Media Kits
Art of Love: The Paintings and Sculptures of Polly Cook and Somers Randolph
Monthaven is welcoming Valentine’s Day with an exhibition titled “The Art of Love: Paintings and Sculptures by Polly Cook and Somers Randolph.” Polly Cook, a Texas-based artist,” has long been inspired by themes of love. Indeed, love is at the heart of all of her artwork, along with the accompanying emotions of longing, regret, desire, passion, joy and hope. Cook insists that her works not be interpreted as literal stories. Rather, they are emotional narratives and visual poetry. They are meant to be experienced as well as seen.
Cook grew up in Nashville and attended her first pottery class at the art center at Centennial Park when she was 10. Her love of romantic poets, such as Byron, Shelley, and Keats, along with the Pre-Raphaelite artists took her to England when was 16. There, she was introduced to German Expressionism and the German Realists of the 1920s. Both movements would exert an influence on her style.
A California transplant, Somers Randolph became a pioneer of Nashville’s coffee culture when he lived here in the 1990s. He opened Blue Sky Court in 1991, which is considered Music City’s first true coffeehouse, predating Bongo Jave, Fido and Starbucks. As an artist, he quickly became known for his abstract sculptures, with their delicate curves and arcs, intricate whorls and spirals, and sensuous undulating Knots.
Randolph, whose studio is now located in Santa Fe, NM, showcased his spectacular abstract sculptures at the MACC over the summer of 2025 as part of an exhibit titled “Canvas + Stone,” which also featured the encaustic paintings of Nashville artist Kathryn Dettwiller. For his Valentine’s exhibition, Randolph will be bringing some of his stylish sculptural hearts. Like all of his works, these colorful hearts will be polished to absolute perfection. They are guaranteed to get visitors into the Valentine’s spirit.
Polly Cook
Aren’t You Kind of Glad You Did
Acrylic 48×30
Polly Cook
September Still Life
Acrylic 36×24
Polly Cook
Unforgettable
Acrylic 48×36
Polly Cook
Winter Words
Acrylic 36×24
Somers Randolph
Heart – Red No. 9
Argentine Blue Calcite
Somers Randolph
Heart – Yellow No. 8
Persian Pink Onyx
La Femme Fatale: Lineage, Memory, Cultural Identity
Nashville artist Nadine Shillingford enjoys bringing her ideas to life using charcoal on paper. Her art captures people in everyday situations and evokes their spirit by highlighting their facial expressions. It’s a whimsical approach that gives vitality to her work. A self-taught artist, Shillingford has mastered her craft through trial-and-error and a lot of practice. Thanks to her disciplined, daily social media posts, she has attracted an international following for her art.
Shillingford’s exhibition at the MACC plays off the stock character of the femme fatale. In fiction, these beautiful and seductive women bring disaster to men with whom they become romantically involved. To be sure, Shillingford depicts the femme fatale as a powerful, independent and sometimes mysterious female character. But her nuanced and expressive renderings also address cultural perspectives and historical anxieties surrounding Black female agency and sexuality.
Through layered marks, soft color, and expressive contrasts, the works explore femininity, resilience, aging and quiet strength across the Black diaspora. The raw immediacy of charcoal paired with the warmth of pastel creates intimate portraits that honor lineage, memory and cultural identity. Timed to coincide with Black History Month, the exhibition celebrates Black womanhood, lived experience and the ongoing legacy of storytelling through art.
La Femme Fatale: Lineage, Memory, Cultural Identity will feature 20 charcoal drawings on paper in the MACC’s Puryear Gallery from Jan. 14 to Feb. 15, 2026. A reception and artist talk will take place Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026 from 2 to 5 p.m. Admission is free with a $10 suggested donation. For more information, call (615) 822-0789.
Nina Simone
Pastel 20×16
Amy
Pastel 20×16
The Hug
Charcoal 20.16
Frida Kahlo
Charcoal 20×16
Reflection
Charcoal 20×16
Ms. Bertha
Pastel 20×16
Bringing Disney to Life: The Artistry of James Coleman
The story of how native Californian James Coleman landed a job as a background painter at Walt Disney Productions reads like a screenplay for a heartwarming, kid-done-well Disney film. He started at the very bottom, securing a job in Disney’s mailroom when he was just 19. But then entered a painting in a Disney Studio art competition. The rest, as they say, is history.
During his two decades at Disney, Coleman worked on some of the company’s best-known animations, including Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. But in the end, Coleman decided to following a different dream, transitioning away from Disney to become a full-time fine artist.
