VISUAL ART & MUSEUMS

Kick off Valentine's Day early with Nashville artist Valerie Harrell, and her collection of femme-fatale portraits, "I - Roller Derby", opening in conjunction Sunday, February 13th with "Private Matters: Art of Sexuality", a one-of-a-kind art show benefiting ovarian and prostate cancer.
Blackbird Tattoo and Gallery's Basement Series will showcase art by over 40 local artists, including Harrell, working in mediums ranging from body paint to handmade jewelry, baked goods, candles, and, of course, traditional art. There will be a kissing booth and performances courtesy of the Delinquent Debutantes, as well as special appearances by other local burlesque lovelies. Also planned for the evening, a raffle featuring merchandise and certificates from 12 South neighborhood shops and restaurants, you can even take a swing at a censored piñata.
Valerie Harrell, aka Meretricious Creations, has been gracing Nashville with colorful, texturally orgasmic found art collages long enough to earn herself a place in the heart of the city's local galleries and "best-of" lists. Her latest collection, "I ? Roller Derby" is a testament to the "fishnets, lipstick and brute strength" commonly associated with the beloved sport and spectacle, and an insight into the "tenacity, creativity, and know-how" that Harrell praises in the women who compete.