Monthaven Art and Cultural Center

Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
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Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
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SIXTH ANNUAL VETERANS ART EXHIBITION WILL FEATURE A BRAVE AND BEAUTIFUL COLLECTION OF QUILTS, PAINTINGS AND MULTI-MEDIA WORKS

Media Inquiries:

Cheryl Strichik: [email protected]
(615) 293-3767

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 25, 2024) – For its Sixth Annual Veterans Art Exhibition, Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center will present a selection of works from the Quilts of Valor Foundation. The MACC’s annual exhibit, titled Brave Beauty, will also feature the paintings of Tennessee artist and military veteran Gerald Morgan along with art created by participants in the MACC’s “Between The Lines” healing arts program. The exhibit runs Oct. 19 to Nov. 17, 2024 and is free.

“The beautifully crafted quilts in this exhibition were designed to bring comfort to our military veterans,” says Cheryl Strichik, the MACC’s executive director. “That makes them a perfect fit for Monthaven, since our Between the Lines healing arts program for military veterans is one of the MACC’s top priorities. We are also deeply committed to showcasing art created by our military veterans, so we are honored to introduce the paintings of Vietnam War veteran Gerald Morgan to our community.”

The Quilts of Valor Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing comfort and healing to service members and veterans through the gift of handmade quilts. Founded on the inspiration of a dream, the organization operates through a network of volunteers who create and distribute quilts to recipients. The large quilts are awarded to any service member or veteran who has been touched by war. An assortment of these quilts, each decorated with stars, stripes and other patriotic symbols, will be on display in the MACC’s galleries.

The Sixth Annual Exhibition will also showcase the paintings of Tennessee artist Gerald Morgan. A Vietnam War veteran, Morgan is best known for his impressionist paintings of figures and landscapes. His charcoal drawings, especially of dancers, are held in high esteem. During his career, Morgan has mounted over 20 one-man shows, including at The Parthenon Museum in Nashville. This will be his first exhibit at Monthaven. Selected art from some of the veterans participating in the Between the Lines program will be on display as part of the Sixth Annual Veterans Art Exhibit.

Each Veterans Art Exhibition includes a Boots and BBQ fundraiser, which supports the MACC’s “Between the Lines” healing arts programs for military veterans. This year’s fundraiser is Oct. 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. The event’s keynote speaker will be J.T. Cooper, who was one of the American soldiers who fought in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Africa. Cooper’s experience was portrayed in the movie Black Hawk Down. Warrior Rounds, a collaboration between military veterans and Nashville songwriters, will perform. For tickets and more information, visit monthavenarts.org or call (615) 822-0789.

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.

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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.