Calendar of Events

May First Friday at Bliss Home
Bliss Home 29 Market Square Knoxville, TN 37902
Friday, May 2, 2014 through the end of the month.

Bliss Home is pleased to present Knoxville artist, Ocean Starr Cline, for May's First Friday. Bliss Home, located at 29 Market Square, will host an opening reception on Friday, May 2nd from 6pm to 9pm. Complimentary Steamboat Sandwiches will be provided and Starr's art will be featured for the month of May.

Part of the International Biscuit Festival, the Biscuit Art Exhibition runs May 2-31 at Bliss Home, Coffee & Chocolate, and Rala.

Purchase Biscuit Art online at Biscuitfest.com/art.

Jonathan Howe Fine Art now showing at The Tomato Head restaurant in Market Square through May. See a collection of masterful portraits in various mediums from oil on canvas to pen and ink on paper. This selection of fine art displays the diverse ways of revealing the light given to the human countenance.

Jonathan Howe Fine Art, 4513 Lee Rd, Knoxville, TN 37921.
The Tomato Head: 12 Market Square, Knoxville, TN 37902, Phone (865) 637-4067.

Photography exhibit: Gary Johnson and Karen Krogh
Art Exhibit at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church

Free and open to the public
Opening reception May 9 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.; artists’ talks at 6:30 p.m.
Exhibit runs May through June 2014

Where: Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church Gallery
2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37918

The featured exhibits at the library! The exhibits will be coordinated by his children, Allison Gallup and George Gallup, III. George Gallup, Jr., had a home in Blount County, TN. His father founded the Gallup Poll, and George, Jr., continued the business until he sold the company.

"George Gallup: Political Posters, History and Americana Collections” Political Pollster Exhibit, coordinated by his children, Allison Gallup and George Gallup, III, on the Art Wall across from the Bookmark Café and Art Panels at the Reading Rotunda area of the Main Gallery.
“George Gallup: Political Campaign Buttons” in two display cases in the Mid-Gallery area of the library across from the Bookmark Café.
“George Gallup: Political Campaign Bottles, a Ballot Box, Framed Autograph and pictures of George Gallup, Sr.” in one vertical case in the Entry Rotunda.
“Gallup Family Americana Collections” in three square pedestal cases in the Entry Rotunda.
“Gallup Family” in the Genealogy display case near the Reference Genealogy Desk.

Blount County Public Library, 508 N. Cusick Street, Maryville, TN. Information: 865-982-0981, www.blountlibrary.org

The Town of Farragut Arts Council presents Mary Agnes Schaefer as the featured artist for April and May. Located at the Farragut Town Hall, her exhibit - "Fabric Friends" - features handmade fabric dolls.

A charter and current member of the Farragut Arts Council, Schaefer spent many hours as a child playing with paper dolls as well as making handmade dolls out of drawing paper. Later in life, she started making paper dolls for her granddaughters and nieces. Each doll includes a wardrobe, toy and carrying case. The goal of her fabric dolls is to inspire children to use their imagination. Schaefer's "Fabric Friends" are available for sale at the Concord Gallery and the Annabelle Emporium in Loudon.

Each month, the work of an artist or group of artists is featured in specially designed cases on the second floor of the rotunda in the Farragut Town Hall. For more information about this exhibit or to access a Featured Artist of the Month application, please contact Lauren Cox at lauren.cox@townoffarragut.org or 966-7057 or visit www.townoffarragut.org/artsandculture.

The Farragut Town Hall is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at 11408 Municipal Center Drive directly across from the Farragut Branch Post Office.

Join Bill Landry of "The Heartland Series" for a guided trip around Cades Cove. Bill will share stories, tales and adventures during each tour.

$50 per person, advance reservations required, with a limit of 18 guests per tour.
Call 865 448 8838 for reservations Mon.-Fri., 10:00AM - 5:00PM.
Bill Landry Cades Cove tour dates:
Saturdays, April 12, May 24, May 31, June 7, June 21, July 5, July 12, July 19, July 26,
August 2, August 16, August 23, September 6.

