Calendar of Events

Monroe Area Council for the Arts (MACA) will launch another sensational season of performances at Hiwassee College in Madisonville with 1964: The Tribute. Rolling Stone magazine describes 1964 as "the best Beatles tribute on earth!" Unlike other acts, 1964 concentrates only on the touring years of the Beatles, and in the process, portrays an astonishingly accurate recreation of the energy and magic of those years. Over 20 years of researching and performing have made 1964 masters of their craft. They are hailed by critics and fans alike as the most authentic and endearing Beatles tribute in the world. 1964 recreates an early live '60's Beatles concert, with period instruments, clothing hairstyles, onstage banter, and accuracy that is unmatched.

Season ticket prices are $105/Family (living in the same household); $90/couple; and $50/individual. Adult tickets are $23/advance and $25 at the box office on the night of the performance. Student tickets are $15. Season tickets are now on sale and can be purchased with cash or check at all Citizens National Banks in Monroe County or with a credit card: 423-442-3210, www.monroearts.com.

In association with the Better English Fund, Writers in the Library, Ready for the World, the Fern and Manfred Steinfeld Judaic Studies Program, and the Commission for Women. All events take place at 7 p.m. at Hodges Library Audtorium unless otherwise noted. All events are free and open to the public.

September 13: Andrew Farkas, Self-Titled Début - Fiction
M.O. Walsh, The Prospect of Magic - Fiction

For more information: Marilyn Kallet, Director, Creative Writing Program
mkallet@utk.edu, 865-974-6947

The Wild Thyme Players' stage combat training group, Shake, Rattle & Role is opening training to all interested individuals over age 16. An informational gathering will be held at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, off Merchant's Drive in Knoxville.

Training will include: Broadsword, Rapier & Dagger, Quarterstaff, Epee, Knife & Unarmed Stage Combat. Training is free and all equipment and protective gear will be provided at no cost.

The Wild Thyme Players past productions include: Othello, Cyrano, Titus Andronicus, Romeo & Juliet, Dancing at Lughnasa, Hamlet, The Curate Shakespeare As You Like It, and Antigone. Shake, Rattle & Role instructors are members of and train with the Society of American Fight Directors. Workshops will include members of the Silver Stage Players, so seniors are encouraged to participate.

865-387-1081, markamcginley@gmail.com

Free and open to the public
Opening reception Friday, September 17, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.; artists' talks at 7 p.m.

This exhibit features the art work of Bobbie Crews and photographs of Clay Thurston. Bobbie Crews has been painting professionally since 1993. She earned her BFA in studio art from the UT School of Art, graduating Suma Cum Laude in 2007. Her artwork is widely collected in the U.S. and overseas. Locally her work is exhibited in schools, government buildings, churches, businesses, and private homes. Bobbie teaches art, speaks on art and is a courtroom sketch artist. She is also an activist for women in the form of artwork for education and awareness of domestic violence. A retired physical education teacher with the Oak Ridge schools, Clay Thurston now pursues photography full time. He has traveled extensively in the continental U.S. and Alaska and across the globe photographing the beauty and diversity of the land, its wildlife, and its people. Clay has been an award-winning nature and wildlife photographer for about 35 years. Inspired by his wife and best friend, Bobbie Crews, he now seeks to find the art in an even wider range of subject matter.

Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Information: 865-523-4176, www.tvuuc.org

In this brilliant and powerful drama, Sister Aloysius, a Bronz school principal, takes matters into her own hands when she suspects the young Father Flynn of improper relations with a student. A gripping story of suspicion that is less about scandal than about fascinatingly nuanced questions of moral certainty. Winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for Best Play. Suitable for mature teens and older.

Oak Ridge Playhouse, 227 Broadway in Historic Jackson Square, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. For information and tickets: 865-482-9999, www.orplayhouse.com

More details to come!