Coleman still receives inquiries seeking his technical expertise with animated film production. While flattered, he continues to pursue his unyielding passion as an artist working in the Impressionist style. His preferred mediums include oils, watercolors, gouache, and pastels—much like the painters that he most admires, including Monet, van Gogh, Renoir and John Singer Sargent.
Coleman employs a vivid color palette and uses it unreservedly, whether he is creating invitingly lush landscapes, views of Monet’s Garden at Giverny, France, fields of poppies in Provence, the legendary city of Venice at twilight, sailboats tacking across sparkling ocean water or highly intriguing streetscapes. Not surprisingly, Mickey and Minnie Mouse also make appearances in the artist’s paintings on occasion. Coleman says his extensive experience with Disney is reflected in the work he is making today, which qualifies it as “genuinely unique” in his book.
Hearts In Paris
2021, Mixed media on metal
24″ x 12″
Mickey & Minnie in Paradise
2019, Acrylic on canvas
21″ x 26″
Evening by the Canal
2014, Mixed media with gold
leaf on canvas
20″ x 24″
Donald
2024, Mixed media on metal
12″ x 12″
Goofy
2024, Mixed media on metal
12″ x 12
An Enchanting Evening
2019, Mixed media with silver,
copper, and gold leaf
on canvas
30″ x 20″
The Unknown Picasso: Selections from the Marina Picasso Estate Collection
Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center is pleased to present The Unknown Picasso: Selections from the Marina Picasso Estate Collection (Sept. 6 to Nov. 9, 2025). Featuring many exceptionally rare, limited-edition lithographs from the legendary artist’s private estate, this rich trove is a comprehensive survey of Picasso’s career which features every family member and love interest, every style and every famous theme.
The legendary magnitude of “Picasso’s Picassos” includes many works that are unknown even to experts, but relate closely to such museum masterpieces as Les Demoiselles D’Avignon and Guernica.
There is a great backstory to this amazing collection of art, which is known as the Marina Picasso Collection. As Picasso’s granddaughter, Marina inherited not only a horde of more than 10,000 original works by the artist, including the most prestigious collection of his ceramics, but the splendid villa La Californie, overlooking the Mediterranean, where Picasso spent many years. The villa proved to be nothing short of an artistic gold mine. Indeed, it was filled with so many never-before-seen works that they have yet to be exhaustively catalogued.
As part of the forthcoming exhibition, renowned art historian Charles A. Riley, II, PhD, will offer his unique insights about the legendary Spanish artist. Dr. Riley has authored four acclaimed books about the artist and curated more than a dozen exhibitions featuring Picasso’s work.
Riley’s visit will feature two special Picasso on the Patio event options, both presented by Park West Foundation. On Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, Riley will speak at a buffet dinner. Tickets for the dinner, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m., are $100. An open bar is included. Riley will also speak at a brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. The brunch will feature mimosas and more. Tickets for the brunch are $75. Seating is limited. For tickets, click the button below.
For more information, call (615) 822-0789 or email celeste@monthavenarts.org.
703979
Gueridon et Guitare (Pedestal Table and Guitar), 1979-1982, 29 7/8″ x 22*
Lithograph in color on Arches Paper. Signed in pencil by Marina Picasso, annotated A.P., and numbered in Arabic. From the Arabic Numbered Artist Proof edition of 34 examples. (500 Arabic numbered examplesalso exist).
703486
Tete de Femme 2 (Head of a Woman 2), 1980, 29 1/8″ x 211/8*
Lithograph in color on Arches Paper. Signed in pencil by Marina Picasso and numbered in Arabic. From the Arabic numbered edition of 500 examples (34 Arabic Numbered Artist Proof examples also exist).
703881
Buste de Femme Assise – Les Mains Sous le Menton (Bust of a Sitting Woman® Hands Under the Chin), 1982,
28 3/4* × 211/4*
Lithograph in color on Arches Paper. Signed in pencil by Marina Picasso and numbered in Arabic. From the Arabic numbered edition of 500 examples (34 Arabic Numbered Artist Proof examples also exist).
703462
Figure (Portrait of Marie Therese Walter), 1982, 28 1/2″ x 21 3/8″
Lithograph in color on Arches Paper. Signed in pencil by Marina Picasso and numbered in Arabic. From the Arabic numbered edition of 500 examples (34 Arabic Numbered Artist Proof examples also exist).
