Calendar of Events

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

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

Opening Reception: Thursday, January 14, 5-7 PM in the Ewing Gallery of Art and Architecture

The presence of acclaimed artists—who have lived and worked in major cultural centers across the country—enhances the educational opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the University of Tennessee School of Art. With daily contact over the course of a full semester, resident artists develop a unique relationship with the student body which complements the creative stimulation offered by guest lecturers and the School of Art's faculty. Representing diverse ethnic, cultural, educational, and professional backgrounds, these resident artists introduce another layer of candor and a fresh artistic standard for the students who, though early in their formal art studies, are beginning to develop their own perceptions, skills, and theories in connection with the making of art.

Exhibiting Artists: Molly Zuckerman-Hartung, Aliza Nisenbaum, Caitlin Keogh, Dominic Terlizzi

Gallery hours: M-F 10-5, Sun 1-4. Ewing Gallery, 1715 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Information: 865-974-3200, www.ewing-gallery.utk.edu

Contra dancing to live acoustic music. No experience or partner required. Dances are held every Monday night at 8:00 PM. Call: 865-599-9621.

At the Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916. For information: 865-522-5851, www.jubileearts.org.

Bliss Home, located at 29 Market Square, will host an opening reception on Friday, February 5th, from 6pm to 9pm. Complimentary treats from Wild Love Bakehouse will be provided and Starr's art will be featured for the month of February.

Ocean Starr Cline was born in San Francisco and raised in Alabama on an 11 acre farm. She moved to Knoxville almost 10 years ago after finishing her BA and MA in English Literature at the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama. After arriving in Knoxville, she immediately began showing and selling her work on Gay Street as well as Gatlinburg, in addition to her nationwide internet based sales. Cline is a self taught full-time artist. She has been painting for over 20 years. Her inspirations come directly from her experience living on a farm in the country and her education in English Literature. Many of her paintings are heavily textured, which causes them to change through the day as the light passes through a room. Cline's January exhibit focuses on ideas of identity and the mix between the faces we would show to the world and the ones we hide even from ourselves. https://www.etsy.com/shop/OceanStarr

Bliss Home, 29 Market Square, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-329-8868, www.shopinbliss.com

Art exhibit featuring work by Nick DeFord and Kate McCullough at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church.
Free and open to the public. Opening reception Dec. 18 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.; artists' talks at 6:30 p.m.

Nick DeFord is an artist, educator, and arts administrator who resides in Knoxville, TN. He received his MFA from Arizona State University, and a MS and BFA from the University of Tennessee. He exhibits nationally, with recent exhibitions at the University of Mississippi, Vanderbilt University, Lindenwood University and the William King Museum in Virginia. He has had artwork or writing published in Surface Design Journal, Elephant Magazine, Hayden Ferry Review, and Willow Springs. He has upcoming exhibitions and lectures at Coastal Carolina University and Eastern Carolina University. Currently, Nick is the Program Director at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Tennessee. This series is the culmination of a multi-year effort that examines the confusion and abstraction of text and language. DeFord manipulates words in his fiber arts as well as in his poetry.

Kate McCullough began painting in watercolor about 12 years ago after a 35-year hiatus from art. Initially her studies at Villa Maria College and SUNY College at Buffalo included general design, art history, and oil and acrylic painting. When she returned to painting she decided that watercolor was a medium that she would like to explore, and she has not looked back. She started with courses with Marcia Goldenstein and Whitney Leland at the University of Tennessee and then moved on to workshops at Arrowmont with Don Lake and Sue Archer, Kanuga with Linda Baker and Don Andrews, Cheap Joe's with Linda Kemp, Gibson County with John Salminen, and a couple of workshops with Paul Jackson. She presently teaches two watercolor classes at the Fountain City Art Center and is the president of the Knoxville Watercolor Society and a member of the Art Market Gallery, The Tennessee Watercolor Society, and Fountain City Art Guild.

Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Gallery hours: M-Th 9-5, Su 10:30-1. Information: 865-523-4176, www.tvuuc.org

Knoxville Zoo is offering “Buy One, Get One Free” admission tickets Dec. 1, 2015, through Feb. 29, 2016, during Kroger BOGO Days.

