Calendar of Events

In this solo exhibition, Rice displays photographs of villages scattered throughout the countryside of Guizhou and Guangxi provenances in China, giving viewers an opportunity to visually experience the beauty of a people and place rarely seen by the west. Rice has traveled to Asia three times in the past year-and-a-half, visiting southern China twice, as well as Indonesia and Thailand. The remote mountains of southern China are home to the Miao and Dong people, two of China’s 55 officially recognized minority groups. The Miao and Dong have successfully maintained their rich language, culture and customs with little influence from the outside world. Their agrarian way of life, unique architecture, hand-crafted jewelry, and richly colored fabrics serve as a vivid reminder that, despite the rise of technology and the global economy, the world continues to be home to a diverse and often remarkably beautiful array of cultures and people. Seven thousand miles from the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, the mountains of southern China offer a unique glimpse into the lives of an isolated group of people group that, not unlike the Appalachian culture of 100 years ago, is defined by a rustic lifestyle and a rich heritage of music, arts and craft. Knoxville native Dean Rice has enjoyed photography for the past 25 years. Rice serves as the chief of staff to Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett and is an adjunct member of the faculty in the University of Tennessee’s College of Communication and Information.

“Another Way of Life: Photographs by Dean Rice” will be displayed in the Balcony at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, from February 4-25, 2011. An opening reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on February 4 from 5:00-9:00 PM with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and wine. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM with additional hours on Saturday, February 5, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Sunday, February 6, 12:00-5:00 PM as part of the Foothills Craft Guild’s Fine Craft in February show. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543 or visit www.knoxalliance.com.

A1LabArts announces “Insider Art”, an exhibition of work by Knoxville Museum of
Art board members, staff and volunteers, opening on First Friday, February 4, from 7-10PM at 8 Shooters Gallery at 1202 North Central Ave, in Knoxville. The show’s title “Insider Art” is a playful twist on what is known as “outsider art,” usually the art of untrained artists whose work has gained aesthetic recognition. As all of the artists in this show are associated with an established art institution, they can be considered as trained “insiders” who create works of art. This exhibition is organized and presented by A1Labarts, as part of their outreach program.

Opening Reception on Friday, February 4, 2011, 7-10 PM, with an awards presentation at 8:30PM. Closing Reception on Friday, February 18, 7-9PM. Regular gallery hours are from noon - 4PM Monday through Thursday; gallery hours can be confirmed by phone at 865-545-4480. For additional information please contact Norman Magden, President, A1LabArts at 865-805-3190 or nmagden@utk.edu. www.a1labarts.org

The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will continue its Library Tour with string quartets traveling to local libraries during the month of February to read stories and play music for pre-school aged children as part of the orchestra’s Story Time Program. The theme for this season’s program is Happy Birthday KSO! The program will open with a reading of the KSO’s recently published book Better Than Cookies, As Good As Cake, written by KSO cellist Stacy Nickell Miller. The book introduces string instruments by telling the story of a young girl who receives a violin. She finds that the sound that her violin makes, both alone and as part of a string quartet, is better than cookies and as good as cake. The characters in the book, illustrated by Stephen Brown, are loosely based on members of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Pre-school children will then learn about the “treats” that animals eat in The Wide-Mouthed Frog, hear Dr. Seuss’s Happy Birthday To You! and join in wishing the KSO a happy 75th birthday! These performances will help to highlight the connections between music and literacy and introduce the string instruments to young audience members. All Story Time performances are FREE and open to the public.

February 3 11:00 AM Smart Toys and Books
February 8 11:00 AM South Knoxville Library
February 10 4:00 PM Farragut Library
February 11 10:30 AM Caryville Library
February 15 10:30 AM Murphy Library
February 16 10:30 AM Carter Library
February 17 10:20 AM Lawson McGhee Library

Information: 865-291-3310; www.knoxvillesymphony.com

Oak Ridge Art Center, 201 Badger Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9AM-5PM; Saturday-Monday, 1-4PM. For information: 865-482-1441, www.oakridgeartcenter.org

The show features never before exhibited drawings and photographic images of the Villa Ottolenghi project, from conception to construction.

PUBLIC LECTURE by Guido Pietropoli - "The Dancing Columns of the Villa Ottolenghi"
February 16 @ 5:30 PM
Rm. 109, McCarty Auditorium, Art + Architecture Building
A reception, open to the public, will commence immediately following the lecture, at 7PM, in the Ewing Gallery of Art and Architecture.

Ewing Gallery, 1715 Volunteer Blvd, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: M-F 10-5, Sun 1-4. For information: 865-974-3200, www.ewing-gallery.utk.edu

The Farragut Folklife Museum will feature the “Out of the Attic” exhibit this winter and spring. This special exhibit will showcase interesting artifacts from the Museum collection that have not been displayed in many years or have never been on display.

Farragut Folklife Museum, 11408 Municipal Center Dr, Farragut, TN 37934. Hours: Monday-Friday, 10AM-4:30 PM. For information: 865-966-7057, www.townoffarragut.org

An exhibit featuring the photographs and painting of Terri Swaggerty and oil paintings of Emily Spence Stables will be on display at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. Free and open to the public. Opening reception Friday, January 14, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.; artists' talks at 6:30 p.m.

Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Art Gallery hours: Monday-Thursday 9AM-5PM; Friday 9AM-4:30PM; Sunday 9AM-1PM. Information: 865-523-4176, www.tvuuc.org

Bliss Home is kicking 2011 off with a First Friday artist that is not one to be missed! Melissa Johnson has created truly unique and playful pieces of art that are not only beautiful, but also make a bold statement. The materials she uses range from actual vintage newspapers and magazines to vintage children's encyclopedias and fabric. The pieces capture Johnson’s personal experiences by involving culture and religion, love and relationships, body image, and American social codes and roles both from the 1960's and current. Her work will be on display at the 29 Market Square location through February!

29 market square. Addn info: anne@shopinbliss.com; 865.673.6711

Sevier County artists, aged 18 and older, were invited to submit artworks for consideration and 100 works created by 54 artists were selected for exhibition in the school’s main gallery. An opening reception and presentation of awards will be held Friday, January 28th from 6-8 pm in the Main Gallery. The event is open to the public and free to attend. Martha Connell curated the exhibition and sifted through more than two hundred works in order to select the art featured in the exhibition. Connell is from Atlanta and serves as a curator for a number of museum exhibitions throughout the United States and Europe. The exhibition features a diverse array of media including painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, furniture, woodturning, ceramics, fibers, basketry and jewelry. Arrowmont’s galleries are free and open to the public.

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 576 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. For information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org