ETSU’s Reece Museum hosting Tennessee artists

The Reece Museum at East Tennessee State University
is hosting “Fire, Earth & Life” through May 31.

“Fire, Earth & Life,” an exhibition on display at East Tennessee State University’s Reece Museum through May 31, brings together and celebrates Tennessee artists Calvin Nicely, Bill Capshaw and Jason Flack.

The museum will host a reception for the exhibition on Thursday from 5-7 p.m.

Calvin Nicely, a prolific glass artist who resides and works in studios in Tennessee and western North Carolina, organized the exhibition. Working with Reece staff, Nicely invited fellow Tennessee artists Capshaw and Flack to showcase their work alongside his.

Nicely's glasswork, Capshaw's ceramics, and Flack's paintings come together to form the “Fire, Earth & Life” exhibition.

Fire: Nicely relies on the heat of fire to manipulate glass into colorful sculptures. His glass artworks have been celebrated and collected for years, and his artistic pursuits have created opportunities for many fellow artists, organizers said.

Earth: Utilizing clay, Capshaw describes his ceramics as coming from “deep within the soul with the intent to pierce the mind with probing thoughts of the creative process.” His ceramic works speak to the human experience and provide insight into what connects us all, according to the museum.

Life: A self-described “Urban Folk” expressionist artist and community leader, Flack’s paintings center life and human experience. Flack has entrenched himself in an all-things-art lifestyle, working in local art advocacy and bridging the gap between self-taught and academia.

The Reece Museum is a unit of the Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, which is housed in the ETSU Department of Appalachian Studies. The Reece Museum is located on ETSU’s main campus and is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Follow the Reece Museum on social media for more content and digital programming. For more information, please visit etsu.edu/reece or call (423) 439-4392.

East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.