Calendar of Events

Flying Anvil Theatre is betting that Knoxville theatre audiences are ready for something a little... different. Their next production is VENUS IN FUR by David Ives, a play the New York Times called "good, kinky fun." Flying Anvil Theatre's Executive Producer Staci Swedeen says the play is "smart, sexy and laugh-out-loud funny, but also sneaks in some serious ideas about sex, power and gender roles." The show was an off-Broadway sensation in 2010 before moving to Broadway the following year and picking up a Tony nomination for “Best Play.”

VENUS IN FUR opens with a cynical playwright lamenting the lack of talent in the actresses he has auditioned for his new play based on an erotic novel. Ditzy actress Vanda arrives two hours late. Sparks and punch lines fly, but underneath the humor something wicked and dangerous bubbles to surface. It builds to a punch-in-the-gut ending you'll never see coming.
"This play is definitely an adult comic-thriller," says Swedeen, a playwright herself. "The content and language is for mature audiences. But there's also a lot of comedy to be mined in the issue of dominance and submission between the sexes. Sort of 50 Shades of Grey with laughs." Local actors Carolyn Corley and J.D. Sizemore will portray Vanda and the playwright, Thomas. Flying Anvil Theatre Artistic Director Jayne Morgan will direct VENUS IN FUR.

This production marks the first time Flying Anvil Theatre will produce a show in a downtown space currently being renovated by Hatcher Hill at 525 N. Gay Street. The City of Knoxville is giving a facelift to the entire block, with new lighting, curb cuts and trees to match the rest of Gay Street.

VENUS IN FUR will open with a 'pay-what-you-want' preview on October 30, a $20 preview on Halloween ($15 if you come in costume!) and a $35 Gala opening on Friday, November 1st. Other performances are November 2 and 3, November 7-10 and 14-17. Evening shows are at 7:30 PM, Sunday matinee at 2:00. Admission for these performances is $25. Reserve and purchase tickets through KnoxTIX at www.knoxtix.com or by calling 865-523-7521. Tickets are also available at the door.

Flying Anvil Theatre's mission is to present provocative theatre of the highest professional quality by staging plays that entertain, inspire, and engage the audience. For more information go to www.flyinganviltheatre.com

Opening reception Mon, Oct 28, 6:30-7:30 PM
At the Art & Architecture Building, Gallery 103
http://www.brianjobe.com

1715 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Information: brian.r.jobe@gmail.com

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is pleased to present Surface: Selections from Arrowmont's Permanent Collection. The exhibition features 62 works by 61 artists of national reputation, and presents an opportunity to see many spectacular art and craft objects rarely on display to the public. The human need for expressing one's self through the making of images and symbols is evident throughout time and has manifested itself in an array of different forms and a plethora of artistic media. Whether applying paint to canvas, ink to paper, thread to fiber, texture to metal or glaze to clay, the adding, resisting, subtracting or a combination of those approaches to a material is the focus of this exhibition. Inspired by three surface forums (clay, fiber, and metals) taking place at Arrowmont in January 2014, these works from our permanent collection represent the different ways artists handle the surface of their chosen medium and express themselves through the objects they create. All art communicates and it all begins with a mark on a surface.

"We chose these particular pieces because of their exploration and manipulation of extremely varied surfaces, and their diversity of materials and content,” says Stefanie Gerber Darr, Arrowmont Gallery Manager. “Curating, conserving and exhibiting Arrowmont’s fantastic—and constantly growing—permanent collection is one of the truly great things the school provides for this region. We are always pleased by these opportunities to share it, and to invite our neighbors and visitors to be enriched by it here with us.”

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

The East Tennessee Society of the Archaeological Institute of America and the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will begin their annual lecture series on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

The first lecture will feature UT professors Erin Darby and Robert Darby, who will talk about their recent archaeological excavations at 'Ayn Gharandal, Jordan.
Robert Darby, a lecturer in art history in the UT School of Art, and Erin Darby, an assistant professor in the Department of Religious Studies, direct the 'Ayn Gharandal archaeological project that has uncovered rare new details about an ancient Roman fort in southern Jordan.