The River is the Road: Paintings by George Rodrigue
Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the legendary Louisiana artist’s death, this touring exhibition will trace 45 years of the river in Rodrigue’s paintings, exploring the unique ways he used the river as a reference to his Cajun heritage, and ultimately as a metaphor for the journey of life.
The exhibition, which runs from Nov. 23, 2024, to Jan. 19, 2025, at Monthaven, includes more than 40 original works from landscapes and the Cajun series to the Blue Dog, including paintings, pastels, and sculptures from the private collection of Wendy Rodrigue, and the George Godfrey Rodrigue, Jr. Family Trust, and selected works borrowed from public and private collections.
The waterways of Louisiana were the early highways of its inhabitants. We had no roads; we just had the water. They were the natural fairways for commerce, development, and everything necessary for settlers to expand. — George Rodrigue
This exhibition is Organized by the Life and Legacy Foundation & Art Tour with Wendy Rodrigue.
He Stopped Loving Her Today
Acrylic on Canvas
Alice in Wonderland
Acrylic on Canvas
Indians, Cajuns and Cowboys
Oil on Canvas
Low Tide
Water-based Oil on Canvas
Joe’s Lost Boat
Water-based Oil on Canvas
The Coulee
Oil on Canvas
Sixth Annual Veterans Art Exhibition - Brave Beauty
For its Sixth Annual Veterans Art Exhibition, Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center will present an exhibition from the Quilts of Valor Foundation. The annual exhibit, which runs Oct. 19 to Nov. 17, 2024, 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 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 will 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 fundraiser, which supports the MACC’s “Between the Lines” healing arts programs for military veterans.
This year’s fundraiser takes place Oct. 19 from 5 to 6 p.m. For tickets and additional information, call (615) 822-0789.
Quilt No. 1 – Quilts of Valor Foundation
Quilt No. 2 – Quilts of Valor Foundation
Danse #3 – Gerald Morgan
Oil on Canvas, 36×27
Reelfoot #2 – Gerald Morgan
Oil on Canvas, 26.5×46.5
Girl with Quilt – Gerald Morgan
Oil on Canvas, 40×36
Tristan and Isolde – Gerald Morgan
Oil on Canvas, 36×50
Salvador Dalí's The Divine Comedy Stairway to Heaven
Welcome to the captivating world of Salvador Dalí, a visionary artist whose work transcends the boundaries of conventional artistry. Salvador Dalí was one of the most captivating and challenging artists of the 20th century. While many remember Dalí for his notorious reputation, he was also a deeply spiritual man and frequently used his singular Surrealist perspective to illustrate scenes taken straight from the Bible.
In 1951, Salvador Dalí embarked on a 14-year project to create original engravings illustrating Dante’s epic poem “The Divine Comedy.” Dalí’s attention to detail was meticulous—he created over 100 watercolor studies, worked tirelessly with the publisher, and even personally approved the more than 3,000 woodblocks used for the engravings. The final result was a series of 100 breathtaking engravings bringing the classic poem to life.
Join us as we explore the mesmerizing world of Dalí’s Divine Comedy engravings, where the surreal meets the sacred, and the ordinary is transformed into the extraordinary.
Admission is $10 and includes a complimentary exhibition poster. Active/retired military and students 18 and under are free. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance or can be purchased at the door.
For more information, call (615) 822-0789.
The Divine Comedy, Paradise
Saint John and Hope, 1960
Wood engraving in color on Rives paper after a watercolor, 9 ¾ x 7 in.
The Divine Comedy, Purgatory
Princes of the Flowered Valley, 1960
Wood engraving in color on Rives paper after a watercolor, 9 ¾ x 7 3/8 in.
The Divine Comedy, Purgatory
Dante Purified, 1960
Wood engraving in color on Rives paper after a watercolor, 10 x 7 in.
The Divine Comedy, Paradise
Dante, 1960
Wood engraving in color on Rives paper after a watercolor, 9 ¾ x 7 1/8 in.
The Divine Comedy, Inferno
Blasphemers, 1960
Wood engraving in color on Rives paper after a watercolor, 10 x 7 ¼ in.
The Divine Comedy, Inferno
The Logician Devil, 1960
Wood engraving in color on Rives paper after a watercolor, 9 ¾ x 7 in.
Portraits of Hope: Inspirational Stories from the Lovelady Center
Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center is pleased to welcome the traveling exhibition Portraits of Hope: Inspirational Stories from the Lovelady Center. The exhibit portrays women and staff from the Lovelady Center in Birmingham, Alabama.
