Calendar of Events

A public reception will take place on Friday, October 7, 5:00-9:00 PM to which the public is invited to meet the artists and view the artwork. Most of the works are for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition.

The Arrowmont Experience will feature work by its current Artists-in-Residence, Grant Benoit, Richard W. James, Maia Leppo, Austin Riddle, and Emily Schubert, as well as a small selection of works from its permanent collection. This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Tennessee Craft Week, October 7-16, 2016, a collection of craft events and happenings across the state each October. The purpose is to connect and celebrate Craft Artists, the work they create and the businesses that support them. View http://tennesseecraft.org/tennessee-craft-week/ for more information.

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. Arrowmont's artists-in-residence will showcase contemporary, craft-based works using a range of media including functional and sculptural ceramics, fiber, mixed media, jewelry and collage. The current Artists-in-Residence include:

• Grant Benoit - mixed media artist interested in narrative, place and memory: www.grantbenoit.com
• Richard W. James - figurative sculptures that explore childhood experiences and psychological narratives by combining clay, found objects and textiles: www.richardwjames.com
• Maia Leppo - metalsmith and jeweler: www.maialeppo.com
• Austin Riddle - makes utilitarian clay objects using a variety of construction, decorative, and firing techniques: www.instagram.com/austinriddlepottery
• Emily Schubert - fiber and textile artist who has spent the past several years studying and working in the art of puppetry and performance: www.emily-schubert.com

The exhibit will also include a small selection from Arrowmont's permanent collection, which includes nearly 1,000 works in a variety of arts and crafts media. Made by the hands of current and past Arrowmont instructors, individuals from the settlement school's days, and past artists-in-residence, the works represent the arts and craft school's history, present, and future. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is a national art education center. The school enriches lives by developing aesthetic appreciation and fostering self-expression with hands-on experiences in a variety of media, classes, conferences and seminars. On the leading edge of arts education, Arrowmont utilizes contemporary and fine arts techniques to build upon a foundation of traditional arts and crafts. For more information, please visit www.arrowmont.org.

The exhibition is on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday, 3:30-6:30 PM (through October 23). For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit www.knoxalliance.com.

A public reception will take place on Friday, October 7, 5:00-9:00 PM to which the public is invited to meet the artists and view the artwork. Most of the works are for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition.

This is an exhibition of works in clay that pays homage to the history of the medium, but with a contemporary flair to underscore art’s innate tendency to evolve as it passes from maker to maker. Works range from those that appear to have been excavated from an ancient ruin to the crisp, contemporary forms that defy categorization - and maybe even gravity! All work is handmade. I take particular interest in formulating and making my own glazes and surface treatments. Techniques vary from the use of natural materials commonly seen in the desert southwest to others that involve the use of acids, precious metals, and fuming agents to create otherworldly effects. I enjoy pushing the conventions associated with clay while still respecting the origins of the medium.

As a native Montanan, Rex W. Redd had the blessing of growing up immersed in natural beauty. The central part of the state features vast open grasslands, time worn sandstone structures, and the endless “Big Sky” for which the state is known. Redd attended the University of Montana at Missoula where he graduated with a degree in Anthropology and discovered his true love for the arts. Growing up in Montana usually means ample exposure to Charles Russell, Frederick Remington, and a variety of other cowboy-related art. Craft is dominated by an incredible variety of Native American work, tooled leather, and an array of folk art. While certainly wonderful examples to be surrounded by, college would introduce him to the world of impressionism, abstraction, contemporary craftsmen and the great masters. Redd works in several other mediums including painting, printmaking, photography and wood; often incorporating more than one into a project. He has work in several private and corporate collections throughout the United States, as well as Europe, Japan, and Australia. For more information, please visit www.rexredd.com.

The exhibition is on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday, 3:30-6:30 PM (through October 23). For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit www.knoxalliance.com.

A public reception will take place on Friday, October 7, 5:00-9:00 PM to which the public is invited to meet the artists and view the artwork. Most of the works are for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition.

Dennis Sabo has refined the photograph into an impressionistic photographic painting, an interpretive collage of colors, motion, and texture. Impressive on the surface, it becomes surreal when vision, colors, patterns, and textures collide onto a metal print. Sabo is considered to be a master at transforming an image into something the viewer can connect with emotionally. His fine art natural world abstracts and landscapes are often sought out by home decor and interior designers and have been included in solo and group art gallery exhibitions, commercial installations and private home collections throughout the United States and internationally. He will display his favorite selected impressionistic artwork.

“When I capture an image, it is my hope that it evokes an emotional experience for the viewer,” says Dennis Sabo. “My interest is in the natural details: how the environment on a particular day, in a particular light, and at a particular moment in time correlates to my personal vision and interpretation of nature.” For more information, visit his website at www.dsabophoto.com.

