This fall, the Reece Museum at East Tennessee State University invites visitors to explore six exhibitions highlighting the people, places and traditions that have shaped Appalachia.

The exhibitions showcase local and emerging artists, the history and culture of the Tennessee frontier, the legacy of old-time music and a retrospective of ETSU Athletics while highlighting the Reece Museum’s role as a center for Appalachian arts, culture and history.  

The following exhibitions are now on display:  

‘The Tennessee Frontier Room’

Part of the America 250 at ETSU initiative, “The Tennessee Frontier Room” features artifacts from the Reece’s Permanent Collection and re-envisions a former permanent display that showcased many of the same artifacts from 1928 through 2007. This new exhibition broadens the scope of the original display by including contemporary histories and interpretations from historians and regional experts.  

“The Tennessee Frontier Room” will remain on display through June 2027. 

‘Window into the Soul’

“Window into the Soul” showcases 25 stained-glass works by local artist Amanda Renfrow and offers a retrospective of her eight-year practice. A native of Oklahoma, Renfrow moved to Appalachia in 2018 and began her artistic practice in glass. Starting as an apprentice to Steve Cook, a renowned glass artist in Jonesborough, Renfrow has since gained notoriety, with work frequently exhibited and housed in private and public collections, including the Reece Museum Permanent Collection.  

“Window into the Soul” is on display through Dec. 4.  

‘Mosaic Mountain: Materials of Collaboration’

Created through the Reece Museum's Art & Museum Teen Renaissance Camp, "Mosaic Mountain" features collaborative artwork developed by campers alongside local artist Amanda Renfrow and museum staff. The exhibition highlights projects including collage, window art and a large-scale wind-chime mobile.  

“Mosaic Mountain” is on display through Sept. 4.  

‘Rising Sun: The Musical Legacy of Clarence “Tom” Ashley’

“Rising Sun: The Musical Legacy of Clarence ‘Tom’ Ashley” features a collection of artifacts donated by Joe Ashley, Clarence Ashley’s grandson, in memory of his musical legacy. Ashley (1895-1967) was a musician from Mountain City, Tennessee.  

Beginning his music as early as 1911, Ashley was active as both a solo recording artist and a member of various string bands in the early 20th century, from the mid-1920s until approximately 1943. In the early 1960s, he was encouraged by friends and local musicians to try making music again, just in time to participate in the revival of American folk music that swept the nation throughout the 1960s.  

“Rising Sun” is on display through February 2027, and a public reception is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 3, from 1-3 p.m. 

‘ETSU Athletics: A Retrospective’

“ETSU Athletics: A Retrospective” celebrates the stories of ETSU’s athletic programs that have been collected so far, and the stories that will continue to be collected in the future with the help of dedicated students, faculty and community members. Curated by Reece Museum graduate assistant Craig Charles, the exhibition showcases various artifacts from multiple sports programs throughout the university’s extensive athletic history.  

“ETSU Athletics: A Retrospective” is on display through Nov. 13. 

‘Clay, Culture, and Change: Southern Folk Pottery and the Tennessee Valley Transformation’

“Clay, Culture, and Change: Southern Folk Pottery and the Tennessee Valley Transformation” is an exhibition by artist Rack Cross that explores the ceramics of the changed lands of Southern Appalachia.  

With the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) transformation of river systems in the 20th century, the Holston Valley and surrounding regions experienced rapid and widespread change. Because of this transformation, folk pottery shifted from strictly utilitarian ware toward decorative and collectible pieces. Face jugs — with their sculpted features — became far more popular than the once familiar and simple jug form. This exhibition traces that adaptation where clay continues to be witness to and evidence of cultural change.  

“Clay, Culture, and Change” is on display through Oct. 23. 

The Reece Museum, part of ETSU's Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services in the Department of Appalachian Studies, serves as a hub for preserving and interpreting the history, art and culture of Appalachia. As the Flagship of Appalachia, ETSU is committed to celebrating the region's rich cultural heritage through exhibitions, scholarship and community engagement. ETSU is committed to celebrating the region's rich cultural heritage through exhibitions, scholarship and community engagement.

The museum is located on ETSU’s campus and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit the Reece Museum website at etsu.edu/cas/cass/reece/ or call (423) 439-4392. For disability accommodations, contact the ETSU Office of Disability Services at (423) 439-8346.