Calendar of Events

This is the fifth installment of an annual group show of 3-4 artists living and working in East Tennessee. LIFT: Contemporary Printmaking in the Third Dimension examines the work of international contemporary artists who use a variety of strategies to bring a sculptural dimension to printmaking. Featured artists include Enrique Chagoya, Lesley Dill, Olafur Eliasson, Robert Gober, Red Grooms, Jane Hammond, Hideki Kimura, Nicola Lopez, Leslie Mutchler, Oscar Munoz, Marilene Oliver, Dieter Roth, Graciela Sacco, and Jonathan Stanish. This exhibition is the culmination of a series of lectures, demonstrations, studio visits, and the creation of an online video archive documenting each artist’s studio practice. The series is intended to garner support for contemporary art in East Tennessee, and is accompanied by an illustrated publication. Organized by the KMA. Located in the Hall & Rogers Gallery.

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

Contemporary Focus is vital to the KMA’s mission to support and highlight art and artists of East Tennessee, bring them together with the museum’s audience in meaningful ways, and provide incentive for them to maintain their studio practice in the region. The public is invited to a free opening preview at the museum Thursday, January 29 5:30-7:30pm. Contemporary Focus 2015 artists will be on hand to answer questions about their work: Caroline Covington, Mira Gerard, and Karla Wozniak. The three artists selected have a common interest in creating works that examine the uncertain terrain between personal experience and external reality, abstraction and representation, and civilization and nature.

Contemporary Focus is an exhibition series launched by the KMA in 2009 that recognizes, supports, and documents the development of contemporary art in East Tennessee. It features the work of innovative emerging artists who are living and making art in this region, and who are exploring issues relevant to the larger world of contemporary art. The exhibition gives artists an opportunity to exhibit recent work, or consider creating a new body of work. In addition to giving feature artists the opportunity to showcase their latest work in a museum setting, it also allows them to engage with KMA audiences in gallery talks and lectures about their approach to making art, and about the challenges and benefits of basing their studio practice in East Tennessee. In several cases, inclusion in Contemporary Focus has created important new exhibition opportunities for the featured artists.

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

The work in this exhibition explores the non-objective and propositional quality that sculpture can have, and the ways in which we can understand something devoid of specificity and illustration. Presented on custom-built risers and linear structures, individual components are often physically or conceptually networked together with arrangements of objects ranging from the random and chaotic to the precise and articulate. Through careful positioning and intentional framing the works are suggestive of abstracted models and diagrammatic systems that allude to a sculptural logic that is both pragmatic and allusive at the same time.

Paul Sacaridiz will be lecturing at UT in room 109 of the Art and Architecture building on Thursday, January 22 at 7:30 PM. There will be an opening reception the following evening, Friday, January 23, with the artist at the UT Downtown Gallery from 5-9PM. We hope you can make it to these events.

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

Drawn from the McClung Museum is an innovative exhibition project involving 28 artists, each of whom will produce original prints in response to objects from the collection of the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture. The exhibition will pair the objects and the prints to address how we perceive and interpret art, science, and culture. Like the museum itself, the objects are varied, ranging from a mastodon mandible and an Egyptian ibis mummy, to a Victorian hair necklace and an Ojibwa men’s ceremonial dance apron.

The exhibition is being held in conjunction with the SGC International Printmaking Conference, which will bring 1,500 printmakers to Knoxville from the United States and abroad March 18–21, 2015.

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

Saturdays at the Library will snap, tap, and sing with professional storytellers and musicians. In its third year, Saturday Stories & Songs has provided parents and caretakers who work during the week a chance to bring their children to one of four libraries at 11:00 a.m. each weekend. There, they will experience great performers as they bring to life nursery rhymes, singalongs, and stories of all kinds, appropriate for all ages.