The Tennessee Valley Fair we know today was born in 1916; however, we can trace its origins back to the earliest years of this century. It began as an idea in the minds of a group of progressive and in some way idealistic Knoxvillians. These men dreamed of making their city the shinning centerpieces of a prosperous and modernized Appalachian. Lead by the regions most enterprising citizens - businessmen, publishers, educators, and others, they conceived the idea of bringing to their city a great exposition, which would serve as a showcase for Knoxville and all of southern Appalachia, drawing national attention to the city's promising start in commerce and industry and to the region's bountiful (but as yet undeveloped) natural and human resources. Thus was born the Appalachian Exposition of 1910. A great deal remains unchanged; however the Midway today offers much of the same of thrills and oddities as it did ninety years earlier, and the Fair's nightly fireworks seem never to lose their appeal to Fair-goers of all ages. Most importantly, whatever the effects of social, economic, and technological change in the world around it, the Fair remains for all East Tennesseans a place to learn, to compete, to have fun, and most of all to build memories.

Tennessee Valley Fair: 865-215-1471, www.tnvalleyfair.org

“Homecoming”, Marie Merritt’s one woman show, opens to the public in the lobby and mezzanine of Niswonger Performing Arts Center. The exhibit is a celebration of the vibrant work of Marie Merritt in a masterful combination of transparent and opaque oil paints. She is a native of Greene County and draws inspiration from East Tennessee history and that of southern Appalachia, translating their beauty, people, and places into stories told on canvas. Her own memories of her childhood in this county provided the motivation for her to take up painting as an adult. “Marie’s paintings are wonderful oils in a very representational genre with tiny traces of romanticism” says James-Ben Stockton, director of Greeneville’s regional art center. “Her work was so well received at the Capitol Theater last year during the “Civil War Views” exhibit that I’m having a preview event in the gallery from September 1-4.” This preview exhibit of Civil War inspired art
will take place at James-Ben: Studio and Gallery Art Center and include Marie’s open-stock prints and note cards and two original paintings of John Hunt Morgan. The “Thunderbolt of the Confederacy” is also portrayed through cold-cast bronze sculptures from Dell Hughes. Civil War inspired images including portraits of Stonewall Jackson and Nathan Bedford Forrest will also be on hand. Barbara Bible “Jake” Carter’s evocative watercolors depicting Civil War scenes will be included, along with prints from Lynne Olka and Kenneth Hinkle. “Visitors should take special interest in Suzanne Saltzman’s detailed and panoramic action photos of Civil War reenactments,” says Stockton.

September 7, “Homecoming” will open at Niswonger Performing Arts Center. A Meet the Artist event will take place Sunday, September 19th from 12:30 to 3 PM.

James-Ben: Studio & Gallery Art Center, 129 North Main Street, Historic Morgan Square, Greeneville, TN 37743. Information: 423-787-0195, www.james-ben.com

SEPTEMBER 3-28
A collection of works by local artists:
Michael Underwood, award-winning director, cinematographer and President of Knoxville-based Tantrum Pictures, creates alluring and unconventional fine art photographs which transport, inspire and elevate the viewer. "My goal," says Michael, "is to produce distinctive, memorable, and engaging work--work that isn't afraid to ruffle reality..."

Knoxville painter Kathie Odom's art reflects her life. She leaves the anatomy of her work exposed. In her use of washes and oils, light diffuses and textures emerge, creating interest in her landscapes and quiet scenes. Kathie's compositions are places where the possibility of life exists. Barn. Nest. Field. Dwelling. Bud.
Shed. The vision of Home.

Hanson Fine Art & Craft Gallery, 5607 Kingston Pk, Knoxville, TN 37919. Hours: Monday-Friday 10AM-5:30PM; Saturday 10AM-5PM. For information: 865-584-6097, www.hansongallery.com

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present a new exhibition by the Tennessee Artists Association titled “The TAA Annual Fall Juried Show” and featuring original art by more than 40 Tennessee artists including oils, watercolors, acrylics, pastels, photography, and mixed-media. The exhibition will be displayed at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from September 3-24, 2010. An opening reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on September 3 from 5:00-9:00 PM, and awards for the show will be given at 6:00 PM.

