APSU’s Institute for Public Humanities highlights Clarksville’s artistic heritage with a free panel discussion

CLARKSVILLE, TN – In celebration of National Arts and Humanities Month, Austin Peay State University’s Institute for the Public Humanities (IPH) will host a free public event highlighting Clarksville’s 20th century art and writing on October 29th from 4 to 5 p.m. The focus of the century is the Customs House Museum.

The discussion will feature three distinguished panelists, each sharing how their deceased family members helped shape Clarksville’s cultural legacy:

• Charlsie Halliburton: Discussing the artwork of her brother Tom Malone, a former APSU art student with a distinctive expressionist style and a talent for multiple media
• Lawson Mabry: Discussion of the novels of his cousin Thomas Mabry Jr., an award-winning short story writer and former editor of Time Magazine, and other family members
• Kitty Harvill: Discussion of the artwork of her mother, Peg Harvill, a watercolor artist known for her vivid illustrations of Clarksville’s historic buildings

Dr. Linda Crenshaw, IPH board member and professor in the Department of Languages ​​and Literatures, will moderate the discussion.

“All three of these panelists have a real passion for keeping the legacy of their family members alive,” she said. “There is simply no substitute for listening to those who loved them, knew them and cared about them as people. These artists may no longer exist, but they come alive through their work and the stories their family members tell about them.”

Crenshaw said the works and stories that will be shared will also provide a glimpse into the artistic legacies that continue to influence Clarksville today.

“Whether through writing or art, all of these people were able to express what Clarksville was like in the 20th century,” said IPH coordinator Kathy Lee Heuston, a professor in the Department of Communication. “It is also an important time for the panelists as they can talk about their family members and give us first-hand knowledge of their work.”

Attendees are encouraged to continue the conversation after the panel discussion during a reception at Beachaven Downtown and learn more from each speaker.

“I want people to be inspired by the idea that as a person with an artistic vision, you can go where your heart takes you and make a contribution,” Crenshaw said. “If you are a patron, viewer or reader, these are people whose family members still live in the city and will be happy to tell you all about their work.”

As IPH’s first public event, this discussion also represents a significant milestone in the organization’s efforts to foster deeper relationships between APSU and the Clarksville community.

“Our mission is to engage the community and spread the message about what the humanities mean in general,” Heuston said. “They’re not just for science. We all embrace it in different ways, so we try to create awareness of the connections between art, culture and what makes people human.”