Category: Membership

Member Spotlight: Lillian Gilmer

In this Member Spotlight, we chat with a long-time Member about some of her favorite experiences visiting Cheekwood over the years.

Lillian Gilmer and her family have been Members since 1999, but she has been going to Cheekwood since she was a child.  As a Nashville native, Lillian remembers visiting with her family, seeing the beautiful garden displays, exploring the rooms inside the Historic Mansion & Museum, and learning about Cheekwood’s history.  

Lillian’s interest in history led her to Davidson College where she majored in Asian studies and spent her free time hiking and whitewater kayaking in the North Carolina mountains. After graduating with honors, Lillian returned to Nashville to teach History and Political Science at Harpeth Hall High School, and later moved to Japan to teach English in Nagoya.  After four years of teaching, Lillian entered law school at Vanderbilt and upon graduation, began practicing real estate law with a local law firm. Ultimately, her interest in both non-profit organizations and real estate law led her to an affordable housing development. Fast forward to today, Lillian is an attorney with Reno & Cavanaugh, PLLC where she continues making a positive impact on her community, working with non-profit agencies, such as Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville as legal counsel for their single-family homeownership program, as well as representing developers who purchase, develop, and rehabilitate affordable multi-family housing through federal low-income housing tax credits and other federal subsidies.  

Lillian and her husband, Nate Gilmer, live in Nashville and are soon to be empty nesters as their triplet daughters will go off to college this fall.  Still passionate about spending time outdoors, Lillian enjoys the changing terrain and technical challenges of trail running.

Lillian, you’ve been a Cheekwood Member for 21 years, what prompted you to join?

Really? Wow…time flies. Well, I’ve been going to Cheekwood since I was a child, so those memories were certainly an influence. I remember our family going at Christmas. The mansion was so beautiful, and I loved all the different Christmas trees. Seeing it through the eyes of a child, it was magical.

Cheekwood has many gardens and trails to explore.  What is your favorite garden area to visit?

I have two favorite garden areas. I really enjoy the Japanese Garden of course. It is so peaceful and reminds me of my time in Japan. The other area where we spent a lot of time is near the Swan Lawn. When our girls were little, we visited Cheekwood every weekend, sometimes both on Saturday and Sunday. We would pack a picnic lunch and load the girls in our triplet stroller to walk to Cheekwood from our house on Page Road. Willy and Elenore were often at the gate, and they greeted us with such enthusiasm every time we arrived at Cheekwood, which was always a nice welcome after pushing our triplet stroller up the hill to the entrance gate. Then, we would always go to our special spot near the Swan Lawn, where we would lay out a blanket, pull out a few toys, some books, and snacks, and just enjoy the afternoon. We were such regulars at Cheekwood that we were featured in a newsletter back in 2004!

Cheekwood is open year-round and hosts four seasonal festivals. What is your favorite season or festival?

We always enjoy coming for Cheekwood Harvest and Holiday LIGHTS. We also enjoyed the music at Songwriters Under the Stars. Our favorite festival of all has always been El Día de los Muertos, which we never missed when our children were young. And of course, the Easter Egg hunts!

Do you have a favorite exhibition that Cheekwood has hosted?

The Treehouses were a family favorite. Our girls had a lot of fun with those. Of course, both Chihuly exhibitions were gorgeous. Last year, my husband and I celebrated our 23^rd anniversary at Cheekwood. Seeing Chihuly lit up in the evening was so beautiful. It was the perfect “date night”.

Cheekwood offers so many programs and activities that our Members really enjoy. What are some that you or your family has especially enjoyed?

We have always loved all of the art activities at Cheekwood for the children.Before our girls started kindergarten, our nanny would bring them to Cheekwood once a week for art activities. Over the years, our girls went to several summer camps and art workshops.  On weekends during the holiday season, we always came to decorate cookies.

Lillian, thank you for sharing so many wonderful memories about Cheekwood. We have one last question for you.  Why do you think Cheekwood is important – for individuals, families and communities?