Saturday programs take place at 11:00 a.m. at Lawson McGhee Library, Cedar Bluff Branch Library, Fountain City Branch Library and Powell Branch Library. They are free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://www.knoxlib.org/saturday or contact Erin Nguyen at (865) 215-8725 or by email at enguyen@knoxlib.org.

SCHEDULE:
January 17, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.
Cedar Bluff Becca Tedesco, storytime
Lawson McGhee Library Sean McCollough, musician
Fountain City Brianna Hanson, storytijme
Powell Faye Wooden, storyteller

January 24, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.
Cedar Bluff Miss Lynn, musician
Lawson McGhee Library Becca Tedesco, storytime
Fountain City Melissa Mastrogiovanni, storytime
Powell Brianna Hanson, storytime

January 31, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.
Cedar Bluff Sean McCollough, musician
Lawson McGhee Library Laurie Fisher, storytime
Fountain City Emagene Reagan, storytime
Powell Georgi Schmitt, storyteller and musician

February 7, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.
Cedar Bluff Molly Moore, storytime (emphasis babies)
Lawson McGhee Library Faye Wooden, storyteller
Fountain City Laurie Fisher, storytime
Powell Becca Tedesco, storytime

February 14, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.
Cedar Bluff Charlene Ellis, storytime (emphasis babies)
Lawson McGhee Library Kindermusik
Fountain City Robin Milhollan, storytime
Powell Miss Lynn, musician and storyteller

February 21, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.
Cedar Bluff Brianna Hanson, storytime
Lawson McGhee Library Georgi Schmitt, storyteller and musician
Fountain City Sean McCollough, musician
Powell Emagene Reagan, storytime

Febrary 28, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.
Cedar Bluff Kindermusik
Lawson McGhee Library Molly Moore, storytime (emphasis babies)
Fountain City Georgi Schmitt, storyteller
Powell Sean McCollough, musician

Knox County Public Library: 500 West Church Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-215-8750, www.knoxlib.org

Arrowmont invites exhibiting artists and their families, members of our community and the public to the 17th Sevier County Biennial Juried Exhibition celebrating the creative talent within Sevier County. The opening reception will be held Friday, January 16 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM in the Sandra J. Blain Galleries and the exhibit will be on display through March 13, 2015. The Gallery is open Monday – Friday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Tours are available by reservation, and can be arranged by calling 865-436-5860. The opening reception, gallery and tours are free to the public.

Arrowmont is grateful to Sherry Masters, owner of Art Connections in Asheville, North Carolina, who served as juror this year. With over 140 entries and 103 works of art accepted into the exhibition, this show is a glowing testament to the artistic talent and dedication of Sevier County residents. Of the works accepted, 13 were chosen to receive awards. The artists will be presented their awards on the evening of the gallery reception.

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

The Arts Council of Roane County (ACRC) announced that its 2015 Roane Open Art Show will hold its official opening January 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the O'Brien Art Gallery on the campus of Roane State Community College. In previews since January 8, the exhibit features nearly 20 local artists displaying paintings, sculptures, photographs, pottery, mixed media works, and short films. In a departure from previous ACRC art shows, which ran for just a single weekend, this year’s exhibition will be in place through February 28. Admission is free.

The show will feature short documentary films by Lenoir City filmmaker Jesse Brass, each of which features the work of one artist and provides a glimpse into their passions, motivations, and processes.

The Grand Opening of the show is open to the public. Many of the artists with works on display will be on hand for the event and awards will be presented to the best works in several categories as judged by Roane State Art Department Associate Professor Stacy Jacobs.

Subsequent to the opening, the public is invited to check the Event page of the ACRC website at ArtsCouncilRC.org for gallery hours. Specially scheduled visits can be arranged for groups of five or more by emailing artscouncilofroanecounty@gmail.com at least one week in advance. The ACRC particularly encourages art teachers in Roane County Schools to consider class trips to the gallery.

