Calendar of Events

Tuesday, May 14, 5:30 pm - Science Café: BOOM! The Science of Explosives
(Recommended for Adults) Join Jim Quick, Investigator with the Knoxville Police Department Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team as he discusses the science of explosives. There will be a brief NOVA video presentation followed by an informal Q & A session and refreshments. There is no fee for this program, but pre-registration is required. Please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 110 to register.

Friday, May 17
7:00 pm - Cocktails from the Garden
(Recommended for Adults) Join us for an evening of "social irrigation" as we mix up tasty fresh-from-the-garden beverages. From margaritas and manhattans to cosmos and coladas, we'll use produce and herbs to put a fun twist on some old favorites. We'll even raffle off a basket with ingredients for your own cocktail garden. The fee for this program is $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Pre-payment is required for this program in order to guarantee materials. Please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 130 for payment and registration.

Saturday, May 18
9:00 am - Wagging Walk with Dr. Louise
Grab your favorite four-legged friend and join Ijams' own veterinarian, Dr. Louise Conrad, as she walks her own canine companions. She'll review good doggy etiquette at the park and help owners understand the special safety concerns for dogs in nature. The fee for this program is $5 for non-members and free for members. Please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 110 to register.
10:00 am - Ijams Birding Series: Chat-About
(Ages 12 and up) Explore part of Knoxville's Urban Wilderness. Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area is state land with lots of open meadows ideal for birding... perfect habitat for yellow-breasted chats. Join naturalist Stephen Lyn Bales, as he regales tales from the outdoors as you search for the feathered residents of the park. You're sure to enjoy the beautiful scenery, laugh a little, and even learn a bit about birds. The fee for this program is $5 for non-members and free for members. Please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 110 to register. NOTE: Due to limited parking, we will meet at Ijams Nature Center and then carpool to the South Knoxville location.
10:00 am - TN Naturalist Program: Ferns, Fungi, & More
(Ages 16 and up) This program is part of the Tennessee Naturalist Program, an ongoing series that introduces participants to the wonder of the state's amazing natural resources. This session will focus on ferns, fungi, and flowers in an effort to understand more about the species that cover our forest floors. This program is open to registered participants only. For more information about the Tennessee Naturalist Program, visit our website.
10:00 am - 3:00 pm - Ijams @ Children's Festival of Reading
(All Ages) On May 18, World's Fair Park will come alive with world-class children's book authors and illustrators, storytellers, musicians, and all manner of crazy fun! It's the kickoff celebration to a summer of reading. Share the news with the world! Join Ijams Nature Center staff as we host a hands-on nature booth as part of the day's festivities! This event is held at World's Fair Park; for more information, visit the City of Knoxville Events website.
1:00 pm - Magical Fairy Gardens
(All Ages) Just a touch of inspiration, a cute container, some plants and a few accessories are all it takes to get the magic of a fairy garden growing. Of course, you'll also want to add whimsy and merriment as well. Fairy gardens are a great way to get kids interested in gardening, and this workshop is a terrific family activity. At the end, you'll leave with your own piece of nature magic to keep in your home. Fairies typically take up residence within just a few days, so be sure to keep your eye out for magical visitors! The fee for this program is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. Pre-payment is required for this program in order to guarantee materials. Please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 130 to register.
6:00 pm - Family Campout
Join River Sports Outfitters as they host a family campout at Ijams Nature Center. Families will have the opportunity to camp on the lawn, as well as participate in fun outdoor activities such as climbing walls, night hikes, movies and more! Spend some time under the stars and get back to nature with these fun family campouts. Pre-registration is required NO LATER than Thursday, May 16 to reserve your spot. Reservations can be made by calling River Sports Outfitters at (865) 523-0066.

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Call for Visitor Center hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is famous as an international destination for all manner of aspiring artists and craftspersons—students seeking exposure, guidance, or simply practice at media ranging from jewelry-making to glass-fusing. The public tends to be less aware that Arrowmont’s historic campus is also a powerful attraction for a large, diverse and enormously talented family of instructors. For professional artists, instruction at Arrowmont offers an opportunity to ply their livelihood, certainly. But they also have the chance to demonstrate, discuss and refine their techniques in modern studios where lively conversation and exchange of knowledge enrich the entire group. For teaching academics, Arrowmont provides incentive to winnow away at a semester’s worth of teaching and determine what is essential and possible for a weeklong workshop. Both students and instructors say it’s common to cover more than a semester’s worth of collegiate art education during the span of one Arrowmont workshop.

