Customs House Museum’s Annual Women’s History Month Exhibition to present “In the Garden”

Clarksville, TN – Each March the Customs House Museum creates an invitational themed exhibit celebrating women artists. This year’s show, In the Garden, features the work of artists from across the state of Tennessee, all created in a variety of styles.

The garden has been an inspiration for artists for centuries. Wall paintings and fresco depicting flora, fauna and gardens were all commonly used to decorate 1st century BC public buildings, private homes, temples, and tombs.

The Pre-Raphaelites, Impressionists, and the artists of the Arts and Craft Movement all used the garden as muse; as did O’ Keefe, Mapplethorpe, and Warhol.

Among the artists featured in In the Garden is Sandra Paynter Washburn. Sandra has taught workshops for the Tennessee Art Education Association, Arrowmont School, Hunter Museum of American Art, Tennessee Watercolor Society, Knox County Schools, Tennessee Art League, Townsend Atelier, Association of Visual Artists, and Tennessee Artists Association of Knoxville.

Her award- winning works have been featured in numerous publications, including The Artists Magazine. Sandra’s art is included in many important private and public collections worldwide.

Marleen DeWaele De Bock currently resides in Nashville. In 1990, she left Belgium for South Africa.

The rich cultural diversity there was a true inspiration for Marleen’s art, influencing colorful market scenes and people and eventually sculptures as subjects for her paintings.

Her current nature-themed paintings are filled with movement and bold color. Marleen’s work is in private collections world wide.

Also on exhibit for Women’s History Month are contemporary realists Lynn Garwood and Denise Stewart Sanabria. Garwood’s exhibit The Quiet Stage is on view in the museum’s Planters Bank Peg Harvill Gallery.

Garwood’s loves of vintage and old trucks fill the space with an easy sense of nostalgia. Sanabria’s show in the Bruner Gallery features mouthwatering muses such as donuts and Easter candy. Both The Quiet Stage and Food as Muse will be on exhibit through April. In the Garden will be on exhibit March 10th  through May 10th.

Located at the corner of Second and Commerce Streets, the Customs House Museum is the second largest general museum in Tennessee.

For more information on above events contact Terri Jordan, Exhibits Curator, at 931.648.5780 or terri@customshousemuseum.org

About the Customs House Museum

Located in the heart of historic downtown Clarksville, Tennessee, the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center is the State’s second largest general museum.

With over 35,000 square feet of the region’s best hands-on activities and special events…people of all ages agree – the Customs House Museum is well worth the stop!

The Explorer’s Gallery is packed with fun, learning and fantasy in Aunt Alice’s Attic, McGregor’s Market and kitchen, and of course – the Bubble Cave! Finally, get “all aboard” to see our fantastic model trains. Our volunteer engineers “ride the rails” every Sunday afternoon from 1:00pm to 4:00pm.

Regular museum hours are 10:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday through Saturday, and 1:00pm to 5:00pm on Sundays. Adult admission is $7.00, Senior Citizens and College ID $5.00, Ages 6 to 18 $3.00, and under six years and Museum members are free.

The Customs House Museum is located at 200 South Second Street. For more information, call 931.648.5780 or visit their website at www.customshousemuseum.org