CLARKSVILLE, TN – Mark those calendars! Here is everything happening at Customs House Museum & Cultural Center in the month of September.

Exhibitions

Tennessee Craft: A Statewide Member Exhibition, September 1 – 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, September 5 – 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.”

Ethereal Abstractions: A Journey through Landscapes, Florals & Beyond, September 5 – 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, September 8 – 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.”

Women. Artists. Masters. The Big & the Small of It, through September 24 | Kimbrough Gallery. Women. Artists. Masters. (WAM for short) is a group comprised of three artists sharing common goals. In this traveling exhibition, Debra Keirce, Maria Bennett Hock and Carrie Waller render representational paintings that highlight the ways the big and the small work together. Debra has palm sized oil miniatures, some of which are hidden in boxes. Maria paints on large canvases that draw viewers in. Carrie paints everyday objects, elevating them to their most beautiful, larger-than-life presentation.

Annual Staff Art Show, through October 22 | 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.

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, September 7, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.; free to the public. The Museum offers free admission during First Thursday Art Walk Clarksville from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Cupcake Central will be set up in the Courtyard serving some delicious treats.

Fifth Saturday Donation Day, September 30 | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Fifth Saturday is Donation Day! During any month with five Saturdays, on the fifth Saturday any monetary donation to the Museum is your admission. Additionally, DJ & EJ’s Hot Chicken will be serving up scrumptious food in front of the Courtyard from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Historic Greenwood Cemetery Walking Tours, September 23, October 7 & 21 | 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. $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 – registration opens August 28 at customshousemuseum.org.

Programs

Storytime & Craft: International Dot Day Celebration, September 7, 10:30 a.m. | 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 celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. We’ll also be embarking on an exciting adventure with The Museum by Susan Verde. Inspired by the endearing characters and themes from the stories, our craft activity will revolve around creating a “snail dot” masterpiece. *All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.

Storytime & Craft: Hispanic Heritage Month, September 21, 10:30 a.m. | All ages, with adult. Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio. Step into a world of vibrant culture and rich storytelling as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! We will be reading two enchanting stories: Tomás and the Library Lady by Pat Mora, and Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell. Children will then get the opportunity to create their own maracas! *All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.

Family Art Saturday: Dot Dot Dot, September 30 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. | Ages 3+, with adult. Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio. Come engage in a captivating creative experience with our concentric circle painting art activity. With each circle painted, you can explore the mesmerizing world of colors and patterns. It is also great for encouraging fine motor skills in kids as they handle the brushes and paint. The end result will be stunning! *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 p.m. – 4 p.m., Wednesdays 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Fridays 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and the last Saturday of each month 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. The circus is still in town! Through September 11 enjoy our interactive circus with one of the largest model railroad layouts in the region. After that, we will be gearing up for Halloween. The model train exhibit is open daily, and themes change every season.