UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS
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The Tennessee Frontier Room (July 2026 - June 2027)
The Tennessee Frontier Room
The Tennessee Frontier Room features artifacts from the Reece Permanent collection that explore 250 years of regional history.
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Clay, Culture, and Change: Southern Folk Pottery and the Tennessee Valley Transformation (July 27 - October 23)
Clay, Culture, and Change: Southern Folk Pottery and the Tennessee Valley Transformation
An exhibition by artist Rack Cross, Clay, Culture, and Change explores the ceramics of Southern Appalachia that have been associated with land and water for generations. Pottery once functioned as a necessity for storage and transport. With the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) transformation of river systems in the twentieth century, the Holston Valley and surrounding regions experienced rapid and widespread change. Flood control and electrification changed lifestyles on the farms and beyond. Because of this transformation, folk pottery also shifted from strictly utilitarian ware toward decorative and collectible pieces. Face jugs, with their sculpted features, became far more popular than the once familiar and simple jug form. This exhibition traces that adaptation where clay continues to be witness and evidence to the cultural change that includes pottery moving from the farmstead springhouse to the gallery gift shop.
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Spiritual Conversation: Storytelling Through Art Quilts (September 21 - December 11)
Spiritual Conversation: Storytelling Through Art Quilts
Featuring the work of Kristy Ottinger Spiritual Conversation guides the visitor in the continuing craft of how art quilts illustrate another historical Appalachian craft of storytelling. The textile wall-hangings illustrate how stories are handed down from one generation to another. There are stories about the prophets Daniel, Ezekiel, and Elijah as well as parables of Jesus. Stories of the Tree of Life and of Good Advice will also be included.