For the Locals: Cheekwood for $1 in January!

CHEEKWOOD ANNOUNCES SPECIAL $1 ADMISSION “DOLLAR DAYS” FOR MONTH OF JANUARY

NASHVILLE, TN – Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art will open its gates with a special $1 admission charge for the entire month of January.

“Cheekwood welcomes winter and we hope everyone will enjoy visiting our Botanical Garden & Museum of Art,” said Jack Becker, Ph.D., Cheekwood’s President/CEO. “We have many things to experience out in the garden and also throughout the Museum of Art and Frist Learning Center.”

During the winter, there's more happening in Cheekwood's gardens than you might think: evergreens, flowering apricots in the Japanese Garden, birds and other wildlife enjoying abundant berries, pansies, violas, and the brilliant reds and yellows of twig dogwoods. During this special month guests will have many choices for exploring all of the wonderful offerings at Cheekwood.

• Ongoing – The Matilda Geddings Gray Collection of Fabergé

Among the world’s most significant compilations of Fabergé pieces, the Collection includes 57 rare pieces highlighted by three Russian Imperial Easter eggs, and a number of important functional items, fantasy items and floral works.

• Through January 4, 2009 – Artists Collect: The Red Grooms and Lysiane Luong Private Collection
  This exhibition offers the opportunity to study works by artists who have been personally, artistically, and historically significant to the lives and work of the collectors. Over several years, this dynamic couple has acquired works by personal friends like Alex Katz and colleagues such as Phillip Pearlstein, Jasper Johns, and Claes Oldenburg.

· Through February 8, 2009 - Temporary Contemporary, Michael Oliveri: Innerspace, Permaculture and UFO’s

Drawing from science fiction films, Oliveri creates projects that combine sustainable agriculture and food production with pseudo-science. His installation opens a dialogue between Cheekwood’s art and gardens to comment on ecological sustainability.

• Through February 22, 2009 - Video Installation, Reverse Angle: Emerging Video Artists

For the exhibition, Reverse Angle: Emerging Video Artists, video artists from around the world submitted over 50 works to be selected and curated by Greg Pond, an artist and Professor of Art at the University of the South. This exhibition presents a selection of current work in the field of new media.

• Through January 3, 2010 – William Edmondson: The Hand and the Spirit
  This outstanding exhibition features selections from Cheekwood's collection, the largest public collection of William Edmondson's work. Born to former slaves on a plantation south of Nashville, Edmondson (1874-1951) taught himself to carve tombstones and became one of the most celebrated African-American sculptors of the 20th Century.

• January 30 – February 22 – The Scholastic Art Competition

The competition is the oldest and one of the most prestigious student art competitions in the country. Past winners include noted artists such as Red Grooms and Andy Warhol. Cheekwood and The Tennessee Credit Union have been regional sponsors of the art portion of the competition for sixteen years.

• Decorative Arts

Many of Cheekwood’s most precious works are not hanging on our wall. The Museum of Art has several decorative arts collections on permanent display: Worcester Porcelain, Asian Snuff bottles, American & English Silver and American Art Pottery.

• Carell Woodland Sculpture Trail

The Carrell Woodland Sculpture Trail is a unique attraction among American art museums – a place where contemporary sculpture by internationally recognized artists is integrated into reclaimed woodland. As you walk the trail, experience the synthesis of art and nature.

• Saturday AM

Attendees can also participate in the Saturday AM program, dedicated to interactive family art activities, from 10:00 am-Noon every Saturday in the Frist Learning Center.

• Tuesdays for Tots

Attendees can also participate in the Tuesdays for Tots program, dedicated to interactive art activities for pre-schoolers, from 10:00 am-Noon every Tuesday in the Frist Learning Center.

Cheekwood is a 55-acre botanical garden and art museum located on the historic Cheek estate. Cheekwood exists to celebrate and preserve its landscape, buildings, and art and botanical collections, and, through these unique means provide an inspiring place for visitors to explore their connections with art, nature and the environment. Cheekwood is located at 1200 Forrest Park Drive in Nashville, 8 miles southwest of downtown Nashville. Open Tuesday – Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. For further information call 615-356-8000 or visit www.cheekwood.org.