Calendar of Events

Back for her third showing at The Tomato Head, Ruth Allen skillfully crafts vivid drawings and paintings featuring nature’s flowers and wildlife. Since her last visit from Athens, Georgia, Ruth has had two paintings selected for juried shows and currently has a painting showing at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Her work will be on view at Market Square from October 2 through November 7 and will then move to the West Knoxville Gallery on November 7 through December 5. For more artist information, please visit The Tomato head blog: http://thetomatohead.com/ruth-allen-featured-artist/ or https://www.etsy.com/shop/100tinybluebirds

Tomato Head, 12 Market Square (865-637-4067) and 7240 Kingston Pike, Suite 172 (865-584-1075), in Knoxville.

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is exhibiting over 70 silk paintings by 36 national and international artists in two exhibitions. The exhibitions are in conjunction with the Silk Painter International’s (SPIN) biennial conference “Silk in Transition” being held at Arrowmont October 7-15, 2016. Arrowmont invites the public to view the exhibitions and attend the reception. Admission is free.

A reception will be held Saturday, October 8, 2016, 6-8pm. Awards will be announced at 7pm.

SPIN members were asked to create works that answer the questions, “What does silk painting mean to you? What does it mean to the silk artist? What does it mean in a transforming landscape?” The result is a dynamic group of silk paintings, sculptures and installations that explore a variety of themes and subjects. Silk Painters International (SPIN) is an international organization of silk artists, painters, practitioners and educators. Their mission is to establish silk painting as a recognized art form by encouraging and promoting the collecting, displaying and production of silk art at the highest level.

In the Sandra J. Blain Gallery. Admission is free and open to the public. 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

Don't miss October's amazing exhibit by artist Laura Baisden of Camp Nevernice! Her unique and whimsical letterpress prints are all about the detail in the designs. Every poster is printed one color at a time, one poster at a time. All prints on display are available for purchase.

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. The Visitor Center, including exhibits, gift shop, offices and restrooms is open M-Sat 9-5 and Sun 11-5. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Arthur Miller’s classic “The Crucible” will play in the Clarence Brown Theatre’s Carousel Theatre September 28 – October 16, 2016. A Pay What You Wish Preview performance will be held Wednesday, September 28. The second Preview will take place on Thursday, September 29 and Opening Night will take place on Friday September 30. The Talk Back with the cast will take place Sunday, September 9 following the matinee and the Open Captioned performance is Sunday, September 16 at 2:00 pm. A panel discussion about the impact of the play upon political discussions during its time and today will take place after the Sunday, September 16 matinee.

Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play, “The Crucible” is an ageless tale of fear, greed and power written by one of the greatest American playwrights of all time. When teenage girls are discovered trying to conjure spirits, the 17th century town of Salem explodes with accusations of witchcraft. The vicious trials that follow expose a community paralyzed by terror, religious extremism and greed, and a marriage forever changed.

Miller composed “The Crucible” as a dramatization of the Salem Witch Trials, with the witch trials standing in for the anti-Communist “witch-hunts” of the 1950s during the McCarthy era. As with the alleged witches of Salem, suspected Communists were encouraged to confess and identify other Communist sympathizers in order to escape punishment. Many of those accused of Communism suffered loss of employment and/or destruction of their careers; some even suffered imprisonment.

Carousel Theatre, 1714 Andy Holt Ave on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information: 865-974-5161, www.clarencebrowntheatre.com. For tickets: 865-974-5161, 865-656-4444, www.knoxvilletickets.com

New and recent work in a variety of media by the three talented co-founders of Striped Light, a Knoxville-based letterpress, graphic design and music recording studio, Bryan Baker, Sarah Shebaro and Jason Boardman. The show will run September 27 through October 21.

Opening reception with the artists on Tuesday, September 27, 2016, 3:00-5:00PM.
Regular gallery hours are Monday Through Friday, 8:00AM-4:00PM.
The Art Department phone number is 865 471 4985.

Warren Art Building, corner of Branner Ave. and S. College Street,
Jefferson City, TN 37760

Stamping out art: Community invited to meet Maryville College artist Dr. Carl Gombert

The excitement is building at the Gallery at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church for the opening reception for artist Dr. Carl Gombert. The community is invited to meet the artist this Sunday, September 25 at 12:15 pm. Dr. Gombert’s gallery talk will follow the reception. ORUUC is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge. There is no cost to attend.

Dr. Gombert, who is also a professor of Art at Maryville College, is being commissioned to do a large kaleidoscope mural on a wall of the church Social Hall. His exhibit consists of rubber stamped decorative pieces that have been Gombert’s focus for the last several years. Visually alluring, his creations consist of applying small rubber stamp images that become the building blocks of his work. These varied images are combined into ever widening shapes. The results, in both black and white and color prints, are not always what they seem. “They’re a lot more improvisational than they look. They look like they’re incredibly planned out – all I can really tell you is that they start with an image in the middle that’s vaguely round and then will get bigger and bigger. I just try to make decisions that don’t reckon,” said Dr. Gombert.

