The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center in Clarksville, Tennessee, will host "Of Mark & Meaning: American Women Artists" from February 13 to April 26, 2026, as part of its ongoing "Celebrating Women Artists" series. The exhibition features 105 works selected from 791 entries by professional women artists, including world-renowned figures such as Paula B. Holtzclaw, Sherrie McGraw, Diana Reuter-Twining, Taylor Wiedemann, and Star Liana York. Selection jurors include Vivian Chiu, Marcia Goldenstein, and Kirsten Kokkin, while award judges include Katie Delmez, Sharon Louden, and Nandini Makrandi. Artists compete for over $30,000 in prizes, including a $10,000 Grand Prize. A related Symposium of Women in the Arts will take place at the Frist Art Museum on April 25, 2026, featuring a keynote by Sharon Louden.
This exhibition matters because it continues a 16-year tradition of spotlighting American women artists at a time when gender equity in the art world remains a pressing issue. The show is part of the American Women Artists' "25 in 25" campaign, which aims to secure 25 museum exhibitions over 25 years, providing significant institutional visibility and financial support for professional women artists. The involvement of major curators from institutions like the Frist Art Museum and the Hunter Museum of American Art underscores the growing recognition of women's contributions to contemporary American art.