Musicians Corner begins
May 5th
Returning for its third season in May, Musicians
Corner will fill Centennial Park with sounds of
music.
Last year, the event showcased 130 artists from
several genres including pop, rock, country, jazz,
blues, folk, R&B, and bluegrass. Attendance during
the four months was 10,000+, with performers
including Emmylou Harris, Ben Sollee and Nanci
Griffith; a Guinness World Record with the largest
T-shirt (during CMA Fest); Kidsville activities; Dog
of the Day awards; local food vendors; and diverse
performances by the Global Education Center.
March, 2012
Musicians Corner, a program of The Conservancy, is
a free, open, welcoming public place for individuals
to express themselves through music. It is a
citywide initiative to bring the entire Nashville
music community together, not only by providing
a stage for emerging musicians, but by providing a
public outlet for people to enjoy free and culturally
diverse entertainment. Musicians Corner supports
and develops new local and national artists by
giving them an opportunity to perform in front of a
live audience, grow their fan base and advance their
career; and ultimately, make a living as a working
musician.
This year Musicians Corner
will be an 18-week series Saturdays in May and June,
and again in September
and October. The free
performances take place
from 3 to 6 pm in a corner
of the park near the West
End Avenue entrance.
For information,
schedules, merchandise
or donations visit
MusiciansCornerNashville.
com
Symposium Reception Honors Donors
An evening reception on February 22 honored the special donors who made
possible the current exhibit, Wish You Were Here: Cultural Tourism and the Parthenon.
Hope and Howard Stringer sponsored preservation work on The Acropolis of Athens,
Illustrated Picturesquely and Architecturally in
Photography, a rare 1870 album of photographs
of the ancient Acropolis by William J. Stillman.
Ridley Wills II donated a collection of over
200 postcards of Nashville’s Parthenon and its
setting in Centennial Park.
The evening included a presentation by Dr.
Andrew Szegedy-Maszak from Wesleyan
University, who lectured on the book The
Acropolis of Athens by William Stillman. Dr.
Szegedy-Maszak, Professor of Classical Studies
and Jane A. Seney Professor of Greek, is
the expert on this rare volume. His lecture
emphasized the unique artistic vision of
photographer William Stillman, whose images
of the monuments of the Acropolis provided
fresh, exciting interpretations of these
buildings, reinvigorating their historic and
symbolic power.
Hope and Howard Stringer
Ridley Wills II
Dr. Andrew Szegedy-Maszak
Continuing Support Provided by
New Collaboration with Watkins
Erika Wollam Nichols, faculty member at Watkins College of Art, Design and
Film, recently contacted the Parthenon about a class she is teaching, “Producing,
Curating, Exhibiting”. In this senior-level course she works with students to help
them understand the demands and specific requirements for successful art
beyond the creation itself. Determining a focus and selecting work to be shown
(curating), along with designing the presentation of the work (exhibiting) are
necessary elements of the process.
Ms. Wollam Nichols asked if the Parthenon would consider hosting a student
exhibit that is sanctioned by Watkins and overseen by her.
We were delighted to say yes, and on April 19th, Amanda Sledge will mount a
small exhibit of her work, along with that of fellow students Courtney Greenlee
and Brandon Greer. Below is Amanda’s description of the exhibit:
Instead of showing the same iconic images of Nashville, Amanda Sledge proposes
an entirely different approach to photographing her hometown in her latest
exhibit, “Nashville: Three Lenses”. In the exhibit, Watkins College photography
seniors Courtney Greenlee, Brandon Greer and Amanda Sledge explore their
literal, abstract, and personal experiences of Nashville. Each photographer
documents Nashville using the eye of the camera of choice, including Polaroid,
color digital, and black and white large format film. The end result is an exciting
exploration of Nashville through the lives of three young photographers, and an
extended invitation to view Nashville in a curious new light.
It is our hope that this exhibit is the first step of a new collaboration with Watkins.
The Parthenon Gift Shop
Timothy Cartmell, Parthenon Museum Store
Manager, oversees the day-to-day store operations,
including developing new products, purchasing
merchandise, managing staff, conducting
quarterly inventories and attending tradeshows
and conferences about museum store standards.
Mr. Cartmell’s membership in the Museum Store
Association keeps him abreast of current consumer
trends and helps him develop products that educate
and intrigue visitors of all ages.
During the past year, Mr. Cartmell has expanded the store inventory. It now offers
neckties and scarves, sterling silver jewelry, statues of gods and goddesses, and
reproductions of Greek vases. The Cowan Collection is represented by prints
and notecards, and for those wanting to take home a small memento there are
mugs, snowglobes and mousepads. There are books on mythology for children
or the serious student, books on ancient Greece and books on contemporary
Greek cuisine. The sculptures of the Athenian Parthenon, life in ancient Athens,
the Tennessee Centennial Exposition and the history of Nashville’s Parthenon are
all covered in the book corner. Whether visitors are familiar with the Nashville
Parthenon or the Athenian original, they are sure to find something of interest in
the museum store.
Volunteer Spotlight
Parthenon volunteer M’Lissa Stroop has been giving of her
time, her collection and her ebay expertise for over ten years.
Trained as a docent, M’Lissa found her métier as a “painter-ofgallery-walls” and she helps every time we change exhibitions.
Her fascination with the Tennessee Centennial Exposition and
her enjoyment of searching for and bidding on objects related
to it mean that she not only has a personal collection from
which she has both loaned and given objects, but also has guided the Parthenon
staff on occasion as we made purchases for the museum.
As a life-long Nashvillian, M’Lissa’s love of history—and the Parthenon in particular—
has influenced her generosity to the museum. If you look carefully as you browse the
recent installation on the Exposition you will see several objects from her collection.