In 2004, Brenda Lovelady Spahn founded The Lovelady Center, a faith-based rehabilitation facility in Birmingham, Alabama where women come to live for nine to twelve months as they recover from addiction, domestic violence, or incarceration. The Center strives to help women rebuild their lives and walk forward with faith-driven hope for the future and a renewed sense of self. The Center not only provides food, shelter, and clothing for its residents, but it also teaches women valuable life skills and how to overcome the barriers to success in their lives.
In 2021, Beverly McNeil, Birmingham resident and owner of the nationally recognized portraiture agency Portraits, Inc., established Portraits of Hope, Inc. to help raise funds and visibility for The Lovelady Center. All of the subjects featured in this exhibit are associated with The Lovelady Center – some are residents, some are staff members, and others are ministers. Each painting was created by a different artist who volunteered their time and talents to the Portrait Project, a mission to show the featured women a better version of themselves — and to give hope to others who might need help reimagining themselves. A collection of the portraits, each accompanied by the women’s stories in their own words, is now part of a book titled Portraits of Hope.
For more information about Portraits of Hope, call (615) 822-0789.
Joann “JoJo” Henry
by John Michael Carter
oil on canvas, 38″ x 32″
Jocelynn James Edmonds,
by Paul Newton,
oil on canvas, 31″ x 24″
Carrie Baskin,
by Dawn E. Whitelaw,
oil on canvas, 40″ x 30″
Brenda Anderson Bush,
by David Goatley,
oil on canvas, 30″ x 24″
Amy Brekle,
by Melissa Crawford,
oil on canvas, 30″ x 24″
Shay Bell Curry,
by Daniel Gerhartz,
oil on canvas, 40″ x 30″
The Lovelady Center,
by Deborah Chabrian,
watercolor, 10.25″ x 15.25″
American Resurrection: Art of Bernie Taupin
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. This summer, Taupin will showcase 25 of his major works at the Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center, in an exhibition titled American Resurrection. These amazing works 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 Hoffman, 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.
Texas Lightnin’: 2019
Lag material, guitar parts, photographs, stain, acrylic paint on paper map on panel
38”x43”x8”
Civil War Trilogy 1 – The Union: 2010
Fabric, resin, acrylic paint on canvas
36”x48”
Home on the Range: 2020
Guitars, scorch, flag material, stain, book pages, album covers, acrylic paint on panel
44”x42’x5”
New Morning: 2019
Flag fabric, resin, wood, plexiglass, wood frame
42”x32”
Restoration: 2017
Distressed guitar, violin, bow, drumsticks, keyboard parts, scorch, flag material, resin, varnish on corrugated panel
40”x40”x6”
Attributes of a Visionary: Art of “Kre8”
The renowned contemporary artist Kevin “Kre8” Vigil will be the featured artist for Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center’s Fifth Annual Moonlight & Magnolias fundraiser.
Born in Germany in 1980 to a German mother and a father of Mexican descent serving in the Army, Kre8 first gained prominence as a graffiti and tattoo artist. He later shifted his focus to painting, becoming popular with art collectors after his breakthrough showing at the 2018 Art Basel contemporary art fair in Miami, Fla.
Kre8’s unique artistic style, known as Kre8tizm, captivated collectors, drawing admirers from all walks of life and age groups. Described as a blend of modern-contemporary abstract and surrealism with elements of pop and street art, Kre8tizm is a visual representation of the artist’s philosophy.
Notably, all of Kre8’s characters are faceless, a deliberate response to the judgment he experienced due to the tattoos on his own face. He implores others not to judge him based on appearances but rather by his outlook on life and his artistic vision.
In his artwork, Kre8 employs black-and-white to symbolize the stark reality between truth and lies that permeate our world. Color, on the other hand, represents us, emphasizing the diversity and vibrancy that each individual brings to the world. Kre8’s style has garnered tremendous acclaim, leading to more than 30 sold-out exhibitions across the globe.
Hue of Kre8tion, 2022
Acrylic on canvas
48 x 60 in.
Inspired by Creation, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
36 x 24 in.
Brilliant Vision, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
36 x 24 in.
Compelled to Kre8, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
36 x 24 in.
Courage, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
30 x 24 in.
Harmony, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
48 x 48 in.
Kre8ted By Perspective, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
30 x 30 in.
Food for Thought, 2024
Acrylic on canvas
30 x 24 in.
Kre8ted by Time, 2024
Acrylic on canvas
36 x 24 in.