Stefanie Gerber Darr joined Arrowmont as Gallery Director in April, following work at prestigious institutions in Denver and Nashville. “Every summer Arrowmont invites over one hundred artist instructors to share their talents and teach classes to students from all over the country,” says Darr. “They are conduits of creativity that help make Arrowmont an educational, expressive, and inspiring force in the world of arts and crafts. In addition to showcasing their abilities through the classes offered, the annual instructor exhibition presents the artist instructors’ work to the students as well as the greater community and visitors to the region. Representing diverse styles and media, the exhibition complements the educational experience of the individuals attending class sessions while also signifying the trajectory of contemporary craft.”

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

May 10, 6:00-8:00 PM: Opening Reception for Three Femmes Exhibition
Elaine Barnes, Annamaria Gundlach, and Lauren Karnitz will present their works through the end of May at the Clayton Center for the Arts in Maryville. The exhibition is titled “Femmes and Forms”.

Clayton Center for the Arts: 502 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804. Info: 865-981-8590, www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com

The senior adult Young at HeART art group from Marietta Cumberland Presbyterian Church will display their work in May at the Farragut Town Hall. A public reception will be held on Sunday, May 19.

View the exhibition during regular Town Hall hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Public Reception: Sunday, May 19 - 2 to 3 p.m.

The art show and reception are free and open to the public.

At Farragut Town Hall, 11408 Municipal Center Drive (across from the Farragut Branch Post Office). For more information, please contact Lauren Cox, special events and program coordinator, at lauren.cox@townoffarragut.org or 966-7057.

May’s themed art exhibit is titled “Stormy Weather”. Visit us to view how members of the Art Guild at Fairfield Glade interpret this theme.

Once a month, the PCAC gallery exhibit changes, so monthly visits are advantageous for viewing quality artwork, including watercolor, oil, acrylic, pastels, colored pencil, photography, mixed media, and 3-D work, including pottery, sculpture, and jewelry. The gallery is also a perfect place to shop for one-of-a-kind decorations or gifts at reasonable prices. PCAC visitors not only enjoy the latest gallery exhibit, they also learn about the many art classes and day trips offered by the Art Guild. In addition, visitors often get to see a class in progress or watch the open painting, beading, or figure drawing sessions taking place in the art studio.

Art Guild at Fairfield Glade at the Plateau Creative Arts Center, 451 Lakeview Drive, Fairfield Glade, TN 38558. Hours: M-F 9AM-4PM; Saturday-Sunday 1-4PM. Information: 931-707-7249; www.artguildfairfieldglade.net

Opening First Friday, May 3, 2 Many Pixels photo gallery is proud to present a collection of photographs by young artist Jake Wheeler. The work (more than 40 large format images) depicts urban decay and the distress of individuals coping with adversity. The images are mounted on reclaimed plywood, emphasizing a sense of deterioration. The photographs are all for sale, gallery archival prints, signed and numbered by the artists.

Hope to see you all for the opening on Friday night, May 3rd., 6pm to 9:30pm!

130 West Jackson avenue, suite 201, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: M-F, 10AM-5PM and after hours or weekends by appointment or chance: 917-532-4913 or patrice@2manypixelsphoto.com

The Ewing Gallery of Art and Architecture is pleased to announce our Annual BFA Honors Exhibition. Graduating seniors in the School of Art and the College of Architecture and Design are honored each year when selected by committee as the top students among their peers. This exhibition will feature work from students in ceramics, painting and drawing, design, architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design. There will be a First Friday opening reception on May 3 from 3-5pm in the Ewing Gallery. Come out to see some fine examples of student work from our undergraduate programs before heading downtown for evening First Friday events.

UT Ewing Gallery of Art and Architecture - A+A Bldg. 1715 Volunteer Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37996. ph: 865.974.3200 - email: ewing@utk.edu - web: www.ewing-gallery.utk.edu

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present a new exhibition featuring needlepoint pillows by Coral Grace Turner and monoprint/chine collés by Marilyn Avery Turner.

