Calendar of Events

"Home" - a Mixed Media Exhibition by Regional Artists and Selections from the Permanent Collection
Featuring International Artists including Henri Matisse, Georges Rouault, Salvador Dali and many others.

Artists Reception: Friday Evening, July 8 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, Gallery Talk at 5:30 PM
The event is free and open to the public. Bring your friends and family!

Oak Ridge Art Center, 201 Badger Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Tu-F 9-5, Sa-M 1-4. Information: 865-482-1441, www.oakridgeartcenter.org

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is exhibiting works by new Artists-in-Residence – Grant Benoit, Richard W. James, Maia Leppo, Austin Riddle, and Emily Schubert. The Artists-in-Residence Program provides early career, self-directed artists time, space and support to experiment and develop a new body of work in a creative community environment. Each year, five artists of different media are selected for the eleven-month program, which begins mid-June and continues through late May of the following year. Participants receive exhibition opportunities, teaching experience, professional development and a private studio.

Showcasing work in a range of media including functional and sculptural ceramics, fiber, mixed media, jewelry and collage, the exhibit introduces work by Arrowmont’s five Artists-in-Residence as they begin their 11-month residency. The exhibit is on view in the Geoffrey A. Wolpert Gallery. Admission is free and the community is encouraged to attend with their friends and family.

Grant Benoit is a mixed media artist interested in narrative, place and memory. He received his MFA in printmaking from Southern Illinois University and his BA from Spring Hill College. Grant utilizes techniques from ceramics, printmaking, and textiles in his installation and sculptural pieces. www.grantbenoit.com

Richard W. James received his MFA in ceramics from the University of Kansas and his BFA from University of Tennessee, Martin. His figurative sculptures explore childhood experiences and psychological narratives by combining clay, found objects and textiles. www.richardwjames.com

Maia Leppo is a metalsmith and jeweler. Maia received her MFA in metals from SUNY New Paltz. Studying first in Biology and Community Health at Tufts University, Maia incorporates those interests and research into her jewelry and body adornment pieces. www.maialeppo.com

Austin Riddle recently completed his BFA in ceramics from University of Utah. He has previously been to Arrowmont as a studio assistant and makes utilitarian clay objects using a variety of construction, decorative, and firing techniques. www.instagram.com/austinriddlepottery

Emily Schubert graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art with BFA in fiber and textile art. She has spent the past several years studying and working in the art of puppetry and performance. "Drawing from mythology, folktales, memories, and personal experience I create sculptures, characters, puppets, and multi-media performances that aim to make some sense of our existence by giving form to our collective fears, sorrows, and desires," says Emily. www.emily-schubert.com

Gallery hours are Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturday 10am - 4pm. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

Rala is proud to present an exhibition by Knoxville artist extraordinaire, Mike C. Berry! "Postcards From Knoxville" is an exhibition of small "postcard size" scenes depicting some of Knoxville's iconic landmarks, all created in Mike Berry's expressive and colorful style. Mike Berry is a local Knoxville painter whose work consists of vibrant scenes of downtown Knoxville. He is the gallery manager of University of Tennessee's Downtown Gallery and an active member of the Art & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville.

Please join us for a First Friday Reception, June 3 from 5 - 9 pm

RALA, 323 Union Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-525-7888, https://shoprala.com/

This exhibition showcases the world of modern paleontology, introducing a dynamic vision of dinosaurs and the scientists who study them. New discoveries and technologies reveal how dinosaurs lived, moved and behaved. Find out how advanced technologies allow scientists to look at fossils in fresh ways. Examine realistic models and casts, and see dinosaurs walk, run and move their long necks in fantastic computer simulations.

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9AM-5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-974-2144, http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu

Opening Reception, Friday, June 3, 5-9pm - This event is free and open to the public. Mr. Westcott will be in attendance from 6:30 - 8:30pm, June 3. At 7:00pm, Baldwin Lee, Professor of Art, Emeritus, University of Tennessee, gives a talk about the work in our current exhibition.

JOIN US FOR A SECOND RECEPTION ON Friday, August 5th, 5-9pm at the UT Downtown Gallery - THIS IS THE FINAL FIRST FRIDAY TO SEE THIS EXHIBITION!

In 1942, the Army Corps of Engineers relocated James Edward Westcott to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and assigned him the task of official photographer for the Manhattan Project - a massive wartime effort to produce the first atomic bomb. As secrecy of the project was paramount, the "atomic" city was fenced, and communication with the outside world was limited. What is more, no cameras were allowed inside its boundaries. Thus, Westcott became not only the official photographer for the Manhattan Project, but he also became the sole photographer of the social and recreational events of Oak Ridge. It is only through Westcott's photographs that the visual history of Oak Ridge can be appreciated.

This exhibition includes over 50 photographs that were originally exhibited at the UT Downtown Gallery in the summer of 2005, which was the first exhibition of Westcott's photographs as works of art credited to his name outside of Oak Ridge. Now, we are pleased to announce the 2016 exhibition of Westcott's photographs, with additional works not previously shown in the 2005 exhibit.

Free admission! UT Downtown Gallery, 106 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Summer hours: R-F 11-6, Sat 10-3. Information: 865-673-0802, http://web.utk.edu/~downtown

In the Sandra J. Blain Gallery. A group exhibit showcasing work from over 100 skilled and talented instructors teaching at Arrowmont in 2016.

