Summer 2015 Newsletter - The Conservancy for the Parthenon

Memory Fragments:
Exposition Lithograph, 1897
The Art of
Pre-Columbian
West Mexico
Summer 2015
Storytelling, crafts, fun and learning
T
at the feet of Athena
The Conservancy takes Kidsville inside the Parthenon
L
Words from
Board Chair
Paula Van Slyke
aunched this past January, Kidsville at the Parthenon takes
place the second Saturday of each month. This program
is packed full of activities for children and families. Our first
event brought more than 75 people to the Parthenon to listen
to tales of Pygmalion and other favorite storybook characters
like Olaf and Frosty. Our play facilitator extraordinaire,
Kyla Easterday, has grown attendance to more than 280
children and adults enjoying activities like celebrating the
mathematical wonders of the Parthenon on “Pi” Day to
learning how owls appeared in Greek coins, art, and stories,
and how owls were used to represent Athena, the goddess of
wisdom, war, and craft.
Kidsville – Connecting Nashville children and families to enriching opportunities
for growth through education, experience, and exploration.
Core Values –
• We believe in the intrinsic value of play and provide opportunities for
experiential learning and multisensory, object-based exploration.
• We connect children and families to transformational experiences
and ideas in the areas of art, music, nutrition, fitness, and literacy
to enhance the development of healthy and successful futures.
Clay brazier believed to
embody the Mesoamerican
fertility god Xipe Totec
Bird-shaped ocarina
or whistle found in
shaft tomb
Opening
July 10, 2015
through
February 7,
2016
continued inside
Left: Kyla
Easterday
pointing out
the owl on
Athena
Above: a
special
guest from
Cumberland
Mountain
State Park
Three-footed bowl
used for funerary
offerings of food
and drink
The Parthenon is an ideal setting for
events. For more information, please
contact Laura Carrillo, Parthenon
Event Coordinator, at (615) 862-8431.
he Parthenon welcomes the debut
exhibit of its Pre-Columbian collection,
on view for the first time since the late
1970s. Little was known about the creators of
these significant artifacts – a group of regional
civilizations in what is now West Mexico which
flourished from roughly 400 B.C.E. to 300 C.E.
and left no written records. Parthenon visitors
will have the opportunity to view exquisite
sculptures as well as other stone and ceramic
artifacts from the Nayarit, Colima, Michoacán,
and Jalisco regions of Western Mexico.
Rich color, meticulous detail, and striking
craftsmanship demonstrate the sophisticated
pottery techniques and careful thought that
went into the creation of each sculpture.
These objects form a narrative and provide
an illustration of daily life, religious practices,
and shaft tomb burial tradition that are key to
understanding these long vanished cultures.
The idea of these objects as “memory
fragments” underscores not only the role these
artifacts have in recreating the past, but also
their emerging popularity in the 20th century.
Curatorial intern, Emily
Wehby, will give Gallery
Talks about the exhibit
on the following
Saturdays at 11 AM:
July 25, August
15, September
19, October 17,
November 21,
Bowl featuring painted
December 19, and
geometric shapes
January 16.
facebook.com/
conservancynash
Achieve Tax Savings!
A
giving strategy can provide a “win-win” for both you
and The Conservancy. How? You can donate your
appreciated stock or securities. This is one of the most
effective ways to achieve tax savings because you can avoid the
capital gains tax you would have otherwise paid, and deduct the
appreciated fair market value of the securities at the time of your
gift. If you have held your stock for at least one year, you qualify
for these tax savings. You also enable The Conservancy to carry
out its mission by providing crucial funds for the Parthenon and
Centennial Park to offer programs, services and initiatives that
contribute to the education and enjoyment of our residents and
visitors alike. It is a “win-win”.
We can make this happen easily
and simply without any cost to you.
Please call us at 615-862-8400. We
will facilitate this donation quickly
and efficiently. As a donor, you will
have the satisfaction of knowing
you supported The Conservancy while obtaining the tax benefit
you desire. Don’t wait until the end of the year to take advantage
of this. Let us know how we can help now.
PO Box 196340
Nashville, TN 37219
conservancyonline.com
The Conservancy’s mission is to preserve,
enhance and share the Parthenon and
Centennial Park so that all future generations
may benefit from these enriching cultural and
educational landmarks.
Follow us on:
@conservancynash
How The Conservancy Can Help You
@conservancynash
Sylvia Rapoport
Musicians Corner: Embarking on the
Next Chapter in its Impressive Growth Story
I
n the late 1800’s, the Tennessee Centennial Exposition
was held in Nashville as a centerpiece of culture
and education, evolving into what we know today
as Centennial Park. During this same time period, Speaker’s Corner began in
London’s Hyde Park as a gathering space for free speech.
Two hundred years later, Speaker’s Corner inspired The Conservancy, Metro Parks,
the Mayor’s Office, and our Music Row partners to plant the roots of a future global
landmark of musical
expression, culture,
and education in
Nashville’s historic
central park.
Musicians Corner
is led by the
unparalleled John
Tumminello and
stellar staff Justin
Tam, Kristen Wright,
Justin Branam and
Musicians Corner – best lawn party in town
Evan Schlansky. In five
short years, Musicians Corner has presented 97 free events, showcased over 600
emerging and established artists, educated over 12,000 youth, and grown into a
Nashville tradition and community gathering space in Centennial Park.
