Customs Museum Events and Announcements for October

CLARKSVILLE, TN − Upcoming events at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center for the month of October have been announced.

Exhibitions

The Annual Staff Art ExhibitionThrough October 6 | Entrance Hall. The annual Staff Art Show features artwork and crafts from the museum’s talented employees.

Women in the militaryOctober 10 – January 25 | Kimbrough B. Gallery This exhibition shares stories, photos and artifacts from the museum’s collection.

John Sharp: On the road to, October 20 | Orgain & Bruner Galleries. Photorealist artist and art teacher John Sharp’s greatest passion is the urban landscape. Whether it’s an old neon sign, an abandoned street corner, or a forgotten object, Sharp’s goal as an artist is to capture the beauty of decades of rust and slow decay. Sharp’s work has been exhibited in galleries in Chicago, New York, and Italy.

Lisa Gleim: The Animal KeeperOctober 23 – January 1 | Orgain & Bruner Galleries. Winner of the Audience Award at the American Watercolor Association’s 2021 exhibition at the Customs House Museum, Lisa is a Georgian artist who works in oils and pastels. The theme of this exhibition is Native American traditions.

Sophia Macias (Eisenbart): Collected MomentsUntil October 20 | Jostens Gallery. Sophia Macias’ (Eisenbart) works reflect her “proof of existence”: her Hispanic cultural heritage and personal experiences mixed with contemporary techniques. She seeks to connect with a person’s emotional intelligence through her collages, mixed media and visual arts paintings.

American Moments: The Art of Don OleaOctober 22 – January 26 | Jostens Gallery. In American Moments, Don Olea chronicles moments in the U.S. military through his watercolors, honoring and telling the stories of those who came before him serving with honor and distinction. As a veteran of the Airborne Infantry, Olea’s realism in his creative work serves the genre of historical military art and shares history with his fellow veterans, family members, and all patrons who visit the exhibition at the Customs House Museum.

Chasing Feathers: The Photography of Michael O’MalleyThrough October 20 | Harvill Gallery. Michael O’Malley of Clarksville shares wildlife photos from his years of traveling the world in search of birds.

Jill Mayo: Art HousesOctober 25 – January 8 | Harvill Gallery. Paper artist Jill Mayo shares her 3D-built homes, all of which reflect the work of famous artists.

Alison Fullerton: FLYING GIRLSOctober 24 – January 25 | Kimbrough Gallery. Nashville artist Alison Fullerton creates encaustic wax portraits of women Air Force pilots, known as WASPs. She worked with digital artist Lisa Reed Preston to enhance images of the pilots from the WASP archives at Texas Women’s University.

Silent Skies: A Traveling FrescoUntil October 27 | Crouch Gallery. Silent Skies is an international collaborative mosaic mural featuring 678 endangered bird species that brings together over 160 of the world’s most recognized nature and wildlife artists. An exhibition produced by Artists for Conservation. Sponsored in part by Jane and Michael O’Malley.

Events

Historic Greenwood Cemetery Walking ToursSeptember 21, October 5 & 19 | 9-10am, $20 ticket | $15 member ticket | $5 Artifact Talk, ages 5 and up. Join us for our popular historic walking tour of Greenwood Cemetery, one of Clarksville’s oldest active cemeteries. Stroll the winding paths as we share captivating stories of local history and intrigue. This hour-long tour will reveal the cemetery’s rich past and highlight the notable people who are buried here. Afterward, our Curator of Collections will present a 30-minute lecture on select items from our collection. This additional session costs $5 and can be added at checkout. Tickets must be purchased in advance as space is extremely limited. Register now by clicking the links below.

Riverview Historic Cemetery Walking Tours September 28 & October 12 | 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., $20 ticket | $15 member ticket | $5 Artifact Talk, ages 5 and up. Riverview Cemetery, established on February 23, 1800, when Clarksville was a small town, sits on land donated by Valentine Sevier. Join us for a one-hour guided tour of the cemetery, where you will learn about its rich history and notable people buried there. Following the tour, our Curator of Collections will present a 30-minute lecture on select items from our collection. This additional session costs $5 and can be added at checkout. Please note that tickets for the tour must be purchased in advance as space is very limited. Register now by clicking on the links below. The grounds of Riverview Cemetery are not handicapped accessible. The grounds are bumpy with few paved paths.

