Monthaven Art and Cultural Center

Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
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Brave Beauty

Monthaven

6th Annual Veterans Art Exhibition

Brave Beauty

For its Sixth Annual Veterans Art Exhibition, Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center presented an exhibition from the Quilts of Valor Foundation. The annual exhibit also featured 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 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, measuring on average 60-inches-by-80-inches, are awarded to any service member or veteran who has been touched by war. The quilt says unequivocally, “Thank you for your service and sacrifice in serving our nation.” An assortment of these quilts, each decorated with stars, stripes and other patriotic symbols, will be on display in the MACC’s galleries.

One goal of the MACC’s annual Veterans Art Exhibition is to display art created by military veterans. The Sixth Annual Exhibition showcased 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 was his first exhibit at Monthaven.

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.