CLARKSVILLE, TN – Here is everything you need to know about what’s happening at Customs House Museum this October.
Exhibitions
American Watercolor Society 156th Traveling Exhibition, October 3 – January 2 | Kimbrough Gallery. Since 1866, the American Watercolor Society has worked to advance education and foster the appreciation of watercolor painting in America. Their annual exhibition is open to all artists working in water soluble media: watercolor, acrylic, casein, gouache and egg tempera on paper.
Annual Staff Art Show, through October 17 | Lobby. The annual staff art exhibit showcases the creative work of those who work behind-the-scenes at the Museum. Each piece reveals the unique personalities and skills of the artists, special moments in their lives and their inspirations.
Tennessee Craft: A Statewide Member Exhibition, through October 26 | Crouch Gallery. Since 1965, Tennessee Craft has championed the local fine craft movement by supporting growth and creative expression for all artists, building a platform for high-quality craftsmanship and reinforcing the importance of fine craft for the entire community. This exhibit features over 70 works of art in various mediums.
Todd Saal: Telling Stories, through October 29 | Orgain & Bruner Galleries. Todd Saal started life in New York City as an artist and musician. Spending his travel time sketching on the road, he captured moments of the places and people he observed. Immersing himself in the unconstrained nature of watercolor is what he has come to love the most. “I like to think of watercolor as my partner, each of us having our own voice in every painting. It does its own thing and continues to work long after the guidance of my initial brush strokes. I seek to capture the spirit and character of the people and places I portray in my work. Each one has its own story to tell.”
Monique Carr’s Ethereal Abstractions: A Journey through Landscapes, Florals & Beyond, through November 8 | Jostens Gallery. Monique Carr’s work bursts with energy as she combines expressive colors and intriguing textures with her imaginative and abstract landscapes. Her florals are fun and full of energy. “My contemporary landscapes are a fusion of experience, experiment and emotion. Instead of painting what I see with my eyes, I want to depict my own interpretation of a scene with my soul. I want to capture the mystery and the beauty of nature.”
The Art of Mike Lugger, through October 29 | Harvill Gallery. Mike Lugger’s creations are whimsical and bright – from 2D mixed media compositions to sculptural pieces made from airplane propellers, his work is a nod to the pop art genre and his own family’s inspiration. “At 73, I’m a semi-retired aviation engineer and I’m finally following in my father’s footsteps with his out-of-the-box abstract art. My dad painted 1,723 oil and acrylic paintings – all of which flowed directly from his imagination onto canvas and boards.”
Red Grooms: Selected Works from the Caldwell Collection, through February 11| Memory Lane. Born in Nashville in 1937, Red Grooms stands among Tennessee’s cultural icons. A performance artist, filmmaker, printmaker and cartoonist, he is best known for colorful pop art that captures both the grotesqueness and humor of everyday life. His art is featured in the collections of more than 35 museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art in Nashville, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Knoxville Museum of Art. This exhibit features paintings and paper sculptures and is produced in partnership with the West Tennessee Regional Art Center with contributions from the Discovery Park of America.
Events
First Thursday Art Walk, October 5, 5 – 8 pm. Free to the public. Mark your calendars for October Art Walk! The Museum offers free admission during First Thursday Art Walk Clarksville from 5 – 8 pm. To get in the spooky spirit, join us at 6pm for “Scary Horrors: Halloween Season Stories,” a reading of horror flash fiction, a demonic house’s secrets and freaky fairytales by Clarksville writers from CECA’s Community School of the Arts Creative Writing program. (For adult audiences only.)
Historic Greenwood Cemetery Walking Tours, September 23, October 7 & 21 | 10 – 11 am. $20 ticket | $15 member ticket. Join us for our popular historic walking tour of Greenwood Cemetery, one of Clarksville’s oldest active cemeteries. Take a spooky stroll through the winding paths of Greenwood to hear tales full of local history and intrigue. Tickets must be purchased in advance and space is extremely limited – register today at customshousemuseum.org.
