Calendar of Events

Maya: Lords of Time explores the time-ordered universe through the Maya’s intricate calendar systems and investigates how their history and culture followed a rhythm set by the motion of heavenly bodies. Learn the story of how divine kings used their control over the calendar and its grand public rituals to assert their power.

With award-winning interactives, numerous full-sized monumental replicas, and many Central American artifacts, visitors can trace the rise and fall of the Maya kingdoms and follow how ideas of time and the calendar changed before and after the Spanish conquest.

This exhibition also explores how those long-standing beliefs can still be found in Mayan regions today.

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

Knoxville Children’s Theatre will present Sara Crewe: A Little Princess, based on the heartwarming, rags-to-riches children’s novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The play will be performed Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM; Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM; Sundays at 3 PM.

Captain Crewe leaves his young daughter Sara at a school for girls, while he goes abroad to claim his fortune in jewels. The school is run by a strict head-mistress named Miss Minchin, who takes special care of her wealthy new student, until a stunning twist of fate changes the Fate of everyone in the school and throughout the neighborhood. Frances Hodgson Burnett’s story remains one of the world’s most popular books for children, despite being written over 100 years ago. It is a timeless tale of rags-to-riches, and Sara Crewe has become a role model for grace-under-pressure and undefeatable hope.

The play is performed by 11 talented young actors, from ages 8 to 14. KCT is East Tennessee’s leading producer of stage plays for children. Sara Crewe: A Little Princess is the 73rd play to be produced by Knoxville Children’s Theatre. The play is directed by Zack Allen from a script by R. N. Sandberg, licensed by Dramatic Publishing Company.

Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.childrenstheatreknoxville.com.

These works radiate warmth by their energy and vivid color. One thing that is noteworthy about the show is the lack of conventional landscapes, still lifes and florals. Most of the pieces are about people. They range from polished, formal oil portraits of comfortable well-to-do subjects by John Simms to spare sketchy oil pastel drawings by Gwen Johnson of people in African settings.

The Oak Ridge Art Center is open to the public seven days a week. Admission is free, but donations are very welcome.

Oak Ridge Art Center, 201 Badger Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Tu-F 9-5, Sa-M 1-4. Information: 865-482-1441, www.oakridgeartcenter.org

Tennessee Stage Company kicks off its 26th annual New Play Festival with Staci Swedeen’s House Rules, directed by Tom Parkhill. The Knoxville-based writer’s play will premiere at the Historic Southern Railway Station. Swedeen’s play is the first of seven new plays appearing in this year’s festival. House Rules was selected from dozens of submissions for its outstanding writing. Swedeen’s play is about two brothers who confront the intertwined nature of hatred and love and learn that all truths kept silent become poisonous.

The New Play Festival presents un-published, un-produced plays for their worldwide premiere. Tennessee Stage Company accepts new play submissions throughout the year from all over the United States. In October, the company selects which plays it will produce from the submitted works.

Performances: Thu, Fri, Sat at 8 PM and Sun at 3 PM

Historic Southern Railway Station, 306 West Depot Street, Knoxville. Info: 865-546-4280 or www.tennesseestage.com

Beginning Jan. 18, the Farragut Museum will feature a new special exhibit - "The Farragut Farmers." This exhibit will be on display through May 27, 2016.

As late as the early seventies, the Farragut area was a sprawling rural community dotted with beautiful farmlands. This exhibit will feature artifacts related to farming in the area, photographs of barns and landmarks, and information about the Farragut Schools and their agricultural background. Specific artifacts on display include a barn door from the former Spencer Smith Farm off Smith Road (current site of Smithfield subdivision), a corn sheller with a large rotary handle, and a milk crate from the former Russell Dairy.

The Farragut Museum is committed to preserving the heritage of its East Tennessee community and features a remarkable collection of artifacts from the area, including an extensive collection of the personal belongings of Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, first Admiral of the U.S Navy and hero of the Civil War. Housed in the Farragut Town Hall located at 11408 Municipal Center Drive, the museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and offers free admission. For more information, visit www.townoffarragut.org/museum, like Farragut Museum on Facebook, or contact Museum Coordinator Julia Barham at jbarham@townoffarragut.org or 966-7057.

Mixed media in the voices of Fictional Characters Anna Grace Tollett and Pearlie Bean, by Ghost Artist - Anne Powers, author of "Smoke from Small Fires".

Anne Powers is a multimedia artist who resides on the Rockwood side of Watt's Bar Lake . In past adventures she was the head of Roane State's Computer Art and Design program and the RSCC Art Department, the recipient of national awards in watercolor and digital media, taught digital media for five summers at Stanford University, and authored a book on 3D animation which is used worldwide. Examples of her work in traditional and digital media can be seen on her website at www.ANNIEMEDIA.com.

Oak Ridge Art Center, 201 Badger Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Tu-F 9-5, Sa-M 1-4. Information: 865-482-1441, www.oakridgeartcenter.org

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is exhibiting interactive art in Touch, Arrowmont’s biannual National Juried Exhibition, on view in the Sandra J. Blain Gallery.

The opening reception scheduled for Friday, January 22, has been cancelled due the forecast of inclement weather. Community Classes will run as scheduled, however, Saturday Children's Classes are cancelled.

The first rule of museum etiquette is: Do Not Touch The Art! The artists showcased in Touch push the boundaries of a distance-based artistic environment. Touch acknowledges that traditional craft forms are rooted in the idea of functionality and are created to be handled. Jewelry structures respond to the bodies on which they are worn. Domestic vessels are produced for use in the daily ritual of preparing and sharing a meal and textiles are designed to provide comfort and warmth when they are worn. The works selected for this exhibition reflect high levels of craftsmanship and incorporate touch in innovative ways.

