CLARKSVILLE, TN — With the new year comes a fresh slate of outstanding exhibitions at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center. Opening in mid-January is the highly-anticipated reveal of award-winning realist painter Juliette Aristides’ A Life’s Work.
In 2020, the Seattle-based painter focused on the quiet moments of her life. A Life’s Work is a collection of those moments of light and shadows that filled her studio and home. The 29 oil works include still life and interior scenes as well as six captivating figurative paintings. “Aristides captures the light so effortlessly that each piece draws you in and almost freezes time,” praises Curator of Exhibits Terri Jordan. “You feel the warmth and peace wash over you with each brushstroke.” A Life’s Work is displayed in the Orgain and Bruner Galleries through March 31. The Museum plans to host a workshop with the artist in late March. The exhibit is sponsored in part by Jacqueline & Ned Crouch.
In addition, the Museum has several exhibits opening in conjunction with Black History Month. The Museum’s Lobby is featuring an exhibit on the life of famed composer and violinist Clarence Cameron White. White was one of America’s most prominent Black concert violinists of the first half of the 20th century. He was born in Clarksville in 1879. The exhibit contains some of White’s personal items from the Museum collection and is on display through March 7.
Mango: New Work by Symphony Medley is on display in the Harvill Gallery through Feb. 28. Medley is a recent graduate of Austin Peay State University. Her pieces represent expressive paint strokes and engaging color schemes that add flavor to her thought-provoking compositions. Finally, in honor of Black History Month, the Museum focuses on Wilma Rudolph, one of Clarksville’s most beloved heroes. Located in the Challenges & Champions exhibit, Rudolph’s local story includes themes such as overcoming adversity, fulfilling dreams, and social justice.
Other inspiring exhibits to note opening this month include Robert McCurley’s Due South in the Kimbrough Gallery through April 25. McCurley’s photography displays a side of the Southern region that’s pure, romantic, and pictorial. Audry Deal-McEver: Botanical Extravagance is a must-see for fans of ceramic arts. Each unique piece exudes personality with its dazzling shape and colorful design. Botanical Extravagance is up through March 28. Lisa Jennings: Coming Home is sponsored by F&M Bank and is on exhibit in the Crouch Gallery through April 18. Jennings’ pieces contain a magical essence due to their whimsical expressions and vividly colorful creativity.