Customs House Museum and Cultural Center
Clarksville, TN – March marks the annual exhibition time for the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center’s celebration of Women’s History Month. Each year curator Terri Jordan creates an invitational show under a themed subject matter.
For 2019, the theme is with the creators not the art. “The idea came to me after having a conversation with some very accomplished female artists during a reception,” said Jordan
“The general consensus was that as we get older and have gone through the acts of raising children and the needing jobs with steady incomes, we have more time and experience to become comfortable in our artist skins. The worries and concerns of pleasing the audience fades and the talent strengthens. The roster of artists participating in this exhibition includes a diversity of styles and mediums, from artists across the country, all over the age of fifty” stated Jordan.
Included in the exhibition are Virginia Derryberry, Terry Moore Strickland, Brenda Pinnick, Edie Maney, Susan Bryant, Monique Carr, Robin Miller Bookout, Cheryl St. John, Lisa Jennings, Renee Lowry, Donna Rizzo, Brenda Stein, Johan Hagaman, Rose Ann Bernatovich, and Marilyn Murphy.
Murphy is an artist whose drawings and oil paintings create curious situations implying a larger story that often explores dualities both formally and conceptually. Her paintings and drawings give a nod to nostalgia. Besides having been a Professor of Art at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, Marilyn’s work has been shown in more than 300 exhibitions nationally and abroad.
Virginia Derryberry’s recent work includes large scale oil on canvas figure paintings along with fabric/costume constructions that blend narrative elements from mythology and alchemy, the forerunner of modern science. Her piece “Expect the Unexpected” is a 2-panel canvas, with attached fabric and found object, measuring 36” x 96”. As in most of Derryberry’s work, the figure seems to be attentive to someone we cannot see.
The artist creates a sense of mystery within her canvases that keep the viewer in search of clues within the paint and mixed media to complete the story. Derryberry’s work is shown regularly in solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States, and her paintings have been written about in an extensive list of publications and exhibition catalogs; such as New American Paintings magazine and Oxford American Magazine.
15 Over 50 will be on view March 5th through June 9th. Along with the exhibition, the Customs House will host programs in celebration of Women’s History Month; as well as, exhibitions by Lynn Garwood, Sandy Spain, and Mike Andrews.
For more information 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
