Calendar of Events

The District Gallery & Framery is pleased to present Automata: Art Cars by Clark Stewart, opening April 24. Stewart, a retired professor, taught drawing and painting at the University of Tennessee for 42 years. His work, which is largely figurative, has been shown in over 200 exhibitions worldwide and is included in many private, corporate and museum collections.

Opening Reception: Friday, April 24, 5-9 p.m. - Meet the artist, and, if you own a classic car, we invite you to drive it to the opening reception for a fun evening with fellow gear heads!

As a teenager in Orange County, California, Stewart restored an MG-TC to concours level and progressed through an Alpha Romeo, Porsche, MG, Jaguar and more. An avowed motoring enthusiast, he is now involved in various vintage motorcycles—Nortons, a Benelli, and a classic BMW. Stewart’s “Automata” project is an attempt to bring his passions of art-making, modeling and machinery together. “Automata” are sculptures of imaginary, somewhat fantastic cars that are loosely based on exotic cars of the ’30s deco period. Most are around 15 inches long and made of wood, metal, and materials not associated with cars, such as velvet. They have no provision for passengers and are conceived as pure machines, their qualities uncompromised by human occupancy. The series concept is that they are imaginary maquettes for full-scale vehicles that would cruise urban areas controlled by sensors and computer programs—like drones for the viewing pleasure of passing onlookers.

The exhibit features over 20 of Stewart’s art cars and motorcycles. Also included in the show are displays that were custom-built by The Framery for these sculptures.

The District Gallery, 5113 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Hours: Mon-Fri 10-5:30, Sat 10-4. Information: 865-200-4452, www.TheDistrictGallery.com

The fire of the gypsy’s curse is ablaze with - IL TROVATORE by Verdi. A heroic dueling troubadour; A fatal love triangle; The gypsies’ celebrated Anvil Chorus!

The Inquisition and civil war rage through 15th century Spain. A rivalry between brothers unknowingly separated at birth, a crazed gypsy woman, and a tyrannical count doom the love of a noblewoman for her ardent balladeer. Roman censors halted the 1853 premiere of this rousing opera about lust, madness, and murder!

A powerhouse cast delivers Verdi's thrilling score, led by internationally lauded Joyce El-Khoury, and Nelson Martinez, who gave a brilliant, heartbreaking performance as Knoxville Opera's Rigoletto. April 24, 2015, 8:00 PM & April 26, 2015, 2:30 PM at the Tennessee Theatre. Performed in Italian with projected English translations. Opera preview hosted by Maestro Salesky begins 45 minutes prior to each performance.

Tickets start at $18. Knoxville Opera: 865-524-0795, http://www.knoxvilleopera.com/schedule/trovatore/

Dates of show: April 24, 25, 26, 2015 at Broadway Academy of Performing Arts and Event Center in Knoxville.

Mrs. Savage has been left ten million dollars by her husband and wants to make the best use of it, in spite of the efforts of her grown-up stepchildren to get their hands on it. These latter, knowing that the widow's wealth is now in negotiable securities, and seeing they cannot get hold of it, commit her to a "sanatorium" hoping to "bring her to her senses." But Mrs. Savage is determined to establish a fund to help others realize their hopes and dreams. In the sanatorium she meets various social misfits, men and women who just cannot adjust themselves to life, people who need the help Mrs. Savage can provide. In getting to know them, she realizes that she will find happiness with them and plans to spend the rest of her life as one of them. But when the doctor tells her there is no reason why she should remain, she hesitates to go out into a hard world where people seem ready to do anything for money. The self-seeking stepchildren are driven to distraction by their vain efforts to browbeat Mrs. Savage, but she preserves her equanimity and leads them on a merry chase. At last her friends conspire to get rid of her stepchildren, and through their simple belief in the justice of her cause, they enable Mrs. Savage to carry out her plans. The last scene, a farewell party, is a delightful fantasy where each "guest" in the sanatorium realizes at last some hopeless dream for something he was never able to realize. The dominant mood is high comedy, and the audience is left with a feeling that the neglected virtues of kindness and affection have not been entirely lost in a world that seems motivated at times only by greed and dishonesty.

https://www.facebook.com/footlightsproductions

Outdoor KnoxFest presented by Humana is a weekend for adventurers, outdoor enthusiasts, and nature lovers to celebrate outdoor recreation in Knoxville and our Urban Wilderness on April 24-26, 2015. Produced by Legacy Parks, the free event offers participants the opportunity to experience Knoxville’s amazing recreational amenities. Whether from a hiking trail, a bike path, or on the river, there are activities for every skill level, and an assortment of clinics and demonstrations provide the chance to learn something new.

OKF 2015 logo with dateThe schedule includes adventures for young and old, skilled or beginner, at the Outdoor Adventure Center and in Knoxville's Urban Wilderness. Clinics, fitness classes, and a bike check are also planned, so you and your equipment will be ready for spring activities.