Tours depart at 9:30 am from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend.
Tour is approximately 4 hours.
Light snacks and a cold beverage is included in the ticket price.
Bill Landry Cades Cove tours will run rain or shine.

Art in Public Places Knoxville is a monumental installation of large-scale outdoor sculptures by regionally and nationally acclaimed artists. The sculptures enliven downtown Knoxville as well as McGhee Tyson Airport.

Opening Reception: Friday, April 4, 5:00 – 9:00 pm
Award Ceremony: Friday, April 4, 5:30 pm

We are honored to announce noted sculptor, Kenneth M. Thompson, as the Juror for the 2014-2015 exhibition!

Most of the Festival's wide range of arts events, performances, and exhibitions are offered to the public free of charge. Dogwood Arts: 865-637-4561 www.dogwoodarts.com

Civil War Historical river cruises in Knoxville, Tennessee

If you would like a relaxing and entertaining weekend on the river join us aboard TRACE 1. Bring your friends and guests to share this memorable experience with you. Learn the history of the area during the steamboat/Civil War era where you see the Armstrong Locket plantation home, Bleak house, Longstreet's Heights, Armstrong Hill, Fort Dickerson and many others. You will have an annotated map to help visualize the 1863 siege of Knoxville with Confederate and Union positions highlighted.

Your crew will be the 150 year old spirit old Sam Clemmons and Miss Drusilla. Sam has operated steamboats for many years and will entertain with the local Civil War history even if he never did pick a side.

Saturday gourmet sandwich lunch Civil War cruises, 12:00, 90 minutes, $26 adults and $20 children.
Second Sunday gourmet sandwich lunch cruise, 12:00, two hours, $32 adults and $26 children 5 to 11, see more sights.
Friday and Saturday Civil War cruise 3:00 and 5:15, 90 minutes, $18 adults and $14 children on-line or $20 and $16 at the gate
Sunday Civil War cruise 3:00 and 5:15, 90 minutes, $18 adults and $14 children 5 to 11 on-line or $20 and $16 at the gate
Prices above are for advanced on-line reservations.
If you have a copy of our narration booklet with you, you get a $2.00 discount for everyone in your party. You may purchase a copy at the Knoxville Visitor's Center or Knoxville History Center, both on Gay Street.

NavCal River Rides http://navcal.com/navcal/CWHistory.htm. 865-765-3407

The last Wednesday of every month, 5:30-7:30PM, join friends of historic preservation for a drink and good conversation. Who knows what topics will be covered, but it's fun to gather together. No need to RSVP, just stop by The crown and Goose, 123 S. Central Street in the Old City.

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

East Tennessee Baskets, 1880-1940

Imagine doing away with plastic shopping bags, buckets, and storage tubs and depending instead upon wood baskets. The essential role these hand-woven containers played in bygone days would soon be realized. During the past year, ETHS has worked to document the traditional baskets of our region, including family stories and photographs when the maker's identity is known. Woven of Wood highlights selected examples from this survey and illustrates how East TN baskets were some of the most functional and creative possessions in everyday life.

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: Monday-Friday: 9AM-4PM; Saturday: 10AM-4PM; Sunday: 1-5PM. Information: 865-215-8824, www.easttnhistory.org

Blount Mansion is proud to host the works of East Tennessee’s own Richard LeFevre. He focuses on the history of the American Civil War (1861 – 1865) through 32 of its most significant battles. LeFevre combined his love of history and his skill as an illustrator, using inventive mixed-media techniques to create powerful images inspired by his personal investigation into that most terrible and definitive era. As part of the First Friday’s the opening reception will be from 5:00 to 7:30 on Friday March 7th here at the Blount Mansion Visitors Center at 200 West Hill Avenue in Knoxville. There will be drinks and light refreshments available. It is a free event and all are welcome. The exhibition is on loan from Ewing Gallery of Art and Architecture, University of Tennessee, and is supported through the Tennessee Arts Commission & Knox County Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission. www.knoxcivilwar.org and will run through the end of May 2014. More information is available at our Facebook page, facebook.com/blountmansion

Blount Mansion Visitors Center, 200 West Hill Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902; 865-525-2375 or www.blountmansion.org