Thomas Dodd Brings Surreal Works to the Customs House Museum

Clarksville, TN – The mythical figures in Thomas Dodd’s exhibit Dreamer: The Art of Thomas Dodd turn the Customs House Museum’s Orgain Gallery into a forest of fairytales.

The viewer is immediately transported into a surreal fantasy of contemporary stories within each work of art.

Dodd’s work could be considered a twenty-first century version of Pre-Raphaelite art. His manipulated pieces appear more like romantic paintings than digital photographs.

The modern-day women have been taken from their daily lives and transported into an ancient bedtime story with flowing dresses and dramatic lighting.

While influences of Magritte and Klimt are evident in his work, Thomas has said of his work “I have realized that everyone has something beautiful or intriguing about them in some way. My job is to find that and enhance it.”

Thomas Dodd lives between Atlanta and Nashville. He began his career as a visual artist in 2005. Before that, Thomas was the harpist and songwriter for the 1990s musical group Trio Nocturna, a Celtic Gothic ensemble that put out three critically-acclaimed albums (“Morphia”, “Tears of Light” and “Songs of the Celtic Night”) and performed at author Anne Rice’s annual Halloween balls in New Orleans.

Thomas has exhibited his works internationally. His work is included at the Galerie L’Oeil du Prince in Paris, in the US at the New Britain Museum of American Art and in Sicily at the Museo Arte Contemporaneo. This year he has had shows in Germany, Romania, Argentina, New York City, Mexico City, Orlando, Miami, San Antonio, Seattle, and Paris and in his hometown of Atlanta.

[320right]Dodd’s photographs have been featured in many magazines, on book and album covers and he is also the subject of an upcoming documentary film on the art nude and censorship in modern times.

Dreamer: The Art of Thomas Dodd will be on exhibit from January 8th through March 8th. Located at the corner of Second and Commerce Streets, the Customs House Museum is the second largest general museum in Tennessee.

For more information on above events contact Terri Jordan, Exhibits Curator, at 931.648.5780 or terri@customshousemuseum.org

About the Customs House Museum

Located in the heart of historic downtown Clarksville, Tennessee, the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center is the State’s second largest general museum.

With over 35,000 square feet of the region’s best hands-on activities and special events…people of all ages agree – the Customs House Museum is well worth the stop!

The Explorer’s Gallery is packed with fun, learning and fantasy in Aunt Alice’s Attic, McGregor’s Market and kitchen, and of course – the Bubble Cave! Finally, get “all aboard” to see our fantastic model trains. Our volunteer engineers “ride the rails” every Sunday afternoon from 1:00pm to 4:00pm.

Regular museum hours are 10:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday through Saturday, and 1:00pm to 5:00pm on Sundays. Adult admission is $7.00, Senior Citizens and College ID $5.00, Ages 6 to 18 $3.00, and under six years and Museum members are free.

The Customs House Museum is located at 200 South Second Street.

For more information, call 931.648.5780 or visit their website at www.customshousemuseum.org