O’Brien Art Gallery, Roane State Community College, 276 Patton Lane, Harriman, TN, 37748. Information: www.roanestate.edu/art/gallery

Arts Council of Roane County: artscouncilofroanecounty@gmail.com

This 30-minute documentary, filmed and produced by Jupiter Entertainment, begins in 2009 as Richard Jolley began work on what would become "Cycle of Life, Within the Power of Dreams and the Wonder of Infinity".

Every Saturday & Sunday at 3 PM.

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

The Salvage Shop is a program of Knox Heritage, accepting donated historic building materials to prevent these valuable items from going to the landfill. These items are re-sold to benefit Knox Heritage. All donations are tax-deductible.

619 Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37917. Shop Hours: Wed-Fri 12-5pm, Sat 10am - 3pm. Information: 865-523-8008, www.knoxheritage.org

Ramsey House was built in 1797 by Knoxville’s first builder, Thomas Hope, for Francis Alexander Ramsey. The structure is significant for original interior and exterior architectural features and its period decorative art collection. The Ramsey Family was one of the first families to settle the Knoxville area. They played vital roles in developing civic, educational and cultural institutions. Colonel Francis A. Ramsey was one of the founding trustees of Blount College, now the University of Tennessee. One of his sons, Dr. J.G.M. Ramsey authored an early history of the state, The Annals of Tennessee. Another son, William B.A. Ramsey, was the first elected mayor of Knoxville.

Tours: Wednesday-Saturday, 10:00am to 4:00pm (last tour at 3:00pm)
Info: 865-546-0745, 2614 Thorngrove Pike, Knoxville, TN 37914. www.ramseyhouse.org

The Mabry-Hazen House Museum, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located on six acres atop Mabry’s Hill in Knoxville,TN. Built in 1858 and housing three generations of the same family from 1858-1987, the Mabry-Hazen House served as headquarters for both Union and Confederate forces during the Civil War. This stately, elegant home of the Victorian and Civil War periods showcases one of the largest original family collection in America. Containing original artifacts including china, silver, crystal, and antique furnishings, this home is a rare view into the past. The Civil War, a gunfight on Gay Street in 1882, and a Breach of Promise lawsuit in the early 1930’s are only a few stories that bring life and color to those who visit the museum.

Tours: Monday-Friday: 11am – 5pm; Saturday: 10am – 3pm (or by appointment)
Info: 865-522-8661, 1711 Dandridge Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37915. www.mabryhazen.com

Located on Bethel Avenue and down the road from the Mabry-Hazen House, the Bethel Cemetery contains more than 1,600 Confederate dead, including roughly one hundred who were killed in the battle of Fort Sanders. In addition, around 50 “Union Men” and 20 Civil War veterans are interred here. The monument to the Confederate dead was erected by the Ladies Memorial Association and was unveiled on May 19, 1892. The cemetery was cared for and maintained by the Winstead family from 1886-1989. The last family descendent and caretaker, Miss Mamie Winstead, willed the cemetery to the Hazen Historical Museum Foundation in 1989. Meeting her wishes, the Foundation recently opened a small museum which details the history of the cemetery as it pertains to the Civil War in Knoxville.

Tours: Saturday: 10am-3pm or by appointment
Info: 865-522-8661, 1917 Bethel Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37915.

Tuesdays at 6:00 PM and Saturdays at 10:30 AM - A fun great workout!

A technique and fitness-oriented class that offers a solid foundation for developing a graceful dance style. Students learn basic hip and arm movements, head slides, basic traveling steps and turns, and basic combinations for dancing at home and socially. No previous dance training is necessary. No two sessions are identical, so students may remain in Belly Dance basics as long as desired and still learn new movements.

Anyone can learn! Try out one class for $15 but if you sign up for 4 or more then it's $12 a class. At 1563 Crestwood Drive, Louisville, TN 37777. For more info contact Alexia at alexia@alexia-dance.com or call 865-898-2126. Website: www.alexia-dance.com