My Fieldtrip to Nashville

This Tuesday, I traveled to Nashville with Lori Matthews, the Director of Development. Our main goal was to visit Paul Harmon and Karen Roark. Karen is a Georgetown alumni and her husband, Paul, is a very prominent artist. This coming Fall the Galleries will be hosting an exhibition of Paul's work. Traveling with Lori, though, we were obliged to make some 'official' stops along the way.

Our first visit was to an alumni in Elizabethtown who was apart of the Maskrafters and told us wonderful stories of her time at Georgetown and the Theatre department. She also told us that she went on to teach theatre and drama until her retirement. How wonderful. (Also note, if you over the age of 80 and are single or widowed, Georgetown sends you a chocolatey valentine! You all have a lot to look forward to in 60 years!)

A little further down the road we made a quick stop to say hi to Emily a resent graduate from Georgetown who now works at Fontanel as one of the primary private events coordinators. Also, a wonderful position! Her husband is currently on tour with Taylor Swift! Yes, those people are dancing on the indoor pool.

 

As we finally arrived in Nashville we were invited into the home of Lois and Bob. Lois, another Georgetown graduate, is an avid art collector and it was such a pleasure to be welcomed for a tour. Lois, among her collection of Spanish furniture, ceramics and pottery, and graphic prints, is a collector of Carl C. Sublett. What is housed in Lois' home are watercolors but Sublett was interested in all media. A native Kentuckian he spent much of his adult life painting the scenes of Maine, which were the most striking for Lois. He even painted many scenes in the same port town as Andrew Wyeth (the Jacobs Gallery has three). I am very thankful for the opportunity to have seen these in person. They are simple and breathtaking.

Candid Series Porch (Port Clyde Light)
Watercolor 22" x 30" 1987

We finally made it to Paul's studio. We were greeting by a warm hug of Karen and two barking dogs at their home and studio. The studio is a renovated carriage house detached from the 1800s home they live in. This being my first visit to Paul's studio I was completely overwhelmed by all of his work that was EVERYWHERE. See photos below. I only wish I had a studio like that and I don't even paint! Paul works every night from around 7pm to about 4-5am. A night owl, one would say. We gathered by the fire to discuss business but I couldn't help to constantly scan the room. After a couple hour chat I finally couldn't take it and starting poking around his studio. Paul is an extremely generous person and shared amazing stories about his processes and work. I am SO excited to bring him here to Georgetown. It is going to be a brilliant treat for all of us!

 

We unfortunately, had to leave quickly the next morning and as we made our way back, again making one more house call, we learned about the sink hole that consumed EIGHT priceless vehicles from the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green.  This is a museum NIGHTMARE. I'm fairly certain this will haunt my dreams. Makes me sick just thinking about it. UGH

But then I look at the quick snapshot of the Parthenon (reconstructed, of course) I took on our way of of town and it makes me feel just a little bit better. Touring both of these establishments will be on my list for my next visit to see Paul and Karen. I can't wait to get working on this project!

-Jeanette