Several new events this year include:
A Bike Scavenger Hunt with the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club on Friday night at 5:30 at the Public House
PetSafe Hike with Your Hound on Saturday or Sunday in the Urban Wilderness
The SweetWater Clean Sweep river clean up followed by an after party for participants with SweetWater and Aubrey's.
Thanks to Humana and all our sponsors, organzations, and event leaders!

The schedule of events may be found on Outdoorknoxville.com and on legacyparks.org

Step into the enchanted world of Disney's Beauty And The Beast JR. Featuring songs from the Academy Award-winning animated feature, this stage version includes music by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, along with new songs by Mr. Menken and Tim Rice.

http://www.knoxvilletickets.com/events/results?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q%5Bname_or_keywords_contains%5D=maryville+christian

Clayton Center for the Arts: 502 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804. Tickets are available at the Clayton Center Box Office M-F 10AM-6PM or by phone or online: 865-981-8590, www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com

Leroy Troy delivers a strong solo old-time banjo performance in the tradition of Uncle Dave Macon, Grandpa Jones and Stringbean. At 16 he began studying with Middle Tennessee banjoist Cordell Kemp who had in turn learned much from Macon himself; at 17 he dazzled a nationwide audience on the hit TV show Hee Haw with his banjo expertise and natural gift of comedy.
$12 JCA Members, Students, Seniors • $13 General Advance
$14 General Day of Show • $7 Children 12 & Under

The Laurel Theater is located on the corner of 16th and Laurel Avenue in the historic Fort Sanders neighborhood of Knoxville near the UT campus. For additional information, call (865) 522-5851, e-mail concerts@jubileearts.org, or visit www.jubileearts.org.

Monroe Area Council for the Arts (MACA) will present Jaimee Paul in At Last:
A Tribute to the Great Girl Singers, Friday, April 24, 7:30 p.m. at Hiwassee College in Madisonville. The performance is sponsored by People's Bank of East Tennessee. The performance is rescheduled from the March 5 show which was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Imagine a 1940's jazz club with the voices of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Rosemary Clooney, and others. Jaimee Paul and her Jazz combo, led by husband Leif Shires on trumpet, delivers just that in "At Last."

"Jaimee Paul has extraordinary vocal range, and the program range was also fantastic… Gershwin’s Summertime juxtaposed with a really cool arrangement of Moonlight Sonata, Curtis Mayfield’s People Get Ready, Rogers and Harts’ My Funny Valentine, Box Tops’ The Letter, and a couple of Bond film theme songs…oh, and Etta James’ “At Last” that’ll send chills up your spine. Also Chris Botti has nothing on Leif Shires’ trumpet and the rest of the piano, drums and bass ensemble were also top-drawer. Value added with their beautiful scenic backdrops that gave it an extra look of exquisite sophistication," Ron Jewell, Bartlett Performing Arts Center.
Paul is a Nashville recording artist with six albums. Her album Hymns of Prayer was nominated for a 2013 Dove Award. She has toured with Kelly Clarkson, Wynona Judd, and Jim Brickman.

Tickets are adult/$18 ($16 advance) and student/$10. Tickets are available with cash or check at all Citizens National Banks in Monroe County and Century 21 Hendershot Realty in Madisonville. Tickets may also be purchased online with a credit card at monroearts.com or call 423-442-3210. MACA will honor all previously purchased tickets for the show.

April 24 – SoulfulSounds Revue ($10, $5)

Alive After Five is a unique live music series presented on twenty-eight Fridays per year in four seasonal series. The programs take place in the smoke-free, casually elegant setting of the Ann and Steve Bailey Hall in the Knoxville Museum of Art. There is a live band on stage, seating at tables, two cash bars, food from area restaurants, free freshly popped popcorn, free parking, and a licensed therapeutic masseuse available. Audience members can enjoy listening to music, dancing, and browsing the museum’s art galleries.

Admission to the Spring series premier of Alive After Five is $10 for general admission and $5 for museum members and college students with ID. Ages 17 and under are admitted free. Alive After Five is sponsored by Cherokee Distributing Company, Knoxville Mercury, and WDVX-89.9FM. For more information about the Alive After Five series, please contact Michael Gill, Alive After Five Coordinator, at (865) 934-2039.

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

Marble Springs State Historic Site will be offering historic building tours on April 24, 2015 at 11am and 2pm, and arboretum tours at 1pm and 3:30pm for home school students and their families in honor of Arbor Day. Tours of the structures will take approximately 1.5 hours and will include a storytelling stop, and the arboretum tour will be roughly 30 minutes. Interpreters in period clothing will lead the discussion at each stop.

A lunch break will be offered from 12:30-1pm, and visitors are welcome to bring a bagged lunch to eat in our pavilion. The Trading Post will be open from 12:30-2 and 3:30-close.