First Thursday Art Walk, October 3 | 5pm – 8pm | Free Admission. Mark your calendar for the October Art Walk! The museum is offering free admission during the First Thursday Art Walk from 5pm to 8pm. Beginning at 6pm, museum staffer Andrew Ross will be performing live instrumental music in the courtyard. Plus, enjoy delicious food from the Windy City Vibes food truck, parked just outside the courtyard.

Programs

Sunday at 3:00 p.m.Artists for Conservation and the Silent Skies Mural of Endangered Birds, October 6 | 3:00 p.m. | Turner Auditorium | Free to the public; does not include museum admission. This Sunday in October at 3:00 p.m., we are honored to welcome Jeffrey Whiting, President and Founder of Artists for Conservation, for a compelling presentation on “Artists for Conservation and the Silent Skies Mural of Endangered Birds.” Whiting will discuss the mission and impact of Artists for Conservation, an organization dedicated to supporting wildlife and habitat conservation through art. He will highlight the Silent Skies Mural, a global collaborative project featuring murals of endangered birds created by artists from around the world. This inspiring initiative raises awareness of the plight of endangered bird species and promotes conservation efforts. Register today at customshousemuseum.org/events.

Story Time and Crafts: Perfect PumpkinsOctober 3 | 10:30 AM | All ages, with adult Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Workshop. Come to the museum for a delightful fall-themed story and craft session! We will read Patty’s Pumpkin Patch by Terri Sloat and The Bumpy Little Pumpkin by Margery Cuyler. These pumpkin-themed stories will transport young readers to a colorful world of pumpkins. After the stories, we will get creative with a fun craft activity, mixing red and yellow to paint our own pumpkins! All parents are required to participate with and supervise their children.

Story Time and Craft: Itzy Bitsy Spider, October 17 | 10:30 AM | All ages, with adult Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio. Join us for a fun story and craft session featuring Miss Spider’s Tea Party by David Kirk and Just Itzy by Lana Krumwiede! These charming tales will take young readers on a spider-themed adventure. After story time, children will have the opportunity to create their own spiders using marble paint and pipe cleaners. All parents are required to participate with and supervise their children.

STEAM DAY: Birds in the garden and beyondOctober 18 | 10:30am-3pm | All ages, with adult | Free admission. Join us at the museum for an eventful day of learning about birds and how to protect them! In partnership with Montgomery County Parks and Rec, we will identify and explore our backyard birds and learn about threats to birds and how to protect them and their environment. Start the day with bird watching at Rotary Park before joining events at the Customs House Museum. All parents are required to attend with and supervise their children.

School trip day at home, October 1 | All ages, with adult. Free for museum members; $3 per student and $5 per adult for non-members. On the first Tuesday of each month, local homeschooling families are invited to experience a day of exploration and learning. For more information, contact Curator of Education Stephanie Stafford at [email protected]

Art and more, October 1 | 10:30am – 12:15pm | All ages, with adult $25 for the semester. Join us for our two-part class. Art & More is a combination of an instructor-led art class to cover art standards and an educator-led exhibition tour with transdisciplinary topics. For more information, please contact Curator of Education Stephanie Stafford at [email protected]. Click HERE to register.

Sunday Workshop: Painting with Sarah SpillersOctober 20 | 2 pm | Third Sunday of each month | Ages 16 and up. Free, registration required; does not include museum admission. In collaboration with APSU’s Community School of the Arts, we present Sunday Studio, a series of workshops for adults. This month, we’re getting into the Halloween spirit with thrifted ghost paintings! Participants will receive a thrift store print to transform by adding ghosts and other spooky elements, creating their own dark and eerie masterpiece. This workshop is FREE and all materials are included, but registration is required. Ages 16 and up. Register here!

Family Art Saturday: Leaf Process ArtOctober 26 | 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Ages 3 and up, with an adult Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Workshop. Join us at the Museum for a wonderful fall day filled with fun and creativity! This month, families are invited to explore their artistic side by creating vibrant fall leaves using a multi-step process. This unique technique is suitable for all ages and skill levels, making it a great opportunity for children and adults to express their creativity and imagination. All parents are required to participate with and supervise their children.

F&M Bank Huff & Puff Express Model TrainsExhibit Open Daily | Trains run Sundays from 1pm to 4pm, Wednesdays from 10am to 12pm, Fridays from 10am to 12pm, and the last Saturday of every month from 1pm to 4pm. Prepare for a spellbinding time of fun as our model train exhibit takes you on a thrilling adventure through a world transformed by the magic of Halloween. Our model train exhibit is open daily, with themes that change each season – so stay tuned because you never know when Santa is coming to town!