Calendar of Events

For the last nine years, LUNAFEST has been celebrating women film makers, showcasing their films and talents in communities across the United States. For the first time since its inception the national, traveling film festival made its first stop in Knoxville in 2008. LUNAFEST features short films by, for, and about women. LUNA, the makers of a nutritional bar for women, wanted to find a way to support women's issues and give back to the community. In addition to providing national exposure for emerging female film makers, they also support one of the most important causes for women today by donating 15 percent of the proceeds nationally to the Breast Cancer Fund. The remaining 85 percent of the proceeds locally go directly to The Restoration House of East Tennessee. Since its inception, LUNAFEST has raised over $475,000 nationally. In Market Square. For more information: 865-719-9475, www.lunafestknoxville.com

Sale will feature framed prints, oils, photographs, and artwork with a nature and wildlife theme. Do your holiday shopping early! Ijams members receive 25% discount. Sale runs October 3-November 30. 865-577-4717

Featuring artists Nelson Ziegler (paintings in oil and watercolors) and Bob Conliffe (horsehair pottery) as well as Mountain Majesty, a special exhibition of works by the AMG regional artists' cooperative honoring the 75th anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Opening reception during First Friday art walk on October 2, 5:30-9:00 PM with music by Alexia Pantanizopolos, cellist, and guest performer. Located at 422 S. Gay Street, downtown Knoxville. Hours: Tues-Sat 11-6 and Sun 1-5. Information: 865-525-5265 or www.artmarketgallery.net.

Artist reception on Friday, October 2, 5-9 PM. At Bliss Home, 24 Market Square in downtown Knoxville. (865) 573-4010 or
rblair @ acs.ac.

Pauline Wallen, a young 87-year-old Knoxville native, is a champion at watercolor, pastel, oil and drawing. She has garnered numerous awards both in the United States and in France for her creative spirit and insight that often portray East Tennessee life. Hanson Gallery will honor Pauline Wallen with a Retrospective Show that will include works in various media showing the artist's far reach and skill. The artist will receive guests Friday, October 2, 2009, from 5-8 pm at a champagne reception being held at Hanson Gallery, 5607 Kingston Pike. Gallery owners Doug and Diane Hanson state that part of the gallery's mission is to include mature works from the community's elders and honor those artists who have lived their lives in our region and portrayed its images to us through art. “We connect people to the artist, because that is where the story is. Pauline Wallen is a community treasure, and it is a rare treat to have her in the gallery on the evening of October 2.” Work included in this Retrospective will reflect landscape, floral, figurative and architectural images. Information: 865.584.6097 or www.hansongallery.com

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present a new exhibition by seven visual artists celebrating The Carpetbag Theatre's 40th Anniversary: Jeffrey Cody, Terry Collins, Eddie Davis, Walt Fieldsa, Alan Jones, Aisha K, Melody Reeves, and Sister Rakiah. The artists collaborated to create an installation in response to ways they have been moved and inspired by Carpetbag's work over the past 40 years. The exhibition will be shown in the Balcony at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from October 2-30, 2009 with an opening reception as part of First Friday activities on October 2 from 5:00-9:00 PM. The reception will feature public performances by members of the Carpetbag ensemble of actors, musicians and spoken word artists using excerpts from their repertoire of dramatic, spoken word and musical works. The Carpetbag Theatre (CBT) is one of the few tenured African-American professional theatre companies in the South. "It is important for us, as visual artists, to honor Carpetbag's vision and contribution to our regional and national cultural life,” says artist Melody Reeves. “They have created an impressive series of original dramas embodying essential stories from communities across the world. And they work constantly to train new artists and give back to their communities.” The 40th Anniversary Exhibition will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM with additional hours on Saturday, October 3, from 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM. In addition to the exhibition at the Emporium, a 40th Anniversary Homecoming Celebration on October 9-11 is designed to create awareness about the theatre's success locally, nationally, and internationally, to reunite community partners and individuals who have benefited from CBT programs, and to showcase excerpts from CBT's body of work. Call 865-544-0447 or visit www.carpetbagtheatre.org.

Installation, sound art, video, photography, performance: you never know what you can expect from A1LabArts! A1 will present its biannual member show Shadoz in the Pegboard Gallery from 7-10 PM on Friday, October 2, at Fireproof Storage building, 201 Randolph Street, east of Old City. The theme Shadoz is developed from the word shadow to instill an air of Halloween into the show. Each member of A1 uses their own interpretation and submits work using their individualistic style. There are no restrictions for members and what they submit. The themes of the exhibitions aim to be seductive, provide wide latitude and inspire artists as well as the viewers. Partnered with Fireproof Film Productions, the exhibit will be on display until Oct. 23. Events are planned every Friday throughout the month. Approximately 40 member artists are expected to submit works to the Shadoz exhibit. Works in 2-D, 3-D and 4-D media will fill the A1ArtSpace with a comprehensive representation of the pool of talented artists residing in east Tennessee. The public is encouraged to vote for their favorite pieces; a people's choice award will be given to the winner. There will be a costume event at the opening reception. A1 welcomes people dressing up in creative costumes. With the dedication to multi-disciplinary and experimental exploration of contemporary art issues in interdisciplinary arts, A1 continuously educates and serves local artists and the Knoxville community by introducing new modes and styles. For information: 865-773-9627 or www.a1labarts.org.

"Panama Overlays, The Map Series". At the O'Brien Art Gallery. For specific dates and updates to exhibits: 865-882-4649, wilkersonbs@roanestate.edu, or www.roanestate.edu/art/gallery.

The Town of Farragut Arts Council announces the Rocky Top Decorative Painters of East Tennessee (RTDP) as the October Featured Artist of the Month, in honor of National Decorative Painting Month. An exhibit showcasing the organization's work will be on display at the Farragut Town Hall. The exhibit features painted pieces by various members of RTDP, some representative of folk art and others fine art. Also featured are hand-painted ornaments for the organization's tree at East Tennessee Children's Hospital's annual "Fantasy of Trees". RTDP was chartered in 1981 by the Society of Decorative Painters, an international organization of nearly 23,000 artist members. The chapter has 88 members and meets monthly at Second United Methodist Church in Knoxville to pursue a diverse art form using a variety of techniques and media. Members contribute treasure boxes for Shriners hospitals and children's homes and memory boxes for area hospitals, as well as offer painting classes and seminars on decorative painting, watercolors and oils. For more information: 865-966-7057 or 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.

An invitational ceramics exhibition featuring the work of eight nationally-celebrated ceramicists. Please join us for a First Friday Reception October 2 from 5-9pm. The exhibition includes works by Pennsylvania artist Adelaide Paul who will be present at the reception, North Carolina artist and UT Alumus Michael Kline, Bonnie Seeman from Florida, and Georgia artists: Ron Meyers, Ted Saupe, Sunkoo Yuh, Andy Nasisse and Lauren Gallaspy. Ted Saupe, current head of the ceramics area at the University of Georgia, taught ceramics at UT from 1980 through 1992. The exhibition features a wide range of ceramic forms with innovative surfaces from traditional vessels to figurative sculptures. 106 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. 865.673.0802 or www.ewing-gallery.org/New_Downtown/Index/DT_Index.html#

Juried Mixed Media Exhibition by Regional Artists
Opening reception, September 12, 7–9; Gallery Talk at 6:30, Awards Presentation at 7.

201 Badger Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9-5; Saturday-Monday, 1-4. For more information, visit the Web site or call (865) 482-1441.

Reception: Fri., Sept. 18, 6:30-8:30PM

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