After the arboretum tours, the Water Quality Team will provide a service opportunity to anyone ages 11 and up. They will be providing all of the tools to remove invasive species on the Marble Springs grounds. Invasive removal will be offered from 1pm to 4pm and will be a come and go as you please type of service. Come serve with the Water Quality Team to make Marble Springs a more beautiful place!
Two hands-on activities will be offered: corn husk doll making and bead bracelet making at 2:45pm. A minimum age of 6 years old will be required to participate in the hands-on activities. Participation will be limited for each activity. Because these activities will be happening simultaneously, there will only be enough time for each student to complete one hands-on activity.

This event will be $3 per person (4 and under are free), with an additional $2 for the hands-on activities. Members of the Governor John Sevier Memorial Association at the Family level or higher will be free (*not including the hands-on activities.)

Reservations are required. Please email assistantdirector@marblesprings.net to reserve your spot or to ask any questions.

This event will be rain or shine (and with severe weather will be rescheduled). Participation will be limited for each tour time, so book early! Details are subject to change.

Marble Springs State Historic Site (865) 573-5508 marblesprings@gmail.com www.marblesprings.net

The Last Friday Art Walk is a recurring event to celebrate the arts on the last Friday of the month March-October in Downtown Maryville from 6-8pm. What's unique about it is that it's not just galleries participating. It's also businesses like boutiques, retail stores, restaurants, theaters, music halls and coffee shops. Each participating business hosts a "featured artist," this includes all disciplines of art; visual arts, performance artists, actors, writers, dancers, musicians, etc. New artists and new art are required each month, which gives the community a new experience each time they come.
http://maryvilleartwalk.com/web/ or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maryville-Last-Friday-ArtWalk/101193813269860

In keeping with the traditions of Southern Appalachia, the Museum welcomes the warmth of spring with a renewal of the annual ritual of “Sheep Shearing”, a day of hands-on activities surrounding the trimming of a winter’s growth of heavy fleece from its flock of free-range sheep. In settlement days, Appalachian farmers sheared their sheep each spring to garner the wool, an important staple used in many ways. The Museum of Appalachia, a Smithsonian Affiliate, will host this annual practice. This year, the wooly animals will be trimmed by Kentucky native John Cooper, an experienced shearer who takes time to explain the process to onlookers, demonstrating with vintage, hand-cranked and hand-held shears, powered by enthusiastic student participants.

In old Appalachia, a man and his dog were an integral team in the process of collecting the sheep for shearing, and, in keeping with tradition, Mr. Philip Lakin of Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, and his trusted companion Kelso, a 6 year old Border Collie, will join the activities for the day. Lakin and Kelso, with the assistance of their flock, will demonstrate the art of herding. Guests will be able to view these demonstrations in the Museum fields throughout the day, garnering the intricacies of how a man and dog work closely together to guide and protect their herd.

On Sheep Shearing Day at the Museum, craftsmen, trained in traditional arts, will provide informative programs on cleaning, carding, and spinning fleece into yarn and thread, using the same tools and techniques as their ancestors. These talented demonstrators provide one-on-one opportunities in spinning, weaving and quilting, illustrating the many valuable ways the pioneers used their wool. The sounds of porch picking musicians will fill the air, guests will enjoy old-time music programs designed to entertain and engage guests of any age, and additional old-time craftsmen will operate the historic sawmill and blacksmith shop. All demonstrations and programs fulfill the Museum’s educational mission to preserve the past and pass along the Appalachian culture to future generations, by providing individuals with the up-close and personal chance to see, smell and touch a little piece of history, creating lasting memories.

The event offers something of interest for everyone. School groups, home-schooled students, families, and individuals, are all welcome to participate in the day’s interactive and hands-on activities. Special student and group rates are available. Museum of Appalachia, 2819 Anderson Highway, Clinton, TN 37716. www.museumofappalachia.org or 865-494-7680.

The Carpetbag Theatre and Candoro Arts and Heritage Center proudly present a performance featuring artists include Grace Hamer, Sean Gilbert, Black Atticus, and Dorian Lee. The cover charge is $5. For the Salon Series, Carpetbag Theatre will present the best of Knoxville’s local talent in various settings to cultivate artistic sharing and support in the arts. By definition, the French word salon (a living room or parlor) means a conversational gathering. Usually this gathering is a select group of intellectuals, artists, and politicians who meet in the private residence of a socially influential, and often wealthy, person.

While the Carpetbag Theatre, Inc. has presented national and international leaders in the fields of theatre and dance, it has never forgotten about the local artists living and working in the Knoxville area. Its support of artists started with Café Noir, a monthly open mic where artist shared their work. Carpetbag continues this commitment by presenting the Salon Series.

At the Candoro Arts and Heritage Center located at 4450 Candoro Ave in South Knoxville. Information: 865-544-0447, www.carpetbagtheatre.org