Calendar of Events

Rala is proud to present an exhibition by Knoxville artist extraordinaire, Mike C. Berry! "Postcards From Knoxville" is an exhibition of small "postcard size" scenes depicting some of Knoxville's iconic landmarks, all created in Mike Berry's expressive and colorful style. Mike Berry is a local Knoxville painter whose work consists of vibrant scenes of downtown Knoxville. He is the gallery manager of University of Tennessee's Downtown Gallery and an active member of the Art & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville.

Please join us for a First Friday Reception, June 3 from 5 - 9 pm

RALA, 323 Union Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-525-7888, https://shoprala.com/

This exhibition showcases the world of modern paleontology, introducing a dynamic vision of dinosaurs and the scientists who study them. New discoveries and technologies reveal how dinosaurs lived, moved and behaved. Find out how advanced technologies allow scientists to look at fossils in fresh ways. Examine realistic models and casts, and see dinosaurs walk, run and move their long necks in fantastic computer simulations.

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

Opening Reception, Friday, June 3, 5-9pm - This event is free and open to the public. Mr. Westcott will be in attendance from 6:30 - 8:30pm, June 3. At 7:00pm, Baldwin Lee, Professor of Art, Emeritus, University of Tennessee, gives a talk about the work in our current exhibition.

JOIN US FOR A SECOND RECEPTION ON Friday, August 5th, 5-9pm at the UT Downtown Gallery - THIS IS THE FINAL FIRST FRIDAY TO SEE THIS EXHIBITION!

In 1942, the Army Corps of Engineers relocated James Edward Westcott to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and assigned him the task of official photographer for the Manhattan Project - a massive wartime effort to produce the first atomic bomb. As secrecy of the project was paramount, the "atomic" city was fenced, and communication with the outside world was limited. What is more, no cameras were allowed inside its boundaries. Thus, Westcott became not only the official photographer for the Manhattan Project, but he also became the sole photographer of the social and recreational events of Oak Ridge. It is only through Westcott's photographs that the visual history of Oak Ridge can be appreciated.

This exhibition includes over 50 photographs that were originally exhibited at the UT Downtown Gallery in the summer of 2005, which was the first exhibition of Westcott's photographs as works of art credited to his name outside of Oak Ridge. Now, we are pleased to announce the 2016 exhibition of Westcott's photographs, with additional works not previously shown in the 2005 exhibit.

Free admission! UT Downtown Gallery, 106 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Summer hours: R-F 11-6, Sat 10-3. Information: 865-673-0802, http://web.utk.edu/~downtown

Bliss Home is pleased to present Knoxville photographer Brian Murray for June First Friday! Bliss Home, located at 29 Market Square, will host an opening reception on Friday, June 3rd from 6pm to 9pm and another reception on Friday, July 1st from 6pm to 9pm. Complimentary treats from Wild Love Bakehouse will be provided.

Brian Murray is a local photographer who has had prints in several exhibits including the Arts In The Airport, Dogwood Arts Fine Art Exhibition, National Juried Photo Exhibit at the Emporium, and the Mayor's office. Brian is primarily known for his photos of local landmarks and historic buildings but he enjoys taking pictures of anything and everything in between. Brian's passion is for abstract or minimalist style of photos. Brian often strives to create images that focus on lines, shapes, or textures. Brian's June exhibit will reflect his changed perspective on photography. Last year Brian finally got an Instagram account a year ago, which has inspired Brian to compose his images in a square format. Each piece that Brian has selected for his June exhibit is an image that he personally likes and has taken over the past year for his Instagram account. Brian is a big fan of vinyl and imagines each piece as an album cover; each one with its own story to tell. http://bmurrayphoto.yolasite.com/

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

"The Word" is an art competition that asked artists to look deeply into the meaning and use of words throughout history and in our daily lives. Featuring 2D and 3D work.

Opening reception is First Friday, June 3 from 5-9pm with cash prizes announced at 6:30 PM! Event is free. All ages welcome. Parking is on premises. Light refreshments will be served.

Broadway Studios and Gallery, 1127 Broadway St, Knoxville, TN 37917. Hours: Thurs-Sat, 11-7. Information: 865-851-2824, www.BroadwayStudiosAndGallery.com

By Ken Ludwig. Directed by Courtney Woolard.

In this hilarious comedy by the author of Lend Me A Tenor and Moon Over Buffalo, two English Shakespearean actors, Jack and Leo, find themselves so down on their luck that they are performing "Scenes from Shakespeare" on the Moose Lodge circuit in the Amish country of Pennsylvania. When they hear that an old lady in York, PA is about to die and leave her fortune to her two long lost English nephews, they resolve to pass themselves off as her beloved relatives and get the cash. The trouble is, when they get to York, they find out that the relatives aren't nephews, but nieces! Romantic entanglements abound, especially when Leo falls head-over-petticoat in love with the old lady's vivacious niece, Meg.

Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 319 North Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information & tickets: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com

Come join us for maybe the most interesting fund-raising event you will have been to in years ... especially if you are wondering about those fascinating fireflies! Each night from June 3 to 5 will be a repeat presentation about the little flying lanterns of the insect world.
Why don't fireflies in the average backyard synchronize? What makes the fireflies in the park so special? These questions and more will be answered at a DLIA fundraising event that also features the biology and behavior of the firefly. With exclusive access to the property and a firefly expert on site, attendees will learn the answers to their questions while enjoying the amazing “flashing” display firsthand.