“It may come as a bit of a surprise to our guests, but winter is a great time to visit the zoo,” said Lisa New, President and CEO of Knoxville Zoo. “We’re lucky to have many days of mild weather, and most of our animals enjoy being out and active on those days. Our red pandas and river otters are especially lively this time of year.” On days when the temperature drops below 40 degrees, some animals will be moved indoors, but visitors can still see many favorites, including elephants, gorillas, penguins, chimpanzees and reptiles, in their indoor viewing areas. A December trip to the zoo may even include a visit with Santa Claus, too, when the Pilot Flying J Wee Play Adventure indoor play area hosts Santa’s Village. Santa’s Village will offer visits and photo opportunities with Santa as well as holiday-themed crafts Dec. 3 through 6 and 10 through 14 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. each day. Half-price admission tickets can be purchased at the zoo ticket window during regular zoo hours and online at knoxvillezoo.org. Discounted admission tickets must be used by Feb. 29, 2016, and cannot be combined with any other promotion, discount, or coupon.

Knoxville Zoo, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Open every day except Christmas. Information: 865-637-5331, www.knoxville-zoo.org

Native genius. Boy artist. These and other descriptors were often applied to Lloyd Branson, who grew from a precocious sketcher on his family’s East Tennessee farm to an accomplished artist best known for portraits of Southern politicians and depictions of early Tennessee history. For the first time, Branson is the subject of a major retrospective, which chronicles his life, works of art, and legacy as one of the most influential figures in Knoxville’s early art circles. Please join us in celebrating Branson’s life and art!

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: M-F 9-4, Sa 10-4, Su 1-5. Information: 865-215-8824, www.easttnhistory.org

The Art Gallery at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church (ORUUC) is pleased to announce the opening exhibition of Knoxville artist Gary Dagnan on Sunday November 6. The Reception and Gallery Walk with the artist will take place beginning at 12:15 pm. Refreshments will be served. The event is free and open to the public. ORUUC is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Gary Dagnan has been drawing and painting since childhood. He was born and grew up in the East Tennessee area. His inspiration comes from the rural landscapes of this area. “Most of my paintings are of the mountains, hills, lakes and buildings of this area. I enjoy the changing light and colors that come from the distinctly different seasons of Tennessee.” Dagnan began painting watercolors in 1968 as an art student at the University of Tennessee. Although he has painted almost exclusively in watercolor since then, Gary also enjoys painting in oils and acrylics. “I like the spontaneity and versatility of watercolor, but I am also excited about the unique qualities and the look of oil and acrylics.”

The exhibit will be on display at ORUUC through November. Hours are Monday – Thursday, 9 am to 3 pm and Sunday 9:30 am to 1 pm. For more information on the event call ORUUC at (865) 483-6761. To learn more about the artist go on line to www.garydagnanart.net.

Where: Downtown Knoxville and McGhee Tyson Airport
When: April 4, 2014-March 20, 2015
How Much: Free

Art comes in all shapes and sizes. We invite you to experience some of the larger variety with Art in Public Places, an annual event featuring large-scale outdoor sculptures in Knoxville’s downtown public spaces and also at McGhee Tyson Airport. These larger scale pieces are thought provoking and awe-inspiring.

By displaying these works outdoors, we celebrate not only the art of sculpture but Knoxville’s natural beauty during this year-round outdoor exhibition.

The exhibition presently on view, an interesting and inspirational collection of works by sculptors from across the nation, was selected and awarded by noted sculptor Kenneth M. Thompson. Kenneth holds a Master of Liberal Studies in Sculpture from the University of Toledo and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from Siena Heights College, in Adrian, MI. While many of his sculptures are in Ohio and Michigan, Thompson’s work can be seen in other states. He has done 41 pieces of public sculpture across the country. Ken has been making sculpture for over thirty years out of his car-dealership-turned-studio in Blissfield, Michigan. From this facility he operates Flatlanders Sculpture Supply and Art Galleries as well as Midwest Sculpture Initiative, which provides exhibitions that feature outdoor sculpture. Fourteen shows are planned for next year, he says. He also serves or has served on numerous arts-oriented boards.

The Art in Public Places Knoxville program, the 2015-2016 year being its 9th is a featured presentation of Dogwood Arts in partnership with the City of Knoxville Public Art Committee. The 2014-2015 Art in Public Places Knoxville Co-Chairs are Bart Watkins and Jason Brown.

To purchase a sculpture, please call [865] 637.4561.

Dogwood Arts: 865-637-4561 www.dogwoodarts.com

Ijams Hallway Gallery Presents: The Artwork of Broadway Studio and Gallery Artists

This month's Hallway Gallery shows off the amazing collaboration of the artists of Broadway Studio and Gallery. Bright, colorful, and diverse- you won't want to miss out on seeing the first group showing of these talented artists.

More events at http://ijams.org/events/. Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Call for Visitor Center hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org