Petals of Kre8tion, 2024
Acrylic on canvas
72 x 72 in.
Mark Kostabi Exhibit Brings A Touch of Italy to the Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
Mark Kostabi Exhibit Brings A Touch of Italy to the Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
Mark Kostabi is unquestionably one of the most recognizable icons to emerge from New York’s legendary 1980s East Village art scene. A contemporary of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kostabi invented a wholly unique art style that has resonated with audiences around the globe.
His universal, faceless figures inhabit surreal worlds of colors and contrasts. Worlds where his subjects interact with themes of love, isolation, technology, and modern anxieties.
Driven by his lifelong passion for art, Kostabi studied his craft at California State University. At the age of 19, he began selling his designs to galleries in Los Angeles and quickly attracted celebrity collectors.
In 1982, he moved to New York, arguably the center of the art world at the time. Kostabi thrived in the city’s fertile art community, but his career skyrocketed after he was inspired by one of his artistic heroes, Andy Warhol. Warhol was famous for founding “The Factory,” the notorious art studio where Warhol would work with artists and artisans to mass-produce his famous designs.
Kostabi, in turn, took that model to the next level. In the tradition of Warhol’s Factory or Picasso’s work with the ceramic artisans in Vallauris, Kostabi created “Kostabi World,” a studio in New York where he would work with teams of artists to create artwork in his trademark “Kostabi-style.”
“Kostabi World” became such an art world sensation that Kostabi was profiled in People Magazine, CNN, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and thousands of other media outlets.
During this publicity frenzy, Kostabi took great pleasure in antagonizing the media. He would provoke reporters with claims that others created his art or draw them into debates about art authorship. Meanwhile, the artist enjoyed endless free publicity for his mischievous jabs at the press.
However, despite his playful comments, Kostabi always remained the true “author” of his artwork, a fact that is bolstered by the impressive awards and honors he has received throughout his career.
One particular highlight occurred during the height of the Cold War when Kostabi collaborated with a team of artists to create original Kostabi paintings in Russia. This led to Kostabi being featured at his own sold-out show at the Hermitage, making him the only contemporary Western artist ever to have a modern art show in Russia before the fall of the Soviet Union.
Today, Kostabi splits his time between New York and Rome, now painting more than ever before, and continues the work of “Kostabi World” as he brings his exceptional, enigmatic art to collectors worldwide.
Emotional Rescue, 2021
Oil on canvas
39 1/2 x 50 3/4 in.
Collateral Event, 2021
Oil on canvas
39 1/2 x 50 3/4 in.
Beyond the Infinite, 2022,
Oil on canvas
23 3/4 x 17 7/8 in.
A Blossoming Romance, 2020
Pencil and collage on paper
13 7/8 x 13 1/4 in.
We Are the Dream that is Dreaming Now, 2022
Oil on canvas
19 1/2 x 23 ½ in.
Go With the Flow, 2021
Oil on canvas
51 1/4 x 78 1/4 in.
Venetian Nocturne
2021
Oil on canvas
12″ x 10″
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Courtesy of the Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Courtesy of the Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 31, 2023) – Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center rings in the holidays with some of renowned Tennessee artist Ralph J. McDonald’s paintings of Jolly Old St. Nicholas. The exhibition, titled Magic of Santa: Paintings by Ralph J. McDonald, will run Nov. 18 2023 to Jan. 7, 2024 and feature more than 35 of McDonald’s Yuletide paintings. The arrival of his work heralds a season of celebration that will include music performances and the ceremonial lighting of the MACC’s 25-foot outdoor Christmas tree.
“I am simply overjoyed to showcase the paintings of Ralph J. McDonald at Monthaven,” says Cheryl Strichik, the MACC’s executive director. His paintings capture Santa’s inherent sense of joy and generosity, and they are guaranteed to get you into the holiday spirit.”
McDonald was already a renowned wildlife artist before he created his first Santa Clause painting. That work, titled “A Christmas Party,” was inspired by a trip through Cades Cove in the Smoky Mountains on a snowy winter day. It was painted in the tradition of the Santa painters that McDonald most admired, such as Haddon Sundblom, Norman Rockwell and N.C. Wyeth.
Not surprisingly, McDonald’s love of nature finds its way into many of his Santa paintings. The details of each scene all work together to emit kindness, joy, laughter, peace and serenity.
As a wildlife artist, McDonald’s career is second to none. He was commissioned by the governor of Tennessee to paint the official state bird, the mockingbird, and by the governor of South Carolina to paint the state animal and fish, the whitetail deer and striped bass. McDonald has twice been Featured Artist in several of the most prestigious wildlife art shows in America, among them the Southeastern Wildlife Expo and World Wildlife Expo.