All three of these nightly presentations and field walks will take place at the Norton Creek Sanctuary just outside of Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Reserve your place by emailing Todd Witcher at todd@dlia.org or calling 865-430-4757; www.dlia.org

You are invited to the Opening Reception of the Sevierville Commons Art Council on Friday, June 3rd. Andrea Wilson will be the Featured Artist. There will also be artwork in the window display by other artists, and art students of Camille Barton Spires at
Art Studio of the Smokies.
This is the first event put on by the Sevierville Commons Arts Council. Come and see what the Council has planned for the future. If you can't make it to the Opening Reception, the exhibition is on view June 2nd through June 12th.
There will also be a drawing at the end of the Exhibition, to give away a framed reproduction of an Andrea Wilson painting, which you may sign up for at Courthouse Donuts any time during the Exhibition.
Courthouse Donuts
160 Court Avenue, Sevierville, TN 37862

This month's Hallway Gallery shows off the amazing collaboration of the artists Melissa Steele and Kate Sherill of Georgia. Bright, colorful, and enchanting- you won't want to miss out on seeing these beautiful works of art from now until the end of June.

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

Recent works by ceramic artist Pat Herzog and Artist Diana Dee Sarkar will be on display. An opening reception for the featured artists will begin at 5:30 p.m., June 3; with complimentary refreshments and music performed by Kevin Walters.

Patricia Herzog – Pat has been working as a professional clay artist since 1978 after graduating from the University of Tennessee with a Master of Science Degree in Ceramics. Her recent work reflects her continued interest in color, decoration, texture and function. Her ceramic forms are inspired by her travels and Tennessee surroundings with an emphasis on animal imagery, universal patterns in nature, and the art of ancient cultures. She hopes her work portrays a sense of humaneness in this otherwise digital world.

Diana Dee Sarkar - During her 34 years as a physician with a busy medical practice, Diana Dee found time to paint. She liked to paint portraits and landscapes of the people and places she encountered doing volunteer medicine in third world countries because she wanted to share these experiences with her patients back home. Thus began her life in art. This versatile artist, who works in various mediums, enjoys painting landscapes which include people and animals. She remained a self-taught artist until 2005 until she decided to obtain an art education. She began studying oil painting at Woodstock School of Art with Hongnian Zhang, and figure oil painting with Nelson Shanks, Anthony Ryder, and Warren Chang. She also trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. Diana completed her MFA in figure painting at the Academy of Art University in 2014. While at AAU, she has continued to study pastel landscape painting with Gil Dellinger, Susan Olgilvie, Kim Lordier, Lorenzo Chavez and Clark Mitchell.

Art Market Gallery, 422 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Tu-Th & Sa 11-6, Fri 11-9, Su 1-6. Information: 865-525-5265, www.artmarketgallery.net or www.Facebook.com/Art.Market.Gallery

June 1, 2016 marks the 220th anniversary of Tennessee’s admission as the 16th state in the union. East Tennessee’s most important cultural heritage sites are partnering to celebrate Statehood Day on Saturdays, May 28, June 4, and June 11. The sites include places of historical significance in the exciting journey from the creation of our country to the founding of our state. The Historic Homes of Knoxville include: Blount Mansion, Crescent Bend, James White’s Fort, Mabry-Hazen House, Marble Springs, Ramsey House, and Historic Westwood. Each site will have individual ways of celebrating the birth of Tennessee. These are free museum days to the public. More information: www.hhknoxville.org

+ Marble Springs (Saturday, May 28, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, June 11, 11:00 - 4:00 PM)
Free site tours on Saturday, May 28th. The site and all of the historic buildings will be open from 10am until 5pm. Guided tours will also be available at scheduled times throughout the day. The last tour will start at 4pm. Marble Springs will continue the Statehood Day celebration on June 11th from 11am till 4pm. Along with scheduled guided tours, guests will get to walk through encampments, view open hearth cooking demonstrations, and enjoy some 18th century music. Information: 865-573-5508, www.marblesprings.net

+ Blount Mansion (Saturday, June 4, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM)
Hosting free admission. Information: 865-525-2375, www.blountmansion.org

+ James White’s Fort (Saturday, June 4, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM)
Free admission, and donations will be gladly accepted. Information: 865-525-6514, www.jameswhitefort.org

+ Mabry-Hazen House (Saturday, June 4, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM)
Hosting free admission with living historians. Donations are appreciated. Information: 865-522-8661, www.mabryhazen.com

+ Westwood (Saturday, June 4, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
The home will be open for free tours. Parking available at Laurel Church of Christ. Information: 865-523-8008, www.historicwestwood.org

+ Crescent Bend House & Gardens (Saturday, June 11, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM)
Hosting free admission. Information: 865-637-3163, www.crescentbend.com

+ Ramsey House (Saturday, June 11, 12:00 PM – 3:00PM)
Information: 865-546-0745, www.ramseyhouse.org

+ Crockett Tavern Museum in Morristown (Saturday, June 4, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM)
Open with free admission. Information: 423-587-9900, www.crocketttavernmuseum.org

+ Sequoyah Birthplace Museum in Vonore (Saturday, June 4, 12:00-4:00 PM)
Free admission. Demonstrators will include corn husk dolls and other activities with living historians. Information: 423-884-6246, www.sequoyahmuseum.org

In the Sandra J. Blain Gallery. A group exhibit showcasing work from over 100 skilled and talented instructors teaching at Arrowmont in 2016.

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