The exhibition is on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday, 3:30-6:30 PM (through October 23). For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit www.knoxalliance.com.

A public reception will take place on Friday, October 7, 5:00-9:00 PM to which the public is invited to meet the artists and view the artwork. Most of the works are for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition.

The Rain Painting series reflects a spiritual belief by the artist that a higher power has a hand in all that we do. The paintings are begun by hand, then given to nature (rain), and finally finished again by the artist. The paintings are a study of the juxtaposition of color and line, an experiment in the use of texture, and the abstract, uncontrolled nature of falling rain. They reflect a need by the artist to let go of control and allow the random and chaotic nature of the technique to create beauty. This creative process includes controlled and uncontrolled elements. The technique of a Rain Painting is to apply wet watercolor paint to 140 pound cold press watercolor paper. While the paint is wet the paper is then set outside for nature to design with rain, causing the applied colors to abstractly bleed, blend, and run. The painting is watched closely by the artist. Variations in design result from timing and intensity of the rain. Sometimes a mono print is made by pressing paper on the wet image, which is set in the rain, creating another original painting. Handmade book marks and note cards are made by cutting or tearing the larger work into smaller pieces.

Local art educator and watercolor specialist Melanie Fetterolf manages Painting Your World Studio located in Seymour, where art and painting classes are offered in six-week sessions for all ages in addition to paint parties. Fetterolf has displayed at the Davis Gallerias, Smoky Mountain Arts, and the Center for Peace. For more information, please visit www.paintingyourworldstudios.com.

The exhibition is on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday, 3:30-6:30 PM (through October 23). For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit www.knoxalliance.com.

Things are about to get spooky! Show your Halloween spirit in the Ghoulishly Goodwill Costume Contest! Make Goodwill Your Halloween Headquarters! From the most neon 80's prom queen to the most terrifying zombie hoard, Goodwill has everything you need for Halloween! We have a wide selection of clothing and accessories that could be used to make the ultimate costume, whether you're going scary, quirky, funny or giant! Show off your best outfit in the annual Ghoulishly Goodwill Costume Contest for your chance to win great Zoo Knoxville prizes!

To enter to the Ghoulishly Goodwill Costume contest, participants must submit their entry by the end of day on Thursday, November 3rd in any one of the following ways: https://www.facebook.com/GWIKTN/. The winners will be announced on Friday, November 4th via social media. Grand Prize – A family membership to the Knoxville Zoo. 2nd Prize – A family 4-pack of tickets to the Knoxville Zoo. 3rd Prize – Two tickets to the Knoxville Zoo.

Recent works by painter Brenda Mills and clay sculptor Karen Kyte will be on display at the Art Market Gallery. An opening reception for the featured artists will begin at 5:30 p.m., October 7, during Downtown Knoxville’s monthly First Friday Art Walk, with complimentary refreshments, and music performed by John Kueny.

Brenda Mills is a water-media painter and pastel artist with a Cum Laude BFA from the University of Tennessee. A self-described “country girl” originally from Kingsport, Tennessee now residing in Knoxville, Brenda has won many national and regional awards. Her work was most recently accepted into the Tennessee Watercolor Society's 35th Juried Exhibition. When painting in watermedia, Brenda uses liquid acrylics, mainly for their intense color and glazability. Trained as a printmaker in college, she begins her paintings on glass, printing the image onto paper or yupo, a tree-free synthetic alternative to traditional art paper. Then she proceeds to manipulate the paint. “I love the element of surprise and the accidents that occur when painting on glass and printing my images.”

Karyn Kyte began sculpting as a child, using “mud pies” as her medium; however, her real passion for art came about while she was studying Medical Technology in college and then took a painting class. Soon, her interests moved back to clay, and she changed her major to Fine Arts. Karyn is a sculptor whose creations are spontaneous. When she sees a lump of clay, images start to form in that lump, willing itself into a certain form. Her pieces are inspired by her love of nature, and she uses shape, color, and movement to honor Earth and all its creatures. She tries to bring awareness to the fragility of Earth and of man’s impact on it through her art. Not only is sculpting Karyn’s way of showing gratitude to nature, to her, art is a way of seeing, being, and thinking. As she states, “I feel like the guy in Close Encounters making the lumps of clay into Devils Tower, not knowing why, just knowing he must.” Karyn received her Bachelor of Science from the University of South Dakota.

