at several Southern universities. After his second term at Tennessee State University he retired from teaching but remained very active, taking an artist in residence appointment at Morehouse College and conducting workshops and seminars elsewhere. Ridley’s work continues to be widely exhibited and is included in the collections of museums, corporations, and individuals throughout the United States. His latest major work, “A Story of Nashville”, is a series of 80 hammered copper frieze panels built into the tops of the bookshelves in the Grand Reading Room of the Nashville public library. This project is the artist’s largest work. It tells the story of Nashville’s history from its pre-settlement period to the present day and promises to be a legacy for the city and its residents.