“This is TAA’s second show at the Emporium Center, and we are very excited about the opportunity to present the breadth and quality of Tennessee artists’ works represented by our members,” says Joanne White and her co-chair, Steve Black. Sponsors of this show, including FastFrame, Jerry’s Artarama, The Town Framery, Franklin Gallery, Cheap Joe’s and CMI Moulding, have made it possible to provide awards and recognition to the artists.

Founded in 1974, The Tennessee Artists Association (TAA) is a civic organization of fine artists with 55 current members. The Tennessee Artists Association encourages each individual artist to grow and develop through fellowship with other artists, educational programs, opportunities to exhibit and sell art, and to serve the community through classes. For more information, visit www.tennartists.org.

The TAA Annual Fall Juried Show 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, September 4, from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Monday, September 6, for Labor Day. For information: 865-523-7543, www.knoxalliance.com.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present a collection of new works titled “Let’s Play with our Emotions” by Rafael Casco, the current Betsy Worden Memorial Artist-in-Residence at the Emporium Center. The exhibition features works created during the time of Casco’s residency (April through September 2010) that were inspired by the Toltec tradition in which people learn to have and show total respect for themselves and those around them. Toltec tradition guides people to take care of their bodies, souls, and the planet. “I use my imagination and art work to create a reality in which the world is a place of justice and happiness,” says Casco. The exhibition includes acrylic paintings, airbrush technique, mixed media, plaster masks and sculptures, and hand-painted furniture and plates. Casco will also display a series of masks created by students with whom he works. “Let’s Play with our Emotions” will be displayed in the Balcony at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from September 3-24, 2010. An opening reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on September 3 from 5:00-9:00 PM.

Rafael Casco was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras where he received a degree as an art teacher from the National School of Fine Arts in Honduras and studied psychology at the National Autonomous University. He has participated in different art events in Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, and throughout the United States. He uses his art to design pottery, furniture, and to create and install custom murals; his collection also includes carving, molds, caricatures, and drawing. Casco taught art to at-risk children and adults in Latin America and the U.S., including his work with the YWMCA in San Jose, CA, where he used art as a gang prevention strategy with low-income Hispanic youth. After living in Los Angeles for a few years, the destruction in Honduras from Hurricane Mitch compelled him to return to his home country. He worked with children living on the street and used his skills in art therapy. He also taught art in the high schools while continually searching for ways to show his own art. In 2005, he returned to the U.S. to pursue his dream of exhibiting and selling paintings.

Casco sends some of his paintings to the Institute of International Languages in Honduras to be sold for scholarships for children who want to learn to speak English but cannot afford the tuition. He currently shows work at Earthspeak Studio and Creative Spirit Crafts in Gatlinburg and for the past three years has participated in the Artist-on-Location and Latino Art Exhibition at the Knoxville Museum of Art. In 2010, Casco served as a panelist for the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Arts Education – Community Learning grants. He was also recently selected to be one of ten artists from East Tennessee participating in a TAC program called Arts360° being piloted in five Knox County schools. Arts360° emphasizes arts integration in which math, science, reading and other subjects are integrated with and taught through music, dance, visual art, theatre and creative writing. Casco and the other artists will provide residencies and serve as peer coaches.

“Let’s Play with our Emotions” 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, September 4, from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Monday, September 6, for Labor Day. For information: 865-523-7543, www.knoxalliance.com.

Featuring works small enough to fit in a shoe box! All mediums.

SHOW WILL OPEN ON THE FIRST FRIDAY – SEPTEMBER 3
AND CLOSE ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17.

865-805-3190; www.a1labarts.org.

Featuring works by Carl Gombert, Mark Hall, Polly Ann Martin, Adrienne Schwarte, and Brian Wagner. Public reception on Friday, September 24, 6:00-8:00 PM as part of the Last Friday Art Walk: http://maryvilleartwalk.com/web/

Clayton Center for the Arts: 502 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804. 865-981-8590, www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com. Hours of Operation are Monday-Friday 10am-6pm.