Cheekwood is such an amazing resource for Nashville. The ability to enjoy art, nature, and music in one setting is truly a gift, and Cheekwood is one of the few places in Nashville where all can be enjoyed at the same time. Cheekwood offers individuals a place to disappear into a landscape of beautiful green lawns peppered with colorful flowers and art exhibitions for a few hours, or even a day, a place to seek solace and a temporary escape from hectic city life. Cheekwood is also a wonderful playground for families, providing a place where families can take walks, enjoy a picnic, and be entertained for hours without the distraction of technology. Having a resource like Cheekwood is so beneficial to the community because it brings people together to enjoy the very things that are so important in life to our mental well-being (art, nature, and music), and it is these things which people often don’t take time to enjoy due to being over scheduled with obligations. Spending an afternoon at Cheekwood, whether it be alone with your thoughts, picnicking with family, or communing with other Nashvillians over an exhibition or other community event, is sure to be a delightful experience for anyone!

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Not a member? Join Cheekwood today and experience the unparalleled beauty of Nashville’s landmark country estate. As a member, you have unlimited access to inspiring art and garden exhibits, programs, festivals, and events throughout every season.

Learn more

Dale Chihuly, Gilded Yellow and Plum Tower, 2019 © Chihuly Studio

Member Spotlight: Gina Jackson

Published: May 24, 2021

At Cheekwood, our members are at the very heart of what we do. We wanted to highlight a new member and share some of the reasons she enjoys being a member at Cheekwood.

As an Air Force veteran and a Senior Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs headquarters, Gina Jackson is a frequent traveler and Nashville has been a favorite destination. The first time she visited Cheekwood she knew it was a place she wanted to see again and again, so Gina became a member in 2020 even though she lived in Virginia. However, a firm believer in serendipity, Gina has since had the opportunity to move and make Nashville her home permanently!

When Gina’s not handling interviews and media requests in her day job, she serves as a Board member and public relations adviser for the non-profit organization Operation Song – an organization that pairs professional songwriters with Veterans to help them tell their often difficult stories through song. In her spare time Gina loves music, travel and photography and she can often be found wandering the Cheekwood gardens with a camera in hand.

Cheekwood is open year-round and hosts four seasonal festivals. What is your favorite season at Cheekwood and why OR What is your favorite Cheekwood festival and why?

I think it’s tough to beat Cheekwoood in the springtime! It’s a great feeling when the weather finally starts to warm up and you can spend more time outdoors again and the gardens during Cheekwood in Bloom are absolutely breathtaking.

With 13 gardens, The Carell Trail, Historic Mansion & Museum, café, gift shops, and more, there is a lot to explore at Cheekwood. What is your favorite garden or area and why?

That’s a tough choice…but I love the Color Garden because it’s always amazing to see the incredibly colorful mixture of flowers each season and I love the Water Garden area because it’s very serene to just watch/listen to the water flowing down the small falls.

What is your favorite room or area in the Historic Mansion & Museum and Why?

I love the room with the curved staircase and the bell chandelier. Photography is a passion of mine and this room has great lines, curves and angles to photograph…from above looking down and from below looking up. There’s also some great details in the iron work on the staircase…it’s a beautiful area of the house.

Do you have a favorite art piece at Cheekwood, OR a favorite exhibition that Cheekwood has hosted? What about the artwork or exhibition interested you?

I loved the Chihuly exhibit! I’ve always been amazed by his incredible glass work and to see the sculptures displayed in the gardens was absolutely beautiful!

Tell us about a program, activity, class, workshop, or event you enjoyed and what you liked about it.

I really enjoy Holiday LIGHTS at Christmas! It’s a great activity for every age. Walking through the lights with holiday music playing over the speakers is just amazing and it’s great that you can get hot chocolate, adult beverages and make s’mores too! It’s just a really fun thing to do with friends and family around the holidays.

Why do you think Cheekwood is important – for individuals, families, and communities?

Cheekwood is a beautiful place to escape to…away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It’s not far from downtown Nashville, but once you’re there on the grounds it feels like you’re a world away. These days it seems like every square foot of space around us is being developed, so I’m thankful this beautiful place exists for everyone to enjoy.

