Monthaven Art and Cultural Center

Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
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Media Inquiries:

Cheryl Strichik: [email protected]

(615) 822-0789

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 23, 2025) – Generations of American kids grew up racing their favorite football action figures down a vibrating gridiron. This popular pastime will be the center of attention this January, when the MACC and the National Electric Football Game Museum presents the Art of the Buzz. This exhibit, which runs Jan. 25 to Feb. 15, 2025, will feature more than 20 games, which showcase the stories, innovations and technologies that allowed this time-honored table-top sport to endure into the 21st century.

“A lot of people think of electric football as just a game, but it’s also an art form,” says Cheryl Strichik, the MACC’s executive director. “Visitors to our galleries will see action figures painted with exquisite detail. They’ll also see stadium replicas, sports photography and so much more. It’s a thrill to present this exhibition just in time for Super Bowl LIX.”

Founded by game enthusiast Chris LeMay in 2019, the Tennessee-based National Electric Football Game Museum is the first organization of its kind devoted entirely to preserving the history of the game through its vast collection of electric football game sets, game boards, teams, figures, and media library of printed and digital materials.  The museum’s holdings are largely built around LeMay’s personal collection, but it also includes many items received through the generous donations of individuals interested in seeing the history of the game preserved for future generations.

Art of the Buzz at the MACC will feature game boards and players designed by LeMay and painted by artist Ron Mango representing Sumner County’s eight high school teams. The exhibition will also feature a replica of Nissan Stadium designed and built by Mango. Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts action figures will be on the game board. Local photojournalist Rick Murray will round out the exhibition with his photographs of Sumner County football teams in action.

The exhibition will open Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 with a Tailgate Party from 3 to 6 p.m. at the MACC. The party will be sponsored by Bryson McCarley Agency. Come join the party and see electric game boards dating back as far as the 1940s.

Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center (MACC) is a jewel-box art museum and education facility housed in one of Tennessee’s most spectacular antebellum mansions. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the MACC has staged exhibitions featuring everything from the ceramic art of Pablo Picasso to the evening gowns of Princess Diana. The artwork of local artists and military veterans are also on frequent display. As an art school, the MACC offers classes to more than 1,000 children and adults each year. The MACC also provides free arts outreach and healing arts to underserved children, families and military veterans. For more information, visit www.monthavenarts.org or call (615) 822-0789.

Kaylin Warden

External Affairs Coordinator

Kaylin Warden joined the Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center staff in 2024 as External Affairs Coordinator. In this post, she organizes special off-site events and manages the organization’s external communications. She also works with the development department by updating the MACC’s customer relations database, and she assists the executive director in setting up exhibitions. Above all else, Kaylin 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.