She has also converted the VHS tapes in the Parthenon’s library to DVD and is in the
process of scanning the large collection of slides so that we have digital images to
work with. Such thoughtful gifts of time and labor are typical of M’Lissa.
We are grateful for M’Lissa’s generosity and hope our association continues for many years!
April 3 Symposium
Nashville’s Biggest Celebration:
The Tennessee Centennial Exposition
How much was admission to the Tennessee Centennial Exposition in 1897?
How many people came? What kind of souvenirs did they take home and what
were their favorite rides? These questions and many others intrigue those of
us living in Nashville and playing in Centennial Park today. In the absence of
a time machine, your best bet for getting answers might be to come to the
Parthenon’s April Symposium.
On Tuesday, April 3, local attorney and collector of all things Nashville, David S.
Ewing, will talk about the Exposition held in what is today Centennial Park. His
knowledge on the subject is encyclopedic and his passion for the Exposition
and its impact on the city is contagious. Find out about John W. Thomas’
amazing organizational and marketing skills and why Tennessee’s celebration,
alone among similar fairs, made money. President and Mrs. McKinley came to
the Tennessee Centennial, as did Booker T. Washington and other nationally
known figures. There were restaurants on the grounds, camel rides, a giant
see-saw, a demonstration kindergarten and many other novel and progressive
ideas made visible.
Mr. Ewing is a 9th generation Nashvillian. He is a graduate of University School
of Nashville, Connecticut College and Vanderbilt Law School; he practices law
with Rudy, Wood, Winstead and Williams.
The presentation will take place at the Parthenon at 7:00 p.m., with a reception
following the lecture. Admission is free, but reservations are required (8628431). The Parthenon Symposia are sponsored by The Conservancy for the
Parthenon and Centennial Park and the Archaeological Institute of America.
New Exhibitions Inspire Several Gifts
Over the past few months, the Parthenon has seen a significant uptick
in the number of gifts to the museum’s permanent collections, a result
of two recent exhibitions. An
installation covering the history
of the Parthenon and the
Tennessee Centennial Exposition
inspired longtime Parthenon
volunteer Libby Lacock to
donate a souvenir vase from
the 1893 World’s Columbian
Exposition in Chicago, a
predecessor to Tennessee’s fair
four years later. Phil Ponder,
Former Councilman Phil Ponder recently
artist and recent appointee
presented the Parthenon with an 1897 issue
to the Park Board, gave the
of a weekly journal that features the 1897
Parthenon an 1897 issue of
Scientific American that includes Centennial Exposition. The rarity of the
photographs and the excellent condition of the
photographs and descriptions
journal make it a very special gift. Pictured
of the Tennessee Centennial
(L to R) are Brenna Cothran, Parthenon
Exposition under construction.
Registar, Mr. Ponder, and Parthenon Museum
Director Wesley Paine
A second exhibition that opened
in late January of 2012 has also
resulted in significant gifts to the Parthenon’s collections. Parthenon docent
Nancy Curtis gave a charming souvenir book of miniature postcards of the
Parthenon and Centennial Park dating from the middle part of the 20th
century. Nashville lawyer C. Michael Norton visited the exhibition and was
inspired to give over 85 postcards of the Parthenon and Centennial Park
to the museum. Mr. Norton, a longtime collector of Nashville postcards,
included in his gift to the Parthenon several rare examples, including a
postcard of the Parthenon that would have been purchased as a souvenir
during the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition.
We are excited about all of these gifts, and hope that our work in the
Parthenon’s galleries continues to inspire collectors to consider the
Parthenon as a permanent home for their beloved treasures. To learn
more about donating paintings, objects, books, photographs, or archival
materials to the Parthenon, please contact Registrar and Assistant Curator
Brenna Cothran.
Congratulations
To DeeGee Lester and the Parthenon for garnering
two nominations in the Academies of Nashville
Awards.
* The Parthenon and the Academy of Art, Design
and Communication at Hillwood High School were
nominated for one of 6 Academy Partnerships of the
Year.
* The Parthenon, McNeely, Pigott & Fox, the NECAT
Network and the Academy of Art, Design & Communication at Hillwood
High School were nominated for Externship Project of the Year.
Looking for a unique place to host a dinner,
awards banquet, reception, lecture or
wedding? With an Olympian membership
in The Conservancy, you can hold your
event in a Nashville classic - The Parthenon.
Contact Laura Carrillo at (615) 862-8431
for more details.
Conservancy Staff
Sylvia Rapoport, President
Andrea Gilbert Berger
Justin Wade Tam
John Tumminello
Ex-Officio
George Anderson
Tommy Lynch, Metro Parks
Beth Courtney
David Ewing
Beth Fortune
Jay Hardcastle
Rob Harwell
Demetria Kalodimos
Chris Kyriopoulos
Reavis Mitchell
Ben Page
Anne Roos
Shirley Speyer
Butch Spyridon
Barbara Tsakirgis
Paula Van Slyke
Karen Winkelmann
The Board
Executive Committee
Hope Stringer, Chair
Ben Armistead
Emme Baxter
Frannie Corzine
Kenneth Kraft
Trish Lindler
Board of Directors
The Conservancy
PO Box 196340
Nashville TN 37219-6340
Parthenon s Centennial Park
TheConservancy
Non-Profit
Organization
US Postage
PAID
Permit 1981
Nashville, TN
The Conservancy is the private, not-for-profit organization, which serves the
community through stewardship and promotion of The Parthenon and
Centennial Park. We strive to educate the public through programs and exhibits,
as well as offer a venue for people with a passion for history, culture and the arts.
Our mission is to strengthen, enhance, restore and preserve The Parthenon and
Centennial Park, in partnership with Metro Parks and the people of Nashville.