Acclaimed poet and social activist Frank X. Walker to read at APSU
June 30, 2010
Frank X. Walker, an award-winning poet, grew up in Appalachia at a time when the area’s minority writers consistently saw their work marginalized. Years later, when Walker began publishing his own poems, he decided to challenge this notion of an “all-white literary landscape in this region.”
“As a co-founder of the Affrilachian Poets and the creator of the word ‘Affrilachia,’ I believe it is my responsibility to say as loudly and often as possible that people and artists of color are part of the past and present of the multi-state Appalachian region extending from northern Mississippi to southern New York,” he said in an artist statement.
“As a writer/observer/truth teller, I choose to focus on social justice issues as well as multiple themes of family, identity and place. I also accept the dual responsibility of existing as a teaching artist and making a commitment to the identification and development of the next generation of young writers and artists.” [Read more]
The APSU Summer Guitar Workshop starts Monday
June 27, 2010
Four days of free concerts each night, and a Gala musical event on Friday.
Austin Peay State University will host a five-day Guitar Workshop from June 28th-July 2nd, directed by APSU professor of music Dr. Stanley Yates.
The workshop will feature an outstanding artist-faculty roster that includes Stephen Aron (guitar professor, Oberlin Conservatory of Music and University of Akron), Mir Ali (virtuoso classical guitarist), Roger Hudson (APSU adjunct guitar faculty and Fingerstyle Magazine columnist) and the Huston-Todd Duo, along with virtuoso fingerstyle guitarists Richard Smith and Tim Thompson – both former national fingerstyle champions.
The intensive five-day workshop is open to classical and fingerstyle guitarists of all ages and playing levels and will include daily technique sessions, ensemble (group) rehearsals, master classes, lectures and evening concerts.
Forever Plaid brings doo wop to the Roxy Regional Theatre
June 12, 2010
Austin Peay State University along with John McDonald and Tom Thayer of the Roxy Regional Theatre offered attendees of the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts’ Spring Salon Series a sneak preview of the upcoming Musical Forever Plaid.
John McDonald spoke in between musical numbers about the history of the Roxy Regional Theatre, and their plans for the future. They are currently seeking 1000 donors to contribute $1000 each to provide the funding which will allow them to begin the process of building the new Roxy Regional Center for the Arts. If you love the Arts in Clarksville, TN your name should be among the contributors!
Supporting the arts in our city
June 6, 2010
A comment made by someone at Thursday’s art walk struck me as really quite insightful, they pointed out just how much the arts community in Clarksville, TN has grown.
Indeed with events like the First Thursday Art Walk, the Customs House Museum, the D.A.C. Gallery, the new APSU Downtown Gallery, Jammin’ in the Alley, Beachaven’s Jazz on the Lawn, Silke’s Old World Bread’s Evening with the Artist, the professional performances conducted by the Roxy Regional Theatre, the Community Concert Association’s Concert Series, Rivers & Spires, Riverfest, and the many events sponsored by the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, they have a point!
Roxy Founders to be Featured Guests at June Spring Salon Event
June 1, 2010
In fall of 1983, Clarksville’s arts community received a major boost when Tom Thayer and John McDonald converted an old, downtown movie house into the Roxy Regional Theatre. The historic building on Franklin Street, with its famed neon sign, soon became a cultural hub for the area.
Twenty-seven years and more than 200 productions later, the theater is still thriving. At 7:30pm on June 10th, the Austin Peay State University Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts will host a special Spring Salon event at the Roxy, featuring an evening with both McDonald and Thayer.
John McDonald (left) and Tom Thayer (right).
Lecture on Folk artist ET Wickham – Part 2
January 16, 2010
Dr. Dixie Webb, Professor of Art History, presented on January 14th at 2:00pm a slide show and lecture on local folk artist ET Wickham, at the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center auditorium, on the corner of Commerce and South 2nd Streets in historic downtown Clarksville, TN. This lecture is part of the Winter Salon Series, a once-a-month artistic interlude put on by the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts of Austin Peay State University. [Read more]
Lecture on Folk artist ET Wickham – Part 1
January 16, 2010
Dr. Dixie Webb, Professor of Art History, presented on January 14th at 2:00pm a slide show and lecture on local folk artist ET Wickham, at the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center auditorium, on the corner of Commerce and South 2nd Streets in historic downtown Clarksville, TN. This lecture is part of the Winter Salon Series, a once-a-month artistic interlude put on by the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts of Austin Peay State University.
A video used to be embedded here but the service that it was hosted on has shut down.APSU to present the first of the Winter Salon on ET Whickham at the Customs House Museum
January 11, 2010
Dr. Dixie Webb, Professor of Art History and Dean of the College of Arts & Letter, will present a slide show and lecture on local folk artist ET Wickham, at the Customs House Museum and
Cultural Center auditorium, on the corner of Commerce and South 2nd Streets on January 14 from 2:00PM to 3:00PM in historic downtown Clarksville.
From 1950 to his death in 1970, ET Wickham created a bevy of statues which featured Indian chiefs, politicians, patriots, and religious figures. The record shows that during this period he built over 30 life-size concrete statues. Wickham’s art is a well kept secret and a cultural treasure trove. Sadly over the last few years the statues have been repeatedly targeted by vandals. His work is featured at the Wickham Stone Park for more information visit their web site.
Christopher Burawa, the Director of the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts pointed out “The philosophy behind the series is that Art can happen any time, any place”. In our community the Center certainly fulfills that goal admirably.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0qMpNBVzW0APSU’s Summer Dance Concert is poetry in form and motion
August 12, 2009
Dance is the noblest of the Arts. Using a human body as their canvas, a dancers’ performance treats the audience to a visual poetry written with their bodies in both form and motion. That is how I felt this evening when I watched the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts and the APSU Dance Program holding their Summer Dance Concert. One performance remains; on Wednesday, August 12th, at 7:30PM, Clement Auditorium.
Tick leads the show with three dancers clad in green, Laquimah van Dunk, Alaina Runions, and Caitlin Proctor to the sounds of Tashweesh (interference) by Kronos Quartet.
Followed by the lovely Brittany Hardaway performing a ballet called Gentle Lullaby to the sounds of Se Ymnumen by George Skaroulis. Many of the dancers held neutral expressions on their faces when they performed not so with Brittany. You could see her love and passion for dance etched on her face with every leap and pirouette.
Gentle Lullaby performed by Brittany Hardaway
APSU presents reading by Paul Guest
February 20, 2009
The Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts at APSU invites you to the Paul Guest Poetry Reading on Tuesday, February 24th, at 4:00 pm, in the Morgan University Center, room 303. A reception will follow the reading.
Paul Guest is the author of three collections of poems, most recently, My Index of Slightly Horrifying Knowledge (Ecco, Nov 2008). He is also the author of The Resurrection of the Body and the Ruin of the World, winner of the 2002 New Issues Prize, and Notes for My Body Double, winner of the 2006 Prairie Schooner Book Prize.
Guest was awarded the Whiting Writers’ Award in 2007 for his first book of poems. In 2010, Ecco (an imprint of HarperCollins) will publish his memoir, One More Theory About Happiness. He is a visiting professor of English at the University of West Georgia.
