Calendar of Events

Open the door to a creative experience for someone to attend Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts by supporting Arrowmont's "Art 4 Art's Sake" Auctions. The first of the four auction events is an exciting night of art, food and fun with the opportunity to bid on beautiful one-of-a-kind artwork in support of the school's scholarship programs. Free to attend, the auction will begin with a preview, bidder number registration and a silent auction from 6:30 – 7:30 pm followed by the live auction at 7:30. Auction guests are also invited to a pre-auction dinner at 5:30 pm in Arrowmont's Staff House dining room for only $15 per person. Dinner reservations along with payment must be made 24 hours in advance by calling Arrowmont at 865-436-5860 ext. 33. For those unable to attend, absentee bidding will be accepted for selected artworks. Artwork available for absentee bidding will be posted online beginning March 23 at www.arrowmont.org. Absentee bids may be placed online through 4:00 pm (EST) on April 1. If you have any questions, please call the development office at 865-436-5860 ext. 28.

Live and online auction artwork is generously donated by artists who are Arrowmont instructors. They are known for their traditional and contemporary art and studio craft works in ceramics, jewelry, fiber, painting, quilts, glass, furniture, woodturnings, and more. Similar works by these artists are sold in fine galleries and held in museum collections worldwide. All proceeds support the school's scholarship and educational assistance programs.

This event is one of four Friends of Arrowmont Scholarship Fund Auctions planned this year. Auction dates for the 2009 season are: April 3, July 10, August 14, and October 2.

Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, 556 Parkway, PO Box 567, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. For more information, call (865) 436-5860 or visit www.arrowmont.org.

Star of stage and screen American comdedian Louis C.K. will make a stop at the Bijou on his current Theatre tour "Louis C.K.:Hilarious". His two previous tours were both turned into hour long specials, aired on HBO and Showtime respectively. Not content with stand up alone, he has starred int he HBO sitcom "Lucky Louie" and wrote and directed the Blaxsploitation spoof "Pootie Tang". This will likely be the last time to catch Louis C.K. in such an intimate setting!

803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. More information: (865) 522-0832, www.knoxbijou.com

In his most ambitious project to date, renowned musician Bèla Fleck explores the origins of the banjo. Fleck discovered in his travels in Africa that, while the banjo is traditionally considered an American instrument, its origins lie far from her shores. Throw Down Your Heart, the award-winning film, documented Fleck's travels and explorations of music. Now, in The Africa Project, Fleck brings to the stage his collaborations with some of the Africa's most talented musicians, featuring Toumani Diabate (Mali), D'Gary (Madagascar), Vusi Mahlasela (South Africa) & Anania Ngoliga (Tanzania).

All of these musicans are part of Bela's new release Throw Down Your Heart, Tales From the Acoustic20Planet, Vol 3: africa sessions. Bela went to Uganda, Tanzania, Mali and The Gambia in 2005 to find and collaborate with great acoustic musicans and research the roots of the banjo. The album will be released on Rounder later this year.

604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. More information: 865-684-1200, www.tennesseetheatre.com

Celebrate Knox Heritage's 35th anniversary with an exclusive sneak peek at the renovation of the S&W cafeteria. The space will soon be re-opened as the new S&W Grand restaurant. Light hors d'oeuvres; The Johnson Swingtet live!

Free to Knox Heritage members only; reservations required.

516 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. More information: (865) 523-8008, www.knoxheritage.org

Featuring work by Katie Ries

April 3, 6-10 pm

Appropriate for all ages and enjoyable for most, this show uses playful exchange to question modern ideas of value and resources. Visitors to this show will have the opportunity to "make money" in the gallery and to spend it there on locally sourced products.Also on display will be walnut ink drawings by several local artists.

Please note, Fluorescent Gallery is a second story space and not wheelchair accessible.

627 N. Central Ave., Knoxville, TN, 37917. (615) 400-8429, katieries.blogspot.com, kries1@utk.edu

Three African-American women pioneers leave the Southern Jim Crow laws behind to build new lives in the West under The Homestead Act. They settle near the all-black town of Nicodemus, Kansas where they overcome tremendous odds and carve out a place for themselves on the American frontier.

April 2-5, 8-11. All performances start at 7:30 p.m. with the exception of the Saturday and Sunday Matinees at 2:00 p.m. Clarence Brown LAB Theatre, 1714 Andy Holt Avenue on the UT Campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information, call (865) 974-5161 or visit the Web site.

When two young children are abandoned in the woods, they happen upon a place beyond their wildest dreams: a house made entirely of sweets and candies. Starving, the kiddies feed on the little cottage, much to the dismay of the evil witch who lives inside. Will she be successful in her plan to punish the pair by baking them into treats as well?

Junior Playhouse - April 2-5. Thursday @ 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM; Friday @ 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM; Saturday @ 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM; Sunday @ 2:00 PM.

227 Broadway in Historic Jackson Square, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. For more information, call (865) 482-9999 or visit the Web site.

Featured Artists are Marjorie Horne, painting and Stan Fronczek, furniture design. The Gallery will host a First Friday Reception on April 3, 2009 with music by the Knoxville Cello-Guitar Duo of Stacy Nickell Miller and Clark Miller.

422 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Gallery Hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 11am – 6 PM & Sunday 1 – 5pm. More information: 865-525-5265, www.artmarketgallery.net

Old City Java at 109 South Central in Knoxville, TN, has been hosting art exhibits for seven years.
More information: 865-523-9817, www.myspace.com/oldcityjavaart

An exhibit showcasing Dagnan's oil and watercolor landscape paintings will be on display at the Farragut Town Hall through Thursday, April 30, 2009. An East Tennessee native, Dagnan has been drawing and painting since childhood. His inspiration comes from the rural landscapes of this area. "Most of my paintings are of the mountains, hills, lakes and structures of this area," said Dagnan. "I enjoy the changing light and colors that come from the distinctly different seasons of Tennessee." A University of Tennessee (UT) graduate, Dagan is retired from the UT Institute of Agriculture where he was employed as an artist for 37 years. He now devotes full time to painting oils and watercolors. He began exhibiting his work in 1970, has held seven one-man art shows and has participated in numerous national, state and regional art shows. His paintings are represented in many private and public collections throughout the United States. Dagnan is represented locally by the Art Market Gallery and Frame Smart Gallery; visit http://web.mac.com/garydagnanart for more information.

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 Anne LaGrow at 966-7057 or anne.lagrow@townoffarragut.org or visit www.townoffarragut.org/artscouncil. 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.

Opening reception Friday, April 3, 5:00-8:00 PM. Wine and hors d'oeuvres and music by The Spurgeon Boys.

Blount Mansion, 200 West Hill Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37901. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 9:30-5, Sunday 1-5. (865) 525-2375, www.blountmansion.org

The Fountain City Art Center invites you to attend the opening reception on Friday, March 27 from 6:30-8:30 PM. This exhibit of handmade books and photography will be on view through April 24. All exhibits are free to the public.

213 Hotel Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37918. Hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 9-5, Wednesday & Friday 10-5, Saturday 9-1. More information: (865) 357-2787, www.fountaincityart.org