The Clarksville Arts & Heritage Council, Two Rivers Society of Painters, Downtown Artists Co-op, and Visit Clarksville will host Create at Collinsville, a weekend celebration of traditional Tennessee arts in September 2023. Artists are invited to participate in events throughout the next several months, including workshops, a Plein air paint-out, a community quick draw, and a photography contest.
Two free workshops will be held on Saturday, September 16 at Historic Collinsville Pioneer Settlement. Award-winning artist, Kitty Harvill, will conduct a plein air workshop from 10 AM until 4 PM. Professional photographer, Susan Bryant, will conduct a photography workshop from 10 AM until 4 PM. Each workshop has space for 15 participants. Registration for the workshops includes lunch. To register for a workshop, visit www.artsandheritage.us.
Photographers, both professional and amateur, are invited to participate in the Create at Collinsville Photo Contest showcasing Historic Collinsville. Entry for the photo contest is $35. The entry fee includes up to three framed submissions with each additional entry being $10. The submission deadline for photographs is 4 PM on Monday, September 25. Submissions should be framed and taken to Visit Clarksville at 25 Jefferson Street, Suite 300. Cash prizes totaling over $600 will be awarded at the Final Exhibition and Reception on October 5.
“My advice to photographers as they capture images at Collinsville is to pay attention to the light, capture a sense of place, and be astonished by the ordinary,” said Susan Bryant.
The 2Rivers Plein Air Paint-Out will be held Friday, September 22, and Saturday, September 23 at Historic Collinsville 1800s Pioneer Settlement. Registration includes lunch and free admission to Historic Collinsville on both September 22 and September 23. Registration for the Plein Air Paint-Out is $40. Artists can submit up to two entries with each additional entry being $10. The deadline for registration is Saturday, September 16. Cash prizes totaling over $1,700 will be awarded at the Final Exhibition and Reception on October 5. This event will be held rain or shine.
A Community Fun Quick Draw will occur after the conclusion of the 2Rivers Plein Air Paint-Out from 3:30-5:00 PM on Saturday, September 23 at Historic Collinsville. The registration fee for the Community Fun Quick Draw is $15. A $50 first-place prize will be awarded at the Final Exhibition and Reception on October 5. All artists, whether registered for the 2Rivers Plein Air Paint-Out or not, are encouraged to participate in the 90-minute quick paint competition. High school students are invited to participate in the Community Fun Quick Draw for free. A separate $50 cash prize will be awarded to the first-place winner in the student portion of the competition. All painters must provide their own supplies.
“Historic Collinsville is a feast for the eyes and other senses. This workshop will give you the opportunity to capture the magic of Collinsville’s essence in your chosen medium,” said Kitty Harvill. “Whether sketching or painting, we will be creating an experience to remember. New to Plein air painting? Come join us and try it. All skill levels are welcome.”
The Final Exhibition and Reception will be held on Thursday, October 5 from 6:30-8:30 PM in F&M Bank’s Franklin Room located at 50 Franklin Street. The event will include an awards ceremony, art sales of pieces created during the Create at Collinsville contests, and live music from Red River Breeze. The Final Exhibition and Reception will coincide with the October First Thursday Art Walk.
To support the maintenance and educational mission of Historic Collinsville, a 25% commission on sales of guest artists will go to this Montgomery County attraction. In the event of a sale, checks will be made out to Visit Clarksville, and the buyer may take the art at the point of sale. Artists will be paid 75% of the sale. Artists are responsible for paying the sales tax.
“Historic Collinsville is a Montgomery County treasure that is sometimes overlooked,” said Ellen Kanervo, Executive Director of the Clarksville Arts and Heritage Council. “I am excited for the Clarksville Arts and Heritage Council to be part of an event that celebrates our creativity and our heritage along with providing some financial support for this special place.”
For more information, contest rules or to register for an event, visit www.artsandheritage.us.
About Historic Collinsville
Historic Collinsville Pioneer Settlement opened in 1974 to give children a hands-on experience outside of the classroom about life from the 1840s through the turn of the century. It has been open to the public since 1997, recreating the past with restored historical structures, each filled with authentic period furnishings that show a glimpse of life before and after the Civil War. The property is located at 4711 Weakley Road in Southside, 20 minutes south of downtown Clarksville. Montgomery County Government purchased Historic Collinsville from founders Glenn and JoAnn Weakley in 2018. The property is managed and marketed by Visit Clarksville.