Cultivating 2022 ART EXHIBIT RECOGNIZED AND HONORED

Thestudent artwork displayed in Harpeth Hall’s hallways entranced Caroline Johnson ’22 from her first year at Harpeth Hall. A guitar electrified by vibrant hues of red and yellow. A dancer, arms outstretched, leaping across a canvas. Portraits in charcoal and watercolor that brilliantly captured the crease of a smile line or the depths of a gaze.

After working for years with Harpeth Hall art teachers to develop her own creative style, Caroline started crying the day she was told that her artwork, too, would hang on permanent display at Harpeth Hall as part of the Cindy Crist Collection.

For three decades, Harpeth Hall students have been honored with an award established in 1986 in memory of Cindy Crist ’85, who died tragically at age 19. Each year, seniors enrolled in the AP Art and Design class are nominated for the award by the visual arts faculty, who then vote on which student portfolio to honor after seeing the AP Art and Design show, which is usually in April. The chosen artwork is added to the Cindy Crist Collection and hung in various locations around campus.

This past year, Harpeth Hall displayed the complete Cindy Crist Collection together for the first time in the Marnie Sheridan Gallery. The exhibit honored the legacy not only of Cindy Crist but also of Marnie Sheridan ’72, another student and a young artist who died too soon.

The exhibit ran from May through October 2022 and marked the 50th anniversary of the gallery. Through the showcase, Harpeth Hall recognized the generations of students touched by the artistic influence that Ms. Crist and Ms. Sheridan left in their passing.

“Seeing the Crist collection all together encourages creativity and new perspective by looking at various works of art,” said Susie Creagh Elder ’90, the visual arts department chair at Harpeth Hall who is also a former Cindy Crist Award winner. “It really inspires students to see what the people in their class are creating — it just elevates everyone.”

As the 2022 Cindy Crist Award winner, Caroline chose to display her painting “Fisherman,” which depicts a man in orange and yellow waders holding a pink fish. The image represents the focus of Caroline’s AP art portfolio, highlighting under-appreciated members of society.

As Harpeth Hall paid tribute to the student artists across generations, the school also recognized how Harpeth Hall’s art department has flourished thanks to the influence of these beloved alumnae and other generous families who have supported the arts over the years.

The Marnie Sheridan Gallery, with its cream-colored walls and candescent windows, has become a gathering place for Harpeth Hall students, parents, and alumnae to enjoy artistic beauty. The Patton Visual Arts Center offers another layer of artistry with its lightfilled painting studios, fully equipped dark room, labs for digital design, and exhibit halls. The building will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2023 as it continues to encourage artist exploration through all genres.

“Patton is home to a great team of teachers,” Ms. Elder said. “We’re all visual artists ourselves, and we just love supporting the Harpeth Hall students and the incredible talent that’s been coming through Patton for the past 20 years. We are just so excited for that talent to continue to grow.”

To see what the Cindy Crist artists are doing now, scan here