The exhibit showcases 52 works by 35 artists in a range of disciplines. The artists include: Fumi Amano, Missy Graff Ballone, Josh Bass, Sarah Rachel Brown, Heather Buechler, Marcelyn Bennett Carpenter, Sunyoung Cheong, Yu-Chi Chien, Erika Diamond, Alicia Dietz, Annie Evelyn, Yael Friedman, Reagan Furqueron, Jeni Hansen Gard, Magda Gluszek, Holly Hanessian, Karen Hardy, Lucy Holtsnider, Katie Hudnall, Lauren Kalman and Kipp Bradford, Joshua Kosker, Kirk Lang, Kathleen Little, Meg Mitchell, Lyndsay Rice, Jina Seo, Suzanna Scott, Linda Tien, Kurt Treeby, Tonya Vance, Kimberly Winkle and Dukno Yoon.

Touch: Interactive Craft’s juror is Emily Zilber, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s first Ronald L. and Anita C. Wornick Curator of Contemporary Decorative Arts.

Gallery hours are Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturday 10am - 4pm. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

A theme show open to all area artists. Also showing: Knox Co. Student Show TBA.

Opening reception on Fri, Jan 15, 6:30-8:00 PM. Free and open to the public.

Exhibit viewing hours: Tu, Th 9-5; W, F 10-5; Sat 9-1. Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37918. Information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityartctr.com

The Athens Area Council for the Arts announces Gospel Quilts: A Quilt Concert by Karen Malone showing a variety of handmade art quilts by Karen Malone, local artist and musician, at The Arts Center. The exhibit is available for viewing January 5 – February 12, 2015 at The Arts Center, 320 North White Street, Athens, Tennessee.

Karen Malone is a former music instructor who teaches piano and is the Music Director for St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Athens, TN. She earned a Bachelor of Art in Music Education from St. Leo University in Florida; a Master of Music in Education from Florida State University, and completed doctorate coursework at the University of Southern California.

Her "Stitched Collage" style of stitching leaves abundant room for experimentation and expression. Inspiration is welcomed through prayer, scripture, family, friends, music and other art forms. Other inspiration includes The Gees' Bend quilt artists and various art quilters. A native of Florida, Karen now resides along the Tennessee River.

Malone will give an exhibit tour for 2016’s first Arts on the Side Tuesday January 5 at noon for another of AACA’s monthly outreach program that invites the public to enjoy the arts during the lunch hour. Arts on the Side is free and open to the public.

The exhibit opening reception is Friday, January 15, 2016 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. Malone will be on hand to informally discuss her work. The reception includes light refreshments and is free and open to the public. After the reception, the Black Box Concert Series continues with Daddy Mack Blues Band at 7:30 pm in the Sue E. Trotter Theater. Tickets are $15 adult and $8 student. The Black Box Concert Series is sponsored by Tennessee Wesleyan College and Financial Guidance Partners.

Athens Area Council for the Arts: 320 North White Street, Athens, TN, 37303. Info: 423-745-8781, www.athensartscouncil.org

January 11, 6-9 PM: Cold Country Road - Waterfront Bar and Grill - Maryville
January 12, 7-10 PM: First Snow - Quaker Steak and Lube - Sevierville
January 14, 6-9 PM: Whimsical City - Original Copper Cellar
January 18, 6-9 PM: White Flowers - Gibby's Dining & Drinks (inside Holiday Inn)
January 19, 6-9 PM: Blue Willow - Le Noir Restaurant - Lenoir City
January 25, 6-9 PM: **SPECIAL EVENT** Birch Tree Wine Glasses - Blue Coast Grill
January 26, 6-9 PM: Apples - KaTom Restaurant Supply - Kodak
January 27, 6-9 PM: Silent Snowfall - Carolina Ale House
January 28, 6-9 PM: A Touch of Winter - Tellico Village Yacht Club - Loudon
January 28, 6-9 PM: Local Brew - Casual Pint - Farragut
January 30, 5-9 PM: **SPECIAL EVENT** Paint Your Pet - Off Leash K9 Training - Alcoa ($45)

Classes are $35 unless otherwise noted. Wine & Canvas: Knoxville, TN, 865-356-9179, http://www.wineandcanvas.com/knoxville-tn.html

Select Saturdays: January 9th & 23rd, February 6th & 20th, March 5th & 19th, April 2nd & 16th

Nourish Knoxville’s 2016 Winter Market, held in the Historic 4th and Gill neighborhood, will host farm & food vendors selling pasture-raised meats, eggs, winter produce, honey, baked goods, coffee, artisan foods, and more by vendors from the Market Square Farmers’ Market. Outside, food trucks will be serving up lunch from locally sourced ingredients.

At Central United Methodist Church, 201 East 3rd Avenue, Knoxville, TN. For more information, contact Nourish Knoxville: info@nourishknoxville.org or (865) 805-8687

Opening reception January 8, 6 PM. The first 20 attendees will receive a complimentary print! 20% of all sale proceeds will benefit the Sevier County Food Ministry.

Ronda and her family moved to Sevierville from New Jersey. She works in mixed media and her pieces cover many subjects and styles.

Held at Armada Bar, 116 S. Central Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-801-1036 or www.facebook.com/twistedstixartstudio