The 7:30 to 9 p.m. event will be in the McClung Museum's auditorium.

The lecture series invites scholars from around the world to present the latest archaeological discoveries. It is free and open to the public.

Upcoming lectures this fall include the following:
Nov. 7: "Cultural Interaction and Reaction in the Courtly Art of the Hellenistic World" by Kristen Seaman, Kennesaw State University, Ga.
Nov. 19: "The Neolithic Alepotrypa Cave: Past Findings and Present Research" by Anastasia Papathanasiou, Greek Archaeological Service

The McClung Museum is located at 1327 Circle Park Drive. It is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Free parking is available on Circle Park Drive in front of the museum.

For more information about the McClung Museum and its collections and exhibits, visit http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu.

Recent works by Dennis Sabo Photography will be on display at the Tomato Head Restaurant-Market Square in downtown Knoxville from October 5 - November 1 and at the Tomato Head-Bearden location from November 3-December 7. His art exhibit entitled "Leafing Impressions" is an impressionistic and expressionistic viewpoint of the autumn grandeur that Mother Nature has provided to us.

Sabo says, "I challenge myself to capture common subjects that are often overlooked and then refine the photograph into an interpretive collage of color, motion, and textures. With a global community very much focused on environmental impact and fragile ecosystems, my artwork captures natural images and color with a perspective people easily miss." Dennis Sabo is an internationally award winning photographer specializing in contemporary fine art abstract, and scenic photography. His fine art prints interweave his creative compositional expressions and vivid colors into nature’s greater scheme of things. Dennis has refined the photograph into an interpretive collage of colors, and texture. His artwork and photography has appeared in a variety of books and magazines that include Canon, NOVA, PBS, Living Southern Style, Hilton Hotels, NBC, Ocean Conservancy, Shedd Aquarium-Chicago, and Blue Planet. His fine art has been included in gallery exhibitions at the Blowing Rocks Preserve-Hobe Sound, FL., Arts in the Airport Spring 2011/13 Exhibition-Knoxville, TN, the National Juried 2012/13 Exhibition-Knoxville, TN, Emporium Gallery- Knoxville, TN, Red Line Gallery-Farragut, TN, the Dogwood Regional Fine Art 2012 Exhibition-Knoxville, TN, Bliss Home Designs 2013, and ongoing at "The Art Market Gallery", Knoxville, Tennessee. www.dsabophoto.com

Tomato Head - 12 Market Square Knoxville, TN 37902 | (865) 637-4067
Tomato Head - Bearden - 7240 Kingston Pike, Suite 172 | 865-584-1072

The Fountain City Art Center’s 8th Annual Membership Exhibit opens Friday night, October 4. Members entered artwork in both 2-D and 3-D categories: oils, acrylics, watercolors, mixed media, pencil, clay, mosaics, wood, a handmade book, and jewelry. The show will be on view for the public through November 14. Most of the work is for sale through individual artists. Judges Kenneth W. Clayton, Jr. and Charles E. Williams, Jr. judge this particular show each year by popular demand. Cash prizes were awarded to all main category winners. Best of Show was awarded to an oil painting by Gary Dagnan entitled “Dan at His Easel.”

Opening Reception: 6:30-8:00 PM Friday, Oct. 4
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.com

A new exhibition of colorful landscapes in watercolor and acrylic, nature images, and abstract Rain Paintings. Many images are available as notecards.
Opening Reception Friday November 1, 5:30 to 8:00.

Knoxville Arts & Fine Crafts Center, 1127 Broadway Suite B, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-523-1401, www.cityofknoxville.org/recreation/arts

Blount Mansion will host an exhibit opening from 5:30-7:30pm entitled Furniture on the Frontier, a showing of the Blount Mansion’s finest collection pieces on display at the Blount Mansion Visitors Center. Admission is free with light appetizers and a special gift for our members. Blount Mansion is currently closed to the public for a historic restoration and preservation project; the Visitors Center remains open Tuesday-Saturday 9:30-5 with the exception of Game Days in Volunteer country. This exhibit, Furniture on the Frontier, will be on display for the duration of the closure and is always free to the public, with a suggested donation! Come and see some of William Blount’s most valuable possessions and a wonderful example of the splendor of the Blount’s during the founding of Knoxville. Blount Mansion is the home of William Blount, Tennessee’s only signer of the United States Constitution, as well as where the Tennessee State Constitution was drafted and signed. It will be an opportunity for all Knoxville citizens to learn about their vital historical importance in the founding of our government. Blount Mansion is Knoxville's only National Historic Landmark given by the National Park Service and is the oldest house museum in Knox County. It is owned and operated by the Blount Mansion Association, Inc., a nonprofit, educational organization.

