Clarksville, TN – A new exhibition at the Customs House Museum celebrates the art of cutting. The four women in the show possess patience and vision, and while they work in different styles, and with different materials, they all create their art through the act of cutting.
The other women in the show include paper artists Kristina Lyle and Jennifer Shae Otto, and mixed media artist Miranda Herrick.
Kristina’s artwork has been exhibited throughout the Southeast. She was recently juried into the Art of Paper Seventh Annual International Juried Exhibition at the A.D. Gallery of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
Jennifer’s pieces on display are from a series call “Body of Work”, inspired by the scientific illustrations of Henry Carter. Miranda’s colorful works are created from recycled materials such as aluminum cans and bottle labels. Her work has been recently featured on Tennessee Crossroads.
Both quilting and paper cutting have a long history of going from function to art. Although non-traditional approaches to quilt-making did not receive much attention until the mid-1970s, there were a handful of artists and craftspeople who were experimenting with modern designs for quilts in the 1950s and 1960s, wanting to live a simpler lifestyle like that of their forefathers.
The art quilt grew out of this great revival where interest in handcraft items of all kinds was a strong element of the youth rebellion. Paper cutting is an art dating back to the 4th century China. Some of the earliest uses for paper cutting were for religious decorations or stencils used for patterns in embroidery.
Originally done by high-society women, the art soon spread to other classes and cutting practices ranged from the skilled craftsman to its evolution into the folk-art world.
Cut is on view in the Museum through January 15th, 2017.
For more information on above event 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. The original portion of the building was constructed in 1898 as a U.S. Post Office and Customs House for the flourishing tobacco trade. Incorporating a number of architectural styles, the original structure is one of the most photographed buildings in the region.
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
