Calendar of Events

Mabry-Hazen House invites you to join us at the grand opening of the Bethel Cemetery Civil War Museum. Bethel Cemetery is the final resting place for over 1,600 Confederate soldiers, and contains a Confederate monument erected in 1892 as well as the caretaker’s cottage from 1886. Bob Booker, local historian and writer for the Knoxville News Sentinel, will speak about Cal Johnson, who re-interred soldiers killed at the Battle of Fort Sanders. Dr. Joan Markel, of Frank H. McClung Museum, will talk about the Siege of Knoxville. Mayor Tim Burchett will cut the ribbon to the Museum. Buses will shuttle visitors from Mabry-Hazen House to Bethel Cemetery starting at 9am. Opening Ceremonies begin at 10am.

Mabry-Hazen House, 1711 Dandridge Avenue, Knoxville, TN, 37915. For information: 865-522-8661, www.mabryhazen.com

In 1927 a beautiful new junior high school designed by Baumann and Baumann Architects was built in the Parkridge neighborhood. It served as one of Knoxville’s junior high schools until 1979, but then stood derelict and abandoned for several years until Kristopher Kendrick’s vision transformed the brick walls once entered by bright-eyed school children into 41 lovely condominiums each uniquely its own. For one night in August, enjoy a romantic Spanish-style dinner drenched by a starlit sky. Sip Sangrias by the pool before being led through wide and wondrous hallways into some of the building’s most delightful residences. Head to the courtyard for a romantic al fresco dinner fit for King Carlos

Knox Heritage: 865-523-8008, www.knoxheritage.org

Make objet d’art out of everyday items. Several stations to choose from to spark your creativity and craftsmanship. $35 non-members; $25 members.

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Visitor Center: Monday: by appointment only for tour groups and school trips; Tuesday-Saturday: 9AM-5PM; Sunday: 1-5PM (March 1 - November 30). Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Booder Barnes is the featured artist this month at Union Avenue Books. There will be a reception on Friday, August 5, at the bookstore 5-9pm. His work will be on display through the end of the month.

517 Union Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902. 865-951-2180

Bliss Home will feature Ryan Blair for August’s First Friday. A reception will be held at Bliss Home, 29 Market Square, from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, August 5. Blair not only devotes his time to painting on his own, but also teaching. “When not in the studio, he teaches art full time to 650 local elementary students.” His inspiration comes from the imagery of Tennessee. Living in the foothills of East Tennessee provides some of the best shapes and colors to mirror in his work. He pulls from adventures such as exploring the local mountain sides, streams or paddling his canoe.

24 Market Square, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: anne@shopinbliss.com, 865-216-1237, www.shopinbliss.com, www.ryanblairart.com

First Friday, August 5, 6:00-9:00 PM featuring local artist, Kelle Jolly
Images will be available for viewing all month.

Through social media, I invited friends to share stories of being "uprooted". These images and stories were full of emotions, like hurt and despair. But feelings of relief and gratefulness were also clear. I listened to these stories and allowed my mind to wrap itself around the feeling. And soon, the images grew from hands into shapes and forms of mesh and fabric. I decided to use wire mesh and plastic mesh because the loose ends resemble the wild roots of uprooted trees. Semi-transparent, wire mesh is the perfect canvas for weaving images. It gave me the option of adding to the surface by painting directly on it or adding materials by hand-sewing through it. A music composition was created with the stories that were left by voice mail. The recordings of the stories encourage the viewer to continually explore the feeling of being uprooted.

Kelle Jolly is an artist, actress, designer, educator and musician. She has created all of her life. "My earliest memories are of cutting up my baby clothes, to make doll clothes.", she says. Kelle enjoys using her hands to manipulate fabric, especially. In 2011, she was awarded the EMERGING ARTIST AWARD by the Dogwood Arts Festival for her line of wearable art "SUSHI DRESSES". Finding ways to combine her talents of designing, sewing and performing keep her motivated. Kelle says, "I want my memories to documented through the art I create."

URBhana, 115 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-951-5454, www.urbhana.com

By Williams, Sears and Howard - Directed by Vania Smrkovski
The much anticipated third installment in the Tuna trilogy takes the audience through another satirical ride into the hearts and minds of the polyester-clad citizens of Texas' third smallest town. Along with Tuna's perennial favorites, some new Tuna denizens burst into the 4th of July Tuna High School Class Reunion. This sets the stage for a show full of fireworks and fun from the land where the Lion's Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies.It's been several years since we left Bertha and Arles dancing at the end of A Tuna Christmas ... Did the romance blossom? Has Didi Snavley received any "cosmic" communications from R.R.'s UFO? Did Stanley make his fortune in the Albuquerque taxidermy business? These and other burning questions will be asked and answered in the side-splitting spoof of life in rural America.

Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 319 N. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37917. Performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8:00 PM and Sunday at 3:00 PM. Tickets are $10 plus fees for Thursday & Sunday; $15 plus fees for Friday & Saturday. For information: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com. For tickets: 865-523-7521, www.KnoxTIX.com

With performances by Athens Area Arts Council, Foothills Community Players, Theatre Knoxville Downtown, The Theatre Guild of Morristown and the Clayton Center for the Arts, the Festival will kick off at 5:00 PM on August 5 with music and BBQ on the Plaza and performances at 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM. The festival is homage to community theatre; the unsung hero of theatre artists and lovers in all times and places. At any community theatre performance you may see someone who has been on television, in movies or even on Broadway. All area community theatre groups are invited to the Festival and to have a booth for awareness or season ticket sales during the festival. The Tennessee Theatre Association will provide support by participating in a round table discussion for Community Theatres, promoting the Festival and offering information to participants. The performances are: Annie, presented by Athens Area Council for the Arts; Almost Maine, presented by Theatre Knoxville Downtown; The Fantasticks, presented by Theatre Guild of Morristown; Broadway: A Life, presented by Foothills Community Players; and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, presented by Clayton Center for the Arts. Individual performances are $15 but a ticket/pass to see all shows may be purchased for $35. Information: 865-981-8590, www.claytonartscenter.com.

Sunset Music Series: The Kirk Fleta Band

Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, Townsend, TN 37882.
Hours: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Saturday
Closed on Sunday
For Information: 865-448-0044, www.gsmheritagecenter.org

The Art Market Gallery of Knoxville will offer two special exhibits in conjunction with this year’s East Tennessee History Fair, which will be presented by the East Tennessee Historical Society on August 20. “Who, What, Where in East Tennessee” is an interactive exhibit opening August 5 at the gallery. It will feature artworks in a variety of mediums, with each representing either a prominent person, event or place in East Tennessee. This exhibit invites visitors to guess who, what or where is portrayed in each of the artworks and to enter their guesses for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to the gallery. The winner will be announced on Sunday, August 21.
A second exhibit, “Reflections of an American Tragedy,” a collection of Civil War paintings and limited-edition canvas giclees by award-winning artist Marie Merritt, will be on display in the lobby of the Art Market Gallery. Marie has a deep fascination with history, especially the Civil War. She says of these paintings, “Although a controversial and tumultuous time in our nation’s history, those hardships and strife shaped much of who we are today: people of faith, character and strength. I seek to tell those stories with understanding and honor.”

The gallery will host an opening reception with light refreshments and live music for these exhibits on Friday, August 5, from 5:30-9:00pm. This reception will also mark the opening of the gallery’s August featured member-artists exhibits, paintings by Jay Hollopeter and jewelry by Kathy Seely.

Art Market Gallery, 422 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 11AM-6PM; Sunday 1-5PM. For information: 865-525-5265, www.artmarketgallery.net

Art Market Gallery of Knoxville is pleased to present an exhibit of recent works by Jay Hollopeter of Tazewell and Kathy Seely of Oliver Springs.

Jay Hollopeter, who holds a BA in Studio and Commercial Art from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, creates vividly colored, whimsical paintings that include three-dimensional elements. He says, “My paintings come from a long time passion for humor, color and simplicity. I strive for art that is approachable, humorous, slightly biting and subversive all at the same time.” In addition to paining, Jay is an accomplished graphic designer and illustrator.

Kathy Seely creates unique mixed-media jewelry and beaded sculpture. Using a range of materials, from metal pieces that she fabricates to stones, old buttons, vintage glass and tiny glass beads, she employs a multitude of beading and jewelry skills to craft her works. She says, “I seek to find new and unexpected ways to combine the beautiful, the mundane and the unusual into very wearable and very special pieces of jewelry that invoke a personal relationship between the object and the wearer.” Kathy has exhibited nationally and has works in many public and private collections and her art has been published in numerous books and magazines.

A First Friday Reception for the exhibit is planned for August 5 from 5:30-9 pm with complimentary refreshments and live music performed by Grayson Dagnan. Art Market Gallery, 422 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 11AM-6PM; Sunday 1-5PM. For information: 865-525-5265, www.artmarketgallery.net

Knoxville artist Joe Letitia will open his mixed media works show at the Clayton Center for the Arts. Didymus is inspired by Caravaggio’s painting of The Doubting Thomas. The artist’s process begins with a clear and singular image, which is a symbol of an action. The works are made by the repeated replication of this core image. In some works, the gesture is isolated and in some pieces, there are many layers with transparent glazes painted over them to push each layer back, creating a deeper sense of depth and space. Other paintings focus more on the negative space and shapes, as well as the fragments created by the intersecting lines of the images. The works include, oil on canvas, painting on paper, silk screen and ceramic. The artist has included scripture in reference and inspiration to his paintings including John 20:24-25.

Joe Letitia lives and works in Knoxville, Tenn. He received his Master of Fine Arts in painting and printmaking from the Yale University School of Art. Letitia has received several awards and grants to pursue his work, most notably the Biennial Grant from the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation. Mr. Letitia teaches Art at Webb School.

An Artist reception will be held August 26 6-8 PM. The Blackberry Farm Gallery is open 10-5 daily and during Clayton Center for the Arts events.

In the Blackberry Farm Gallery of the Clayton Center for the Arts: 502 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804. Hours: M-F 10-5. Information: 865-981-8590, www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com