Blount Mansion, 200 W. Hill Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-525-2375, www.blountmansion.org

"The Science Maze" where visitors get lost in science facts as they discover interesting tidbits of science fields from astronomy to zoology. AMSE Second Level.

American Museum of Science & Energy, 300 S. Tulane Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Monday-Saturday 9AM-5PM; Sunday 1-5PM. Information: 865-576-3200, www.amse.org

Beginning in September, we'll be partnering with the Square Room to present live jazz every Tuesday evening! A $5 voucher gets you in the door, and you can use it toward the purchase of food and non-alcoholic beverages.

At the Square Room. Knoxville Jazz Orchestra: 865-573-3226, www.knoxjazz.org

Pueblo pottery of the Southwest is one of the most beautiful and enduring artistic traditions in all of Native North America. It is a tradition rich with history—not only as an expression of cultural identity, but also to serve as a reflection of the relationship between Pueblo peoples and the influences from outside their own community. Today, there are about twenty pueblos with a total population in excess of 50,000. It is a practice flexible enough to adapt as necessary over time, while still adhering to established social norms.

Pottery-making in the American Southwest is a tradition that first emerged about two thousand years ago. Historically, it was a functional art form, passed from generation to generation over the span of centuries by people living in permanent villages known as pueblos. The pottery of each pueblo was unique and distinguished by a variety of characteristics, such as the individual clay source and shape of the vessels and designs, or lack thereof, painted onto the surface. By the latter part of the nineteenth century, these traditions were well established; and as more and more people began to travel and move to the Southwest, pottery production was quickly transformed from a functional art form (used primarily within Pueblo communities) to a highly marketable cultural expression.

Curated by Bill Mercer, this exhibition consists of seventy-four Pueblo Indian pottery vessels and supporting materials, dating from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twenties centuries, illustrating the remarkable variety of pottery created during that very dynamic time of transformation. Some of the vessels in the exhibition are very conservative and adhere to the traditional style of a particular pueblo, while others incorporate innovations specifically designed for the retail market.

It is also during this time period that certain individuals, such as Nampeyo from Hopi and Maria Martinez from San Ildefonso, became recognized for the quality of their work. The exhibition includes outstanding examples of their work as well.

Through this exhibition, drawn exclusively from the rich collections of the Kansas City Museum and Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, visitors will be introduced to the various styles of Pueblo pottery, as well as an understanding of the narrative behind its continued development.

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9AM-5PM; Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-974-2144, http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu

African American Appalachian Arts, Incorporated (AAAA, Inc.) is hosting an Opening Ceremony for an Artist Exhibition at the Downtown African American Art Gallery. Artist Hawa Ware Johnson native of Liberia West Africa, who now resides in Knoxville, will install a Visual Art Exhibition. The exhibition will be on display in the office of African American Appalachian Arts, Inc., Suite 106 of The Emporium Building, 100 South Gay Street, Knoxville TN, 37902.

Celebrating the Ten Year Anniversary of “First Friday” - Baba Beats & Edutainment will be conducting a Drum Circle/Jam session. Feel free to bring an instrument; some hand instruments will be provided. Djembe Gear drum bags and gear will be for sale and on display. On Friday, October 4th, 2013, from 6:00pm – 8:00pm in the office of African American Appalachian Arts, Inc., Suite 106, The Emporium Building, 100 South Gay Street, Knoxville TN, 37902. A taste of Liberian cuisine will be available.

African American Appalachian Arts: 100 S. Gay Street, Suite 106, Knoxville, TN 37902. 865-217-6786, kuumbafest@gmail.com