What three songs would be on your Cheekwood playlist?

Pushing Daisies by Brothers Osborne

Desert Rose by Sting

Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls

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Not a member? Join Cheekwood today and experience the unparalleled beauty of Nashville’s landmark country estate. As a member, you have unlimited access to inspiring art and garden exhibits, programs, festivals, and events throughout every season.

Learn more

10 Reasons to Join Cheekwood

With seasonal festivals, weekend happenings, world-class art exhibitions, and more, there’s so much to see and do at Cheekwood for the young and the young at heart. Every visit offers a new experience and new things to discover throughout Cheekwood’s 55 acres.

One of the best ways to support Cheekwood is to become a member, which helps support our mission of preserving Cheekwood as a historical landmark where beauty and excellence in art and horticulture stimulate the mind and nurture the spirit. While some view membership as simply an “annual pass” for complimentary daytime admission, there are so many other benefits and reasons to join Cheekwood.

Read below for the 10 reasons to become a Cheekwood member today!

10 Reasons to Join Cheekwood Today

1. Visit again and again all year long.

Cheekwood has so much to see and do throughout the year, you’ll want to visit often. Members enjoy unlimited free general admission and parking.

2. Flexible membership that fits your life.

Cheekwood offers a range of membership-levels for individuals, couples, and families. You can add up to 2 guests to an annual membership, giving you the flexibility to visit on your own or bring guests with you.

3. Travel with benefits.

Members can use their digital membership card for admission and discounts to more than 330 public gardens and conservatories in North America, and over 60 museums in the Southeast.

 

4. Date nights, festivals, and dog days too!

Members get early advance ticketing and discounts for ticketed programs such as the Great Spring Art Hunt, Songwriters Under the Stars, and Holiday LIGHTS.

5. Nurture your well-being.

With 55 acres of breathing room, Cheekwood serves as a refuge to rejuvenate the mind, body, and spirit in one of the greenest spaces in Nashville. Wellness 360 features outdoor classes led by local instructors and new menu offerings from Café 29.

In addition to discounts on wellness classes, Members get an extra hour on Wednesday mornings to enjoy a peaceful stroll through the gardens and can even enjoy Mindfulness Walks along the Ann & Monroe Carell Jr. Family Sculpture Trail featuring 10 contemporary sculptures.

6. Camp friends are forever friends.

Cheekwood offers more than 30 half-day and full-day summer camps for children ages 5-15. Family-level Members get priority registration and discounts on all summer camps.

Our campers can learn about our resident turtles and their habitat, cultivate their own garden, create art and sculpture masterpieces, build their own backyard architecture, design cartoon characters, explore Cheekwood’s ecosystems and so much more.

7. Connect. Create. Cultivate.

Cheekwood offers hands-on workshops, instructor-led classes, and educational talks encourage lifelong learning and inspire a deeper connection to horticulture, art, and wellness. Members get early access to program reservations and discounts on workshops and classes. 

 

8. Make art and nature accessible to ALL.

Engaging thousands of students in art, history, and botanical gardens, Cheekwood offers free field trips for all school groups from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama. Our education staff works with teachers and community partners to develop lesson plans to enhance public education curricula throughout Middle Tennessee. Your membership supports essential outreach, education, and community programming to make Cheekwood accessible to all.

9. Feel appreciated.

We are thankful for every Cheekwood Member. We love to show our appreciation by hosting seasonal Member-only days with challenge activities and complimentary refreshments at our Member Appreciation Station. Members also receive a subscription to our quarterly Member Newsletter, and special offers during Member Appreciation Week.

 

10. You’ll want to come back!

Whether catching your breath at the sight of 100,000 tulips, observing resident turtles in the Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden, taking a peaceful stroll along The Ann & Monroe Carell Jr. Family Sculpture Trail, engaging a docent about a work of art, or stopping to watch the beloved TRAINS! go round one more time, Cheekwood has something to make everyone smile. Your Cheekwood Membership pays for itself in only two visits. So visit us often, and feel free to stay all day!

Join Cheekwood Today!