Art Market Gallery, 422 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Tu-Th & Sa 11-6, Fri 11-9, Su 1-6. Information: 865-525-5265, www.artmarketgallery.net or www.Facebook.com/Art.Market.Gallery

Back for her third showing at The Tomato Head, Ruth Allen skillfully crafts vivid drawings and paintings featuring nature’s flowers and wildlife. Since her last visit from Athens, Georgia, Ruth has had two paintings selected for juried shows and currently has a painting showing at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Her work will be on view at Market Square from October 2 through November 7 and will then move to the West Knoxville Gallery on November 7 through December 5. For more artist information, please visit The Tomato head blog: http://thetomatohead.com/ruth-allen-featured-artist/ or https://www.etsy.com/shop/100tinybluebirds

Tomato Head, 12 Market Square (865-637-4067) and 7240 Kingston Pike, Suite 172 (865-584-1075), in Knoxville.

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is exhibiting over 70 silk paintings by 36 national and international artists in two exhibitions. The exhibitions are in conjunction with the Silk Painter International’s (SPIN) biennial conference “Silk in Transition” being held at Arrowmont October 7-15, 2016. Arrowmont invites the public to view the exhibitions and attend the reception. Admission is free.

A reception will be held Saturday, October 8, 2016, 6-8pm. Awards will be announced at 7pm.

SPIN members were asked to create works that answer the questions, “What does silk painting mean to you? What does it mean to the silk artist? What does it mean in a transforming landscape?” The result is a dynamic group of silk paintings, sculptures and installations that explore a variety of themes and subjects. Silk Painters International (SPIN) is an international organization of silk artists, painters, practitioners and educators. Their mission is to establish silk painting as a recognized art form by encouraging and promoting the collecting, displaying and production of silk art at the highest level.

In the Sandra J. Blain Gallery. Admission is free and open to the public. 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

Don't miss October's amazing exhibit by artist Laura Baisden of Camp Nevernice! Her unique and whimsical letterpress prints are all about the detail in the designs. Every poster is printed one color at a time, one poster at a time. All prints on display are available for purchase.

More events at http://ijams.org/events/. Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. The Visitor Center, including exhibits, gift shop, offices and restrooms is open M-Sat 9-5 and Sun 11-5. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Stamping out art: Community invited to meet Maryville College artist Dr. Carl Gombert

The excitement is building at the Gallery at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church for the opening reception for artist Dr. Carl Gombert. The community is invited to meet the artist this Sunday, September 25 at 12:15 pm. Dr. Gombert’s gallery talk will follow the reception. ORUUC is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge. There is no cost to attend.

Dr. Gombert, who is also a professor of Art at Maryville College, is being commissioned to do a large kaleidoscope mural on a wall of the church Social Hall. His exhibit consists of rubber stamped decorative pieces that have been Gombert’s focus for the last several years. Visually alluring, his creations consist of applying small rubber stamp images that become the building blocks of his work. These varied images are combined into ever widening shapes. The results, in both black and white and color prints, are not always what they seem. “They’re a lot more improvisational than they look. They look like they’re incredibly planned out – all I can really tell you is that they start with an image in the middle that’s vaguely round and then will get bigger and bigger. I just try to make decisions that don’t reckon,” said Dr. Gombert.

Gombert will display his work at the Gallery at ORUUC through October. Hours are Monday – Thursday, 9 am to 3 pm. and Sunday 9:30 am to 1 pm. For more information call ORUUC at (865) 483-6761. To learn more about the artist go on line to http://www.carlgombert.com/.

In honor of Knoxville’s 225th anniversary, this exhibition explores the city’s heritage as seen through archaeological discoveries in the “Heart of the Valley.” Using historic artifacts unearthed in and around Knoxville, along with historical images, maps, documents, and oral histories, the exhibition tells the story of Knoxville’s development from a frontier settlement to an industrialized city.

Opening reception for members on Fri Sep 16, 5-7 PM.

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

The Town of Farragut Arts Council presents Janice Valentine as the featured artist for September and October. Located at the Farragut Town Hall, the exhibit features Valentine's framed italic hand calligraphy work.

Valentine has been the owner of the Olde Concord Gallery in historic Concord, Tenn., since 1999. The gallery building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Holding an Associate Degree in Advertising Arts/Graphic Arts from Chattanooga State Community College, Valentine has been a custom picture framer and calligraphy artist since 1984.

Each month, the work of an artist or group of artists is featured in specially designed cases on the second floor of the rotunda in the Farragut Town Hall. For more information about this exhibit or to access a Featured Artist of the Month application, please contact Lauren Cox at lcox@townoffarragut.org or 218-3372 or visit www.townoffarragut.org/artsandculture.

The Farragut Town Hall is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at 11408 Municipal Center Drive directly across from the Farragut Branch Post Office.