CLARKSVILLE, TN − The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center proudly presents three exhibits honoring contributions to the U.S. military, all on display through January 2025: Women in the Military, Alison Fullerton: Fly Girls, and American Moments: The Art of Don Olea.
On display downstairs in Kimbrough Gallery A, Nashville artist Alison Fullerton brings to life the heroic Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) with her stunning encaustic wax portraits. The WASPs were a group of over 1,000 women who became the first female pilots in U.S. military history, flying ferrying missions across the country during World War II from 1942 to 1944. Although they were promised military status, the WASPs were disbanded in 1944 without benefits, and their records remained sealed for decades.
Fullerton’s Fly Girls portraits are enhanced by the work of digital artist Lisa Reed Preston, using archival images of the pilots from Texas Women’s University’s WASP archives. These striking artworks honor the fearless women who defied gender stereotypes and spent decades fighting for recognition of their contributions.
Right next door in Kimbrough Gallery B, visitors will get to see Women in the Military. This exhibit displays remarkable stories of women who served in the U.S. military, featuring photographs, artifacts, and personal accounts from the Museum’s collection.
Additionally, in the Jostens Gallery, American Moments: The Art of Don Olea runs through January 26. Olea, an Airborne Infantry veteran, narrates moments of the U.S. military through his realistic watercolors, honoring those who served with distinction before him.