CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The following is a list of exhibits and events offered in May at the Customs House Museum:

Exhibits:
The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African American Art: Works on Paper May 9 – August 1, Orgain, Bruner & Crouch Galleries This exhibition is one of the most comprehensive traveling exhibitions ever organized featuring works on paper by African-American artists from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. The 70 works in the exhibition include drawings, etchings, lithographs, watercolors, pastels, acrylics, gouaches, linoleum cuts and color screenprints by such noted artists as Ron Adams, Benny Andrews, Romare Bearden, Aaron Douglas, Jacob Lawrence, Charles White, Elizabeth Catlett, John Biggers, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Eldizer Cortor, Margaret Burroughs, and many other outstanding artists.

This highly acclaimed exhibition has been featured in major museums stretching across America, and Clarksville is its only scheduled stop in a contiguous twelve-state region in our part of the country. The exhibition was organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, CA.

A Fine Note February 1 – May 28 Jostens Gallery This exhibit gives a brief look at the importance of music in Clarksville. Items from the Customs House Museum’s permanent collection highlight the world of music, including instruments, sheet music, photographs, and other artifacts ranging from the 1820s until the 1970s. A majority of the objects featured have a close connection to Clarksville and span from an Aeolian harp to a Jimi Hendrix tape.

Peggy Kretchmar Leland: Abstracted Surroundings April 4 – May 30 Planters Bank Peg Harvill Gallery Knoxville artist Peggy Kretchmar Leland uses hot wax to create abstract encaustic paintings, often incorporating elements of nature and architecture. Leland holds two masters degrees: one in educational administration and one in art education. She recently retired from a twenty year career teaching high school art.

Forward March March 7 – July 30 Kimbrough Gallery This exhibit showcases maps, documents, dioramas, flags, and photos from several wars, featuring objects from the collection of Dr. John Olson.

Reading Appalachia: Voices from Children’s Literature March 23 – August 20 Memory Lane This groundbreaking exhibition of Appalachian children’s literature examines seminal titles published since the 1800s. Come explore our region’s literary heritage and see how children’s literature tells the story of Appalachia. This is a traveling exhibit from East Tennessee Historical Society and Knox County Public Library.

Activities:
The Big Payback Wednesday, May 3 The Big Payback, hosted by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, is a community-wide giving day that celebrates Middle Tennessee’s spirit of generosity and supports the life-changing work of area nonprofits. Kicking off at midnight on Wednesday, May 3, the 24-hour online giving day helps organizations, like the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center, raise much-needed funds and bring awareness to pressing needs in our community. Thanks to your donations during the big payback 2016, we are dedicating an area of Explorers’ Gallery as a science space. This year, help us raise $2,500 to grow a tree themed puppet theater for more exciting creative play! Visit our website on May 3 for information on how to give: http://customshousemuseum.org/calendar/the-big-payback-2017

Art & Lunch: Patrick Vincent Wednesday, May 17, 12:15 p.m. Join Patrick Vincent, Assistant Professor of Printmaking at Austin Peay State University, for our Art & Lunch program. This program is in conjunction with the exhibit The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African American Art: Works on Paper. Admission to the event is free; guests are welcome to bring their lunch.

In the Family Art Studio: Collecting Month of May A collection of dolls and action figures will be featured in the Curiosity Cabinet. While you are in the Studio, make a yarn doll or clothespin action figure.

Family Free Saturday: Junior Collectors’ Day Come see what some of our 4th – 8th graders are collecting. Saturday, May 13, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Collecting: most of us did it as children; many of us still do. It’s one of the primary functions of a museum. The proper care of a museum’s collections is so important that we require specially trained people to take care of the artifacts and archival material. At the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center, that person is our Curator of Collections, Kali Mason. It is because of people like the Kelleys that museums are able to provide an array of objects for the enjoyment of thousands of visitors. Such exhibitions provide an opportunity for expanding our knowledge and understanding of subjects we may have never even considered. But, perhaps even more importantly, they are often the inspiration for a young person’s career choice or passion for learning.

If you have a 4th – 8th grade student who is interested in showing his or her collection on May 13, please give Curator of Education, Sue Lewis, a call.

Painting Rocks! In the Family Art Studio Saturday, May 20, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. We’ll be experimenting with painting on smooth rocks in this classic children’s craft. Create a work of art, make it look like a hamburger, turn it into a scary monster, or adopt it as a pet. Stop by the Family Art Studio to pick out a rock and see what a little paint and a lot of imagination can do!

All activities are free with your museum membership. Non-members pay regular admission fees. For more information contact Ms. Sue at sue@customshousemuseum.org or 931-648-5780.

Closings: The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center will be closed Sunday, May 14 for Mother’s Day and Monday, May 29 for Memorial Day.

Customs House Museum
200 S. Second Street Clarksville, TN
931-648-5780
www.customshousemuseum.org