Gombert will display his work at the Gallery at ORUUC through October. Hours are Monday – Thursday, 9 am to 3 pm. and Sunday 9:30 am to 1 pm. For more information call ORUUC at (865) 483-6761. To learn more about the artist go on line to http://www.carlgombert.com/.

Knoxville Children’s Theatre will present “The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe” a live theatre version of C. S. Lewis’ classic novel and one of his “Chronicles of Narnia,” especially adapted for young people and families. The play will be performed Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM; Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM; Sundays at 3 PM.

The magic and mystery of the Great Lion Aslan and the struggle with the White Witch are what four children find when they inadvertently wander into an old wardrobe and arrive in Narnia. The war in Narnia is consuming the magical animals of Narnia, and only Aslan can bring about peace. C. S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" are timeless stories of faith, love, caring and giving, and "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" is the greatest of them. The play is performed by 23 talented young actors, from ages 10 to 16. The role of Aslan will be performed by Jaden Lily Branson. Sydney Reed takes on the challenging role of the White Witch. The four children who find themselves in Narnia are played by Jessica Burks (Susan), Millie Lovett (Lucy), Chase Russell (Edmund), and Ethan Turbyfill (Peter).

Caroline Dyer, a senior at South-Doyle High, will make her directorial debut with this show. Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.childrenstheatreknoxville.com.

In honor of Knoxville’s 225th anniversary, this exhibition explores the city’s heritage as seen through archaeological discoveries in the “Heart of the Valley.” Using historic artifacts unearthed in and around Knoxville, along with historical images, maps, documents, and oral histories, the exhibition tells the story of Knoxville’s development from a frontier settlement to an industrialized city.

Opening reception for members on Fri Sep 16, 5-7 PM.

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

Held in the Frieson Black and Cultural Center with an opening reception on Tuesday, October 4, 5-8 PM.

Curated by Argentinean artist Dina R. Ruta. The purpose of the exhibition is the integration of our Latin culture through the arts. The main objective is to show new Latino college students that our community has a space within the University for them and to show the possibility for cultures to coexist. Two local American artists will also display work.

Information: 865-974-6861, www.multicultural.utk.edu

10th Annual Exhibit and contest of HoLa Hora Latina artist members, celebrating Hispanic Heritage month! Artists include: Angel Blanco, Rafael Casco, Antuco Chicaiza, Maria de la Orden, Daniela Esrequis, Susana Esrequis, Delia Flores, Astrid Galindo, Michael Giles, Miguel Aguilar Gonzalez, Cecilia Stella Martin, Nicole Perez-Camoirano, Hector Saldivar, Graciela Barlesi-Snyder, and Ivan Soto. Information: 865-335-3358, www.holahoralatina.org

On display at the Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tu-Sa 10-5, Su 1-5. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org

Opening reception on Fri Sep 9, 6:30-8:00 PM. Free and open to the public.

Foothills Craft Guild members are celebrating their 50th Anniversary this year! Especially exciting is the fact that not just the younger and newer members but also many of the Guild's original founding members will be bringing in work for the displays. Most of the Foothills Exhibit's display pieces will be for sale which is excellent news for those who admire handmade one-of-a-kind works of art. Also on display will be some of the works from the Foothills Craft Guild's permanent collection! The Guild was founded in the 1966 in Oak Ridge and boasts some of the state of Tennessee's finest artisans as its members. The variety and quality in the exhibit will astound and delight everyone who views it. On display will be fiber arts including weaving, spinning, needle felting, knitting, and macrame. One can also expect to see handcrafted jewelry in metal, gemstones, and glass; pottery of every style and method imaginable, handmade books, print making, photography, basketry, wood, stone, and metal sculptures, quilting, brooms, cornshuck dolls, and mosaics.

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, http://www.fountaincityartcenter.com/

The Town of Farragut Arts Council presents Janice Valentine as the featured artist for September and October. Located at the Farragut Town Hall, the exhibit features Valentine's framed italic hand calligraphy work.

Valentine has been the owner of the Olde Concord Gallery in historic Concord, Tenn., since 1999. The gallery building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Holding an Associate Degree in Advertising Arts/Graphic Arts from Chattanooga State Community College, Valentine has been a custom picture framer and calligraphy artist since 1984.

Each month, the work of an artist or group of artists is featured in specially designed cases on the second floor of the rotunda in the Farragut Town Hall. For more information about this exhibit or to access a Featured Artist of the Month application, please contact Lauren Cox at lcox@townoffarragut.org or 218-3372 or visit www.townoffarragut.org/artsandculture.

The Farragut Town Hall is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at 11408 Municipal Center Drive directly across from the Farragut Branch Post Office.