Gallery Talk
Art Deco and Dress: The Style of the “New Woman”

Amanda McCrary Smith, curator of textiles and dress at the Tennessee State Museum, earned her BA in history and American studies at Lipscomb University, her MA in American cultural and intellectual history at Middle Tennessee State University, and her graduate certificate in costume and textiles collection management from California State University at Long Beach. She taught previously at Watkins College of Art, Design & Film and Nashville State Community College, where she focused on American, world, and Tennessee history. Amanda is currently pursuing her doctorate at Middle Tennessee State University with an emphasis in cultural resource management and material culture. Her focuses within her field include textile production and environmental impact, labor history and textile mills of the Southeast, the history of institutionalized dress, and a diverse array of other academic interests.