The opening of Magic of Santa, from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, coincides with this year’s Christmas Tree Elegance. Five stylish, seven-foot Christmas Trees, donated by Vickman Company, are gorgeously decorated by noted designers. Each tree is uniquely appointed to match a particular theme. Trees are also embellished with gifts and sold through a silent auction. All proceeds support the MACC’s arts education and outreach activities.
A Christmas Portrait (Oil on Board)
Christmas in the Forest (Oil on Board)
Christmas is Coming ( Oil on Canvas )
Deck the Halls (Oil on Board)
Santa Bearing Gifts (Oil on Board)
The List (Oil on Board)
Santas Big Night (Oil on Board)
Master in Clay Part 2 - A Pablo Picasso Exhibit
Major Pablo Picasso Exhibit Opens in September at the Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
Major Pablo Picasso Exhibit Opens in September at the Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center
HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 21, 2023) – A collection of highly stylized ceramics,
designed by Spanish master Pablo Picasso—the 20th century’s most lauded artist—will be on view at Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center. The exhibition, titled Master in Clay Part II, opens Sept. 17, 2023 and continues through Nov. 12, 2023.
A trove drawn from Picasso’s unusual Edition Ceramics, all created from 1947 to 1971, will commemorate the 50th anniversary of his death (1881-1973). The acclaimed maestro of multiple mediums was 91 when he passed away at his home on the French Riviera.
The MACC exhibition will showcase 60 of Picasso’s Edition Ceramics—-from plates to platters to pitchers to non-functional sculptural pieces. With 633 different designs, Picasso’s effort to reach a worldwide, mass market at a far more accessible price point, was extremely successful. Additionally, it was said that he relished the idea that people could dine on his simple, earthenware plates.
Cheryl Strichik, Executive Director of the MACC, said she is delighted to offer this unique, free opportunity to museum goers. More than 10,000 people from across the country visited Monthaven in 2019 when other objects, drawn from this same collection, were exhibited.
Albert & Mitsie Scaglione, avid art collectors from Southfield, Michigan, are the founders of the Park West Museum, the Park West Gallery and the Park West Foundation. They are widely known for their philanthropic generosity, according to Strichik.
Morris Shapiro, Park West Gallery’s senior gallery director, will be at Monthaven to give a special presentation of Picasso’s ceramics at 6:30 p.m. Monday, September 18, 2023. Space is limited, and registration for the event is available at the MACC’s website (monthavenarts.org).
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 600 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.
914418
Bearded Man’s Wife (Femme du Barbu)
1953, A.R. 193
White earthernware clay turned pitcher, painted in colors and partially glazed. Inscribed ‘Edition Picasso’ and stamped ‘Madoura Plein Feu’ and ‘Edition Picasso’ on the base. From the edition of 500 examples.
15 1/2″ x 7 1/2″ x 10″
920340
Woman’s Face (Visage de Femme)
1953, A.R. 220
White earthenware ceramic plate, partially engraved, painted in colors and glazed. Stamped ‘Madoura Plein Feu’ and ‘Edition Picasso’ and inscribed ‘Edition Picasso’ on the verso. From the edition of 400 examples.
15 3/8″ x 12 3/8″
396871
Bullfight Scene (Scene de Tauromachie)
1957, A.R. 393
Red earthenware clay plate, painted and partially engraved. Inscribed ‘Edition Picasso’, ‘Madoura’ and numbered on the verso. With the ‘Edition Picasso’ and ‘Madoura Plein Feu’ pottery stamps. From the Arabic numbered edition of 500 examples.
980258
Dance (La Danse)
1957, A.R. 400
White earthenware clay rectangular dish, partially glazed, engraved and painted. Inscribed ‘Edition Picasso’ and ‘Madoura’ and stamped ‘Edition Picasso’ and ‘Madoura Plein Feu’ on the verso. From the edition of 400 examples.
12 1/2″ x 15 3/8″
Yan Face (Yan Visage)
1963, A.R. 512
Red earthenware clay pitcher, unglazed and painted. Stamped with the ‘Madoura Plein Feu’ and ‘Edition Picasso’ pottery stamps, and incised ‘Edition Picasso,’ ‘Madoura,’ and numbered on the base. From the Arabic numbered edition of 300 examples. 10 1/4″ x 4 5/8″ x 6 1/4″