Historic Riverview Cemetery Walking Tours, September 30, October 14 & 28 | 10 – 11 am. $20 ticket | $15 member ticket. NEW this year! The Riverview Cemetery has existed since February 23, 1800 (when Clarksville was no more than a village), on land donated by Valentine Sevier. Join us on a tour through the grounds and learn about its history and the notable figures interred there. Tickets must be purchased in advance and space is extremely limited – register today at customshousemuseum.org. *The grounds of Riverview Cemetery are not handicap accessible. The terrain is bumpy with few paved paths.
Halloween History on the Rocks: A Listen & Learn Happy Hour, October 25| 5:30 – 7 pm, Location TBD. Join us for a special spooky edition of our quarterly history happy hour with Second & Commerce magazine – we’re talking Bell Witch, poisonous books and more! Check out the newest issue, chat with contributing writers, enjoy drink specials and try your hand at some trivia.
Programs
Homeschool Fieldtrip Day, October 3, 10:30 am | All ages, with adult, free for Museum members; $3 per student and $5 per adult for nonmembers. Every semester, local homeschool groups are invited to experience an unforgettable day of exploration and learning. For more information or on how to register, contact Curator of Education Stephanie Stafford at stephanie@customshousemuseum.org.
Storytime & Craft: Batty About Bats, October 5, 10:30 am | All ages, with adult, Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio. On the first Thursday of this month, join us in the Family Art Studio to embark on a journey into the enchanting world of bats. We will be reading Stellaluna by Janell Cannon and Nightsong by Ari Berk. Afterwards, kids can let their creativity soar with our coffee filter bat art activity to take home. *All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
Community Weaving with Vickie Vipperman, October 8, 1:30 – 3:30pm | All ages, with adult, Free with membership or paid admission | Crouch Gallery. In conjunction with American Craft Week, celebrate art, community, diversity, collaboration, color, texture and so much more with this community weaving project alongside artist Vickie Vipperman. Together, we will create a rag-rug style weaving created from strips of fabric inscribed with each weaver’s “secret message.”
Storytime & Craft: It’s Monster Season!, October 19, 10:30 am | All ages, with adult, free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio. Get ready to unleash your inner monster! Join us for a monstrously good time as we dive into the world of friendly monsters with The Monsters’ Monster by Patrick McDonnell and The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone. After these entertaining tales, it’s time to let your imagination run wild by creating unique monsters using colorful art supplies. *All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
Growing Minds! A Day of STEAM, October 21| 10:30 am | All ages, with adult, Free to the public | Turner Auditorium. Join us for a day of STEAM activities for all ages. Workshops will include musical instruments (3-8 years old), model trains (8-12 years old), photography (middle school), videography (high school) and printmaking (adults). Check our website for times and registration info for each workshop.
Baby Picasso: A Sensory Art Activity, October 25| 10:30 am | Ages 1-2, with adult $5 Registration | Family Art Studio. Get ready to immerse your little ones in a spooktacular world of creativity! In this delightful Halloween adventure, your tiny Picassos will dip their feet into a palette of vibrant tempera paints to create their very own adorable footprint ghosts. They are guaranteed to create a spooktacular masterpiece that will haunt your heart forever! Register Here!
Family Art Saturday: Spooky Spider Spree, October 28 | 10 am – 12 pm & 2 – 4 pm | Ages 3+, with adult Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio. Join us for a spooktacular October edition of Family Art Saturday as autumn leaves fall and Halloween draws near. Using the mesmerizing technique of marble painting and the twisty magic of pipe cleaners, kids will be able to craft their very own spiders and spider webs. *All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
F&M Bank Huff & Puff Express Model Trains, exhibit open daily | Trains run Sundays 1 – 4 pm, Wednesdays 10 am – 12 pm, Fridays 10 am – 12 pm and the last Saturday of each month 1 – 4 pm. Get ready for a hauntingly fun time as our model train exhibit takes you on a thrilling adventure through a world transformed by Halloween magic. Our model train exhibit is open daily, and themes change every season – so stick around, because soon Santa will be coming to town!