“Recent Works by Coral Grace Turner & Marilyn Avery Turner” will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, from May 3-31, 2013. An opening reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on May 3 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, May 4, from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Monday, May 27, for the holiday. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543 or visit www.knoxalliance.com.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present a new exhibition featuring contemporary Polish printmaking and media art at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from May 3-31, 2013. Artists in the exhibition include professors, tutors and students with the Faculty of Graphic Arts and Media Art from the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design in Wroclaw, Poland. An opening reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on May 3 from 5:00-9:00 PM with complimentary hors d’oeuvres. Students from the University of Tennessee Print Club will demonstrate screenprinting and relief printing during the May 3 reception.

“The Wroclaw Faculty of Graphic Arts and Media Art Exhibition” will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, from May 3-31, 2013. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM with additional hours on Saturday, May 4, from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Monday, May 27, for the holiday. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543 or visit www.knoxalliance.com.

Bliss Home is pleased to present Knoxville artist, Jill Sanders, for May's First Friday. Bliss Home, located at 29 Market Square, will host an opening reception on Friday, May 3rd from 6pm to 9pm. Complimentary snacks will be provided and Jill's art will remain for the month of May.

Jill pulls on her experience as a wood printmaker and graphic designer to create art that features richly colored patterns and natural materials. Jill describes her art as 'narrative scenes with objects and figures, richly layered with patterns and embellished with bits of typography'. Jill is often inspired by her dreams and the places she has seen, which gives her art 'rich sensibility'.

The UT Downtown Gallery is pleased to announce our next exhibition; ART SOURCE 2013. The Knox County Art Educators Exhibition began as a testament to the talent of dedicated teachers. Teaching art allows an educator to foster and nurture children’s creativity and critical thinking. For over a decade, this exhibition has provided the opportunity for Art Educators to showcase their dedication and abilities as practicing, professional artists. The exhibition has greatly increased awareness of the importance of art education in Knox County. The goal of the Art Source 2013 is to provide the visual evidence of these endeavors.

Please join us for a First Friday reception May 3 from 5:00 - 9:00pm. Free admission and the public is welcome.

UT Downtown Gallery, 106 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Wednesday-Friday: 11AM - 6PM; Saturday: 10AM - 3PM. Information: 865-673-0802, http://web.utk.edu/~downtown

The month of May will feature master artist Eric Buechel in an exhibit at the Shanks Center for the Arts, Crossville TN, which demonstrates Buechel’s wide variety of artistic accomplishments.

Buechel began at an early age learning to draw and paint from his father who is an artist and model-maker born in Koblenz, Germany. At the young age of 16, Buechel purchased a 19th century engraving which later grew into a substantial collection and began his interest in art conservation. During his high school years, he won several art scholarships and attended DCret School of Art, Plainfield, New Jersey and worked under Dr. Furman Finck, an Official Presidential Portrait Artist in his NYC studio. Continuing to enter professional competitions, Buechel graduated from Broward College, Fort Lauderdale FL, was quickly hired as an illustrator for FLM Graphics, Fairfield, New Jersey and continued to freelance with Sikorsky Aircraft, Curtis Wright Corporation, NASA, Strategic Medical, Communications and several pharmaceutical and advertising companies in New Jersey, Manhattan, and Connecticut.

Buechel opened a Design and Advertising Company called Tec-Art and in 1990 formed a new environmental company, Pioneers e-Waste, which was the first to recycle cathode ray tubes. His company, Advanced Recovery, was the featured story on the front page of the New York Times, followed by National Geographic, the Newark Star-Ledger, Chicago Tribune and Popular Science and other media worldwide for the development and marketing of the process of recycling computer and electronic materials and components. Other development processes continued, and in 2001, he was contracted to clean up 6,000 pallets full of technology equipment after the 911 attack on the World Trade Center. After that project, Buechel sold the company and moved to Tennessee.

In 2006, Buechel opened The Artist Corner and Gallery on Main Street in Crossville, but had to close it after three years when he was diagnosed with 4th stage non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In 2011, following treatment and recovery, Buechel began teaching adults and youth painting and art history classes at the Shanks Center of the Arts, Crossville TN. The Buechel exhibit, opening May 2 with a reception from 5:00 - 7:00 pm, will showcase a wide variety of styles and mediums.

Shanks Center for the Arts, 140 North Main Street, Crossville, TN 38555. Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 10AM-4PM. Information: 931-787-1936, www.shankscenter.org