Calendar of Events

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

The Tennessee Reiki Connection is pleased to present “Enlightenment”, A Metaphysical, Spiritual and Energy Art Show and Holistic Fair hosted by the Arts & Culture Alliance at the Emporium Center, opening Friday, August 5, at 5:00 PM in the main gallery of the Emporium Center. Twenty artists will showcase works in the following media: encaustic, steel, clay, mixed media, acrylic, watercolor, colored pencil, photography, digital art, and more as juried by Mark Hall, Professor of Art at Maryville College. All works were created within the past two years and will be available for purchase. The mission of the Tennessee Reiki Connection is to promote Reiki within their communities and to be a resource and support for Reiki Practitioners of all lineages and schools. For more information on TRC, visit www.tennesseereikiconnection.com.

The First Friday reception on August 5 will feature holistic healers demonstrating their healing modality free of charge, drumming, belly dancing, acoustic guitar, and more.

“Enlightenment” will be displayed in the main gallery of the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, from August 5-26, 2011. An opening reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on August 5 from 5:00-9:00 PM with complimentary hors d’oeuvres. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM with additional hours on Saturday, August 6, from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. For more information: 865-523-7543, www.knoxalliance.com

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present a new exhibition of mixed media works by local artist Diana Rogers on the north side of the Balcony at the Emporium Center. The exhibition is essentially a public diary of current events, popular culture, and personal nostalgia that have served as sources of inspiration to Rogers, whose nearly 30 works will include watercolor, acrylic, pencil, and India ink. “In much the same way that a Facebook user posts status updates to a profile to create a personal news feed, the pieces in this exhibition became a way for me to document my day-to-day life and catalog my personal interests,” says Rogers. “Social media influenced both my choice of subject matter and the manner in which I presented the work.”

Knoxville native Diana Rogers is a graduate of Mars Hill College in North Carolina and holds a BA in Studio Art and English. In addition, she has furthered her studies in a variety of subjects, including drawing, photography and printmaking at Penland School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, and Shakerag. Rogers operates a shop on Etsy.com where she sells small prints, paper goods, and the occasional piece of original art. She also maintains a blog where she chronicles her artistic endeavors, baking exploits, gardening misadventures, and keeps track of the movies and television shows she watches. Locally, Rogers has exhibited at Tomato Head, Bliss Home, Marble Slab Creamery, and The Birdhouse. For more information on Diana Rogers, visit her web site at www.howlwithme.com.

“A Day in the Life: Observations & Obsessions” will be displayed in the Balcony at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street. An opening reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on August 5 from 5:00-9:00 PM with complimentary hors d’oeuvres. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM with additional hours on Saturday, August 6, from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. For more information: 865-523-7543, www.knoxalliance.com.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present a new exhibition of more than 40 watercolors, oils, and acrylics by the O’Connor Senior Center Painters entitled “Painted Memories”, opening Friday, August 5, at 5:00 PM in the Balcony of the Emporium Center. Twelve artists from the O’Connor Painters will display work in this exhibition. Each Wednesday, the O’Connor Painters meet at the O’Connor Senior Center to learn, work, and share under the tutelage of local artist Ann Birdwell, who teaches watercolors, oils, and acrylics. For several of the O’Connor Painters, attending class and seeing their work come to life from a blank canvas is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Others have come to class to refine their technique and to learn from Ms. Birdwell while sharing life experiences with the group. Fall painting classes at the O’Connor Senior Center will begin on Wednesday, September 7, and continue for 10 weeks. Please call 865-523-1135 for class information and to register.

“Painted Memories” will be displayed in the Balcony at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street. An opening reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on August 5 from 5:00-9:00 PM with complimentary hors d’oeuvres. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM with additional hours on Saturday, August 6, from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. For more information: 865-523-7543, www.knoxalliance.com.

A mural featuring pre-Columbian art and Mayans, Incas, Aztecs, and Cherokee art. Featuring work by Bogachan Akyildiz, Cristina Cox, Stephanie Steren-Ruta, Harley Diamond, Natalia Velasquez, Carlos Bermudez, and more. Opening August 5, 5:00-9:00 PM in the offices of HoLa Hora at the Emporium, 100 S. Gay Street, Suite 109, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: dinaruta@gmail.com; 865-335-3358, www.holafestival.org

While outdoor temperatures soar, performers for this year’s Hot Summer Nights Concert series at the Blount County Public Library promise to warm the hearts of audience members who can stay cool inside the air conditioned library building. Spotlighting “emerging artists,” this year’s concerts feature groups who have been performing in the local area for awhile and are now moving on to various larger venues.

The lineup for this year’s “Emerging Artists” 10th season of concerts is:
Thursday, August 4 - Six Mile Express
Thursday, August 11 - The Great Great Pines
Thursday, August 18 - Rebecca Roberts (modern/classical) & DeAnna Gilson (classical arias)
Thursday, August 25 - Laurel Wright
Thursday, September 1 - Knoxville Opera Company

Free and open to the public, the program is at the Blount County Public Library, located at 508 N. Cusick Street, Maryville. 865-982-0981, www.blountlibrary.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

Opening reception on July 22, 6:30-8:30 PM. Also showing oils by the students of Aurora Harrison Bull.

Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37918. Hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 9AM-5PM; Wednesday & Friday, 10AM-5PM; Saturday, 9AM-1PM. Information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityartctr.org

The Knoxville Museum of Art presents Art by the Kids, For the Kids in the KMA Education Gallery. The exhibition showcases artworks created by the oncology and hematology patients of East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. Organized by University of Tennessee Dance Marathon, the exhibition is part of a year-long effort to raise funds and awareness for the fight against pediatric cancer and other blood diseases. UTK’s Dance Marathon specifically benefits the oncology and hematology patients at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. For more information please visit activities.utk.edu/dance-marathon.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM; Sunday, 1-5PM. For information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org