Gallery hours are Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturday 10am - 4pm. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

Lew Bolton started performing Jack’s adventures at the Jack Tales Storytelling Theater as trickster-hero Jack, celebrating his 30th season. Adults and youth take part in these interactive tales. Jack Tales are rooted in traditional folk stories from Appalachian settlers. Richard Chase, in a 1943 folk classic, The Jack Tales, published part of our rich cultural heritage. Bolton has also published Smoky Mountain Jack Tales of Winter and Old Christmas for the family to read at home. NEW in 2016, enjoy professional storytelling from the *Smoky Mountain Storytellers Association (info: www.smokymountaintellers.org)

Most events occur on Saturdays and Sundays with occasional performances on Wednesdays and Mondays. See the website for full schedule.

At ABC (Adventure Bound Camping Resort) 4609 US 321, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Supporting Jack Tale Theater since 1987. Info: (865) 436-4434 or www.Smokymountainjacktales.com

FULL STOP is an elaborate, room-sized installation fabricated entirely of cardboard and ink by New York-based painter Tom Burckhardt. It takes the form of a mythical modern artist’s studio, complete with hundreds of lifelike tools, paint brushes, and other supplies, each painstakingly constructed of cardboard, the details rendered in ink with great attention to the smallest details. Organized by the Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus, Ohio. Presenting sponsor for FULL STOP: Tom Burckhardt is McCarty, Holsaple, McCarty Architects and Interior Designers.

The public is invited to an exhibition preview reception on Thursday, May 5, 5:30-7:30pm, preceded by a gallery talk by Full Stop artist Tom Burckhardt at 4:30pm. Free and open to the public.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org

Contemporary Focus 2016 is part of a series of exhibitions organized by the KMA that spotlights significant but under-recognized artists living and working in East Tennessee. John Douglas Powers, assistant professor at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville School of Art, is this year’s featured artist. His larger-than-life motorized machine-like sculptures and video projections combine cinema, engineering, computation, music, and physical space, drawing from areas as diverse as natural history, architecture, and the history of technology.

The public is invited to an exhibition preview reception on Thursday, May 5, 5:30-7:30pm. Contemporary Focus 2016 artist John Douglas Powers will give a talk at the museum on Wednesday, June 15, 5:30-7pm. These events are free and open to the public.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org

The MSFM, a project of Nourish Knoxville, is an open-air farmers’ market located on historic Market Square in the heart of downtown Knoxville. We are a producer only market – everything is either made, grown or raised by our vendors all within a 150 mile radius of the MSFM. Products vary by the season and include ornamental plants, vegetable and herb starts, produce, dairy, eggs, honey, meats, baked goods, jams/jellies, coffee, & artisan crafts.

With interactive fountains, live entertainment, delicious local groceries and tasty lunch options from some of Knoxville’s best food trucks, the MSFM is a perfect family destination. For events, please visit our special events page.

Location: Market Square Knoxville, TN 37902
Hours are Wednesday from 11am to 2pm & Saturday from 9am to 2pm
http://marketsquarefarmersmarket.org/

Special Public Opening: Friday, April 15, from 5:30-8:00 p.m.

In 1929 and again in 1930, Brunswick Records' Vocalion label set up a temporary recording studio at the St. James Hotel in downtown Knoxville and invited locals to come make records. These old-time, jazz, blues, and gospel recordings added Knoxville's voice to American popular music and inspired the next generation of country music stars. In an exciting new exhibition, the East Tennessee Historical Society and the Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound present a first-time look at the impact of these recordings and the region’s contributions to American popular music. The exhibition features an array of artifacts, videos, sound recordings, and photographs showcasing East Tennessee’s diverse musical heritage. Come to Make Records explores Knoxville’s growth in the early 20th century, the importance of fiddling contests in generating fans and driving record sales, the role of Sterchi Bros. in exposing local talent to a national audience, and examines why Knoxville was selected for the recordings. The exhibit offers a closer look at the St. James Hotel, the site of the Knoxville Sessions, an overview of the local talent that arose from the sessions, and a look at the next generation of artists, such as Chet Atkins and Roy Acuff. The exhibit includes a display demonstrating 130 years of recorded sound from the wax cylinder to the iPod, a re-creation of the St. James Hotel room where the Knoxville Sessions took place, Roy Acuff’s fiddle, Cal Davenport’s banjo, a Bairdola, and an assortment of other instruments. Other artifacts featured are original records from the Knoxville Sessions, a painting by Howard Armstrong, and Carl and Pearl Butler’s performance suits, designed by Nathan Turk. Special video presentations include a film produced by East Tennessee PBS on the Knoxville Sessions, a look at how 78 rpm discs are made, rare footage of Knoxville Sessions artists, and recordings of Roy Acuff, Uncle Dave Macon, and Carl and Pearl Butler.

Beginning at 6:00 p.m., Julie Belcher from the Pioneer House will display an art exhibition in the Bilo Nelson Auditorium of the East Tennessee History Center with music provided by saw player Robert Maddox. At 7:00 p.m. there will be a program with musical performances by local musicians, including Kelle Jolly, David Balle, saw player Robert Maddox, and the Tennessee Stiff Legs, of songs from the 1929 and 1930 Knoxville Sessions with remarks by Dr. Ted Olson, co-producer and co-author of The Knoxville Sessions box set book. The evening will conclude with a screening of rare film footage of Knoxville sessions artists Uncle Dave Macon, Willie Seivers, and Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong. Relatives and descendants of the musicians that recorded during the Knoxville Sessions will also be acknowledged during the program.

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: M-F 9-4, Sa 10-4, Su 1-5. Information: 865-215-8824, www.easttnhistory.org

A world-class visual arts exhibition of large-scale outdoor sculpture which enliven downtown Knoxville, the McGhee Tyson Airport and Oak Ridge. Sculpture artist Isaac Duncan III, a Brooklyn, New York native who currently resides in Chattanooga, Tennessee served as the Juror for the 2016-2017 exhibition. #AIPP

Dogwood Arts: 865-637-4561 www.dogwoodarts.com