When more than 100 visual artists from 19 states gather on May Day weekend for the 50th annual Harding Art Show, it might be hard to imagine that this premier juried sale began with a generous squad of local artists, a handful of student paintings and one homespun quilt.
A year before the inaugural Harding Art Show in 1975, former head of school Leora McPherson stole the show when she stitched a labor of love that set the tone for a recurring rite of spring. Year after year, the pre-K-through-eighth grade school and its legions of volunteers and donors have added to the patchwork, arriving at the show’s golden anniversary, May 1-3, on the campus of Harding Academy.
A perennial anchor of Nashville’s creative calendar, this year’s festival will bring more painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, and jewelry than ever to the campus galleries. Co-chairs Mimi Beaver and Carey McDonald have built a record roster of 101 artists from across the country. Nashville-based artists including Richard Greathouse, Ben Caldwell, Amy Crews and James Threalkill will be on display, along with featured artist Laura McCarty from Florida, to name just a few.
Over the half-century, Harding Art Show has raised money to support classroom needs, funding purchases of computers and playgrounds, scholarships, classroom technology, campus security, a weight room and major capital improvements.
The three-day event is free and open to the public and includes 21-and-up evening receptions on Thursday and Friday, starting at 6 p.m. both nights. Daytime shopping is Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with activities for kids and pizza for purchase. Harding Academy is located at 170 Windsor Drive. Parking is free. For evening parking, a shuttle is available from Immanuel Baptist Church at 222 Belle Meade Blvd.
The online show runs the week May 1-7 at thehardingartshow.com
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