Monthaven Art and Cultural Center

Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
Edit Content
Click on the Edit Content button to edit/add the content.
  • (615) 822-0789
Facebook Youtube Instagram Jki-envelope1-light
Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
DONATE

Bernie Taupin

Monthaven

Art of Bernie Taupin

An American Resurrection

Bernie Taupin is best known as a lyricist. As a teenager in the late 1960s, he formed a songwriting partnership with the singer-songwriter-pianist Elton John. Together, this duo made history, creating a substantial catalog of original songs that have sold more than 300 million records worldwide.

In addition to these musical endeavors, Taupin has also been a long-time visual artist. Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center showcased 25 of his major works in an exhibition titled An American Resurrection. The amazing works in this exhibit pay tribute to Taupin’s lifelong passion for American art and pop culture.

Taupin has been pursuing his passion for painting since the early 1990s. His early work was inspired by groundbreaking Abstract Expressionists, including Hans Hofmann, Franz Kline, Anselm Kiefer, and Robert Rauschenberg. Taupin says, “As in any creative field, we start by emulating work we like, following the path that ultimately leads to finding our own vision, a style we feel is original and unique in its own beliefs, on its own merits.”

Taupin’s artwork evolved from explorations of Abstract Expressionism to experimentations with text-based content and minimalist Pop Art concepts. By 2017, his works became sculptural constructions bound with cord and wire on canvas. During this period, he often expressed himself with found objects and repurposed material and artifacts. Taupin’s multi-layered creations include manipulated flags, scorched paper, wax, wire, wood, corrugated cardboard, fabric, bubble wrap, and resin. An American Resurrection was curated by Karen and Michael Bivins, International Gallerists.

Learn More About Bernie Taupin

Robin Willis

HEALING ARTS COORDINATOR

Robin Willis is the MACC’s Healing Arts Coordinator. She also works as the Exhibition and Events Manager and Director of Outreach. Robin has a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Clemson University with a minor in Entrepreneurship. She is a multi-discipline artist with emphasis in writing, mixed media abstract painting, alternative process photography, collage, and book arts and binding. In addition to her art practices, she holds several healing modalities certificates, such as extensive kundalini yoga teacher training and education, Reiki master, systemic family constellation facilitator, and depth psychology-based therapy trainings. As an avid learner, she explores and encourages others in their exploration in art, psyche, and our relationship to the micro and macro worlds within and around us. Influenced by John Muir’s quote, When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe, she fuses art, healing, and organization throughout her work and personal life as a creative-scientist minded person.

Kaylin Warden

Creative Design and Operations Manager

Kaylin Warden serves as the MACC’s Creative Design and Operations Manager. In this post, she oversees the organization’s graphic design work for exhibitions, events and special projects. She also coordinates the MACC’s arts outreach activities and assists with bookkeeping, among other duties. Kaylin, above all, is passionate about the arts. It comes as no surprise, then, that she is now pursuing a master’s degree in art history. When she’s not at the MACC, you can find her reading her favorite books (especially ones dealing with maritime mysteries), cooking, gardening, playing with her cat and two dogs, and cheering for the Nashville Predators.

Ruth Chase

Regional Arts Director
Ruth Chase is the Regional Arts Director of Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center, joining the team in 2023. For Ruth, the job is all about community, bringing people together to uplift and educate artists and art lovers alike. Her role at Monthaven is to strengthen the local artist community and build connections that will enrich Hendersonville and our surrounding communities through art exhibitions, art education, and opportunities for regional artists.
 
Prior to joining Monthaven, Ruth worked in the arts for over 30 years and is a multimedia artist and graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute. Her artistic practice is inquiry-based and engages in community bridge-building. She was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Los Angeles, curated and juried exhibitions, and has taught at the Crocker Art Museum.
 
Ruth was awarded an Artist-in-Residence for Artist Activating Communities through a grant from the California Arts Council for three consecutive years. Her film Belonging screened at both the 18th Annual Nevada City Film Festival and Wild & Scenic Film Festival. She has received the Legendary Female Artist of Venice award, and she has exhibited in The Crocker Kingsley, the Museum of Northern California Art, and the Diego Rivera Gallery at the San Francisco Art Institute. Ruth also continues her work as a Curatorial Consultant and Art director for the Californian Indigenous Research Project, where she has worked with the local tribe since 2018. 
Skip to content