In September, Musicians Corner embarks on the next chapter when it moves into
its permanent home in the Cockrill Spring zone of Centennial Park, as part of Phase
One of the park’s revitalization. This represents a historic and significant moment
for The Conservancy, Metro Parks, and our city, as Musicians Corner takes another
step toward creating a global music landmark in Centennial Park.
Kidsville has
provided over
400 hours of
free youth
education
Make an impact
by donating or
becoming a member.
Your tax deductible
gift will help
provide powerful
experiences to people
of all ages and
help preserve this
unique museum and
beautiful park.
Through our Musicians Corner
program, The Conservancy has also
provided a stage for our city’s youth,
including the W.O. Smith Music
School Camp BackBeat Bands, and
our park’s own Centennial jamBands.
We’ve also birthed our Kidsville
program, which began as part of
Musicians Corner and evolved into its
own program that has provided over
400 hours of free youth education
in the Parthenon, Centennial Park,
and through community outreach
events at Metro community centers,
public schools, and local nonprofit
organizations.
• We support parents, caregivers, educators,
community partners, and local artisans in the
development of and introduction to local
opportunities for our youngest citizens.
Kidsville at the Parthenon is free for all ages.
Curriculum manager Kyla Easterday provides
educational enrichment for children and their families
each month. We’re in full swing – please join us!
“Pi” Day, March 14, 2015
T
homas Cole was not only an iconic 19th-century artist but a conservational
visionary whose ideas on the natural world heralded the sense of
American identity that we know today. Wild Land: Thomas Cole and the
Birth of American Landscape Painting is a new exhibition at the Parthenon, and
takes visitors “into the woods” and through Cole’s studio, revealing the ways in
which he, and other artists of his time, pioneered cultural
June 16 through
conversations that shaped our national landscape –
August 9, 2015
intellectually, physically, and visually.
In conjunction with the exhibit, the Parthenon will host a 7 PM lecture by historical
music expert Michael Lasser on July 21st entitled Sounds of the Rude World: The
Hudson River Painters & American Popular Music. Although attendance is free,
please contact the Parthenon for reservations at 615-862-8431.
The Conservancy
Officers
Paula Van Slyke,
Board Chair
Jay Hardcastle,
Vice Chair
Neil Krugman,
Treasurer
Reavis Mitchell,
Secretary
Sylvia Rapoport,
President
We’re sincerely grateful for our many wonderful sponsors,
partners, and volunteers for making Musicians Corner a huge
success for our city and helping us support artists, educate
youth, and enrich our community. We invite you to gather
with us in Centennial Park on Saturday, September 5, as The
Conservancy inaugurates our permanent Musicians Corner
location with a special Fall 2015 Kick Off Celebration from 12
– 6 PM. Musicians Corner’s Fall 2015 Season will take place on
Saturdays through October 31, as we remain a centerpiece of
culture and education in the great city of Nashville.
Storytelling continued from cover
Drawing cityscapes
Immersive WILD LAND Exhibit
A permanent home for Musicians Corner is the crowning
achievement of our growth story, moving us closer to
achieving our vision of providing a stage in Music City where
artists from around the world can visit at any time and express
themselves through music, whether through impromptu
“open mic” performances or curated events programmed by
The Conservancy.
Board of Directors
Emme Baxter
Beth Courtney
John Darwin
David Ewing
Beth Fortune
Justin Graham
Demetria Kalodimos
Kenneth Kraft
Chris Kyriopoulos
Trish Lindler
Brooks Mathews
Ben Page
Jonathan Perlin
Anne Roos
Shirley Speyer
Butch Spyridon
Barbara Tsakirgis
Carole Williams
Design: Gerri Winchell Findley, Go Design LLC
W ords from C onser v ancy P resident
Ex-Officio
Jo Ann Brannon
Tommy Lynch
Hope Stringer
Staff
Andrea Gilbert Berger
Justin Branam
Evan Schlanksy
John Tumminello
Kristen Wright
The Revitalization of Centennial Park Continues…
A
lot of great things are happening with Centennial Park’s revitalization
project. Led by landscape architect Thomas Woltz, the improvements
are providing functional, beautiful, and transcendent spaces for
contemporary use that resonate with stories of the past.
In the Parthenon Environs, we’ve enhanced the events ellipse on the
northeast end of the Parthenon (the grassy circle in front of the Parthenon). We’ve
also made improvements to the water quality of Lake Watauga, which has
been cleaned, dredged and aerated. There’s a new promenade and entry drive
to the Parthenon, and a new
parking area, with rain gardens
for storm water management.
In the Cockrill Spring
quadrant, we’ve uncovered a
historic artesian spring within
Centennial Park. The spring
provides 100 gallons of clear
clean water per minute, yielding
54 million gallons annually.
We’ve designed a new plaza
Cockrill Spring vignette
with the spring source, cascade,
and a water rill through wetlands for family play and wildlife viewing.
Water from Cockrill Spring will be used throughout Centennial Park to engage and
educate the public, irrigate the park, and add clean water to Lake Watauga. We
plan to be the first sustainable city park in the state; a water-neutral park.
New trees have been planted for habitat diversity and individual rejuvenation,
increasing trees in the area by 300 percent. A permanent outdoor amphitheater
with sound and lighting system for Musicians Corner is also underway. Finally,
a new perimeter wall along West End and 27th Avenue, with a restored
pedestrian entrance, is under construction.