Calendar of Events

Altar-nate: Contemporary Altars of Misappropriated Mythology

Tomato Head Market Square/ Nov.7-Dec.4
Tomato Head West/ Dec. 5- Jan 2

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

Reception: Monday, November 14th, 6:30 - 8pm. The artist will be present.

The View Out His Window (and in his mind’s eye): Photographs by Jeffery Becton
Jeffery Becton is a photographer and image-maker who lives on Deer Isle, a rocky and forested island off the coast of Maine. Becton makes work, in part, about his surroundings. The extraordinary sweeping coastal views that are such a part of daily life when one lives by the sea are often incorporated into his images. Equally critical is internal life, both the space inside the home (and the comfort and protection it provides from northern New England’s inclement weather), and the introspective and contemplative space that enlivens one’s imagination, which is no doubt encouraged in this stunning and remote location. The exhibition is curated by Bates Museum of Art (Lewiston, ME) Director Dan Mills.

Ewing Gallery, 1715 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Ewing Gallery Hours: M-W and Fri: 10-5, Thu 10-7, Sun 1-4. Information: 865-974-3200, www.ewing-gallery.utk.edu

Join us for a morning out as our museum educator leads engaging gallery tours for parents and caregivers and their young ones. Crying and wiggly babies welcome! This big election year, we will bring out objects from our collections in storage related to the election of public servants, and will discuss the role of national symbols. The event is free, but limited, and all attendees must register to attend online. Registration opens a month in advance and closes the day before the tour. Register Online: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/mcclung-museum-free-stroller-tours-2016-17-registration-20728646941

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

Monday, November 7, 1:00 PM-2:30 PM
$5 per student
The McClung Museum offers Enhanced Learning Homeschool Programs. These 90 minute sessions cost $5.00 per student and give students a chance to experience hands-on learning in the museum's galleries. See the museum's Events calendar for various sessions and dates.
This session, Ancient Rome and Ancient China, explores life on the frontier of the Roman Empire and Chinese history through art and objects, including discussion of agriculture, the Silk Road, religions, and inventions.
Online reservations are required, payment must be made in advance, and the fee is nonrefundable. With the exception of the Human Origins program, students must be K-12 in age. Reservations open July 1, 2016.

Register Online: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mcclung-museum-2016-17-homeschool-programs-tickets-26148821830
Contact: Debbie Woodiel, woodield@utk.edu
McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Information: 865-974-2144, http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu

The Appalachian dulcimer, an instrument whose sound is as unique as this Appalachian region, will be featured along with other “sister” instruments – including hammer dulcimers and banjammers (mountain dulcimer & banjo combo) - in this year’s annual dulcimer concert at the library. The Maryville Area Dulcimer Club (MADC) will perform at the Blount County Public Library. MADC members will play a variety of tunes including waltzes, selections of bluegrass, gospel, patriotic and even classical music. Highlights of the program will include banjammer specials, as well as a Wild West Waltz, hammered dulcimer solo and audience sing-alongs.

Members primarily play the mountain dulcimer; however just about any instrument is welcomed. Individuals in the club membership have been known to play banjammers, hammered dulcimers, violins, guitars, mandolins, autoharps, and bass fiddles. With a blend of men and women of varied ages, walks of life and skill levels, the club continues to be a gathering of Maryville area people who enjoy playing and jamming in addition to sharing the love of music with the community. MADC accepts into its membership anybody with a willing heart and love of music. There is no requirement for reading music when one plays the mountain dulcimer. Mature children are also welcome as long as a parent or responsible adult accompanies them at the meeting. For those who are raw beginners, the club provides informal mentoring and refers them to area instructors.

Blount County Public Library, 508 N. Cusick Street, Maryville, TN. Information: 865-982-0981, www.blountlibrary.org

Organ Recital featuring Raina Wood
We are excited to welcome back Raina Wood who served as Church Street United Methodist Church's organist from 1996–2009. An outstanding recitalist, Raina will present a program featuring works by Charles–Marie Widor, Ennio Morricone, and Dan Locklair.

Church Street United Methodist Church, 900 Henley at Main, Knoxville, TN 37902. Info: 865.524.3048, www.churchstreetunc.org

On November 7, at 12:00pm (Doors open at 11:30 AM) enjoy Mighty Wurlitzer organ performances by Dr. Bill Snyder and Freddie Brabson and special guest, Bearden High School Symphonic Band. Our guest MCs will be Phil Williams & Hal Hill. Brown bag lunches consisting of a sandwich, chips, and a dessert may be purchased in the lobby for $5.00 while supplies last. Soft drinks, bottled water, popcorn, and candy will also be available for purchase.

Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information/tickets: 865-684-1200, www.tennesseetheatre.com, www.ticketmaster.com

Bret Anthony Johnston will read from his work on Monday, November 7, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as part of the Writers in the Library series. The reading will be in the Hodges Library auditorium at 7 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

Bret Anthony Johnston is the author of the internationally best-selling novel Remember Me Like This, which was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, and the winner of the 2015 McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns Prize. Johnston is also the author of the award-winning Corpus Christi: Stories, which was named a Best Book of the Year by the Independent (London) and the Irish Times. His work appears in The Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, The Paris Review, Glimmer Train Stories, Virginia Quarterly Review, The Best American Short Stories, and elsewhere. His nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times, New York Times Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Tin House, The Best American Sports Writing, and on NPR’s All Things Considered. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Johnston is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship, a Pushcart Prize, and a Glasgow Prize for Emerging Writers, among other awards. Johnston teaches in the Bennington Writing Seminars and at Harvard University, where he is the director of creative writing.

In addition to the public reading, there will be a Q&A for students at 3:30 p.m. in 1210 McClung Tower, also on November 7.

Writers in the Library is sponsored by the UT Libraries and the Creative Writing Program in association with the John C. Hodges Better English Fund. For more information, contact Erin Elizabeth Smith, Jack E. Reese Writer-in-Residence at the UT Libraries, at esmith83@utk.edu. Visit http://library.utk.edu/writers for a complete schedule of Writers in the Library readings for the 2016-2017 academic year.

On Sale Now! The theme for the concert is “A British Invasion,” and the program will include music from classical and popular British composers, including Henry Purcell, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Edward Elgar, Benjamin Britten, John Dowland, Andrew Lloyd Webber, John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

At Clayton Center for the Arts: 502 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804. Information/tickets: 865-981-8590, www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com

Opening reception: Sunday, November 6, 2-4pm
Between Here and There: The Animals of Daniel McClendon

The Rose Center, 442 West Second North St., Morristown, TN, 37814. Hours: M-F 9-5. (Closed Nov 24-25). Information: 423-581-4330, www.rosecenter.org

Due to the overwhelmingly positive response to Gwen Pevonka's First Friday, Tori Mason Shoes is pleased to extend Gwen's First Friday to December! Tori Mason Shoes, located at 29 Market Square, will host an opening reception on Friday, December 2nd, from 6pm to 9pm. Complimentary treats from Wild Love Bakehouse will be provided and Gwyn's art will be featured for the month of December.

"This was our first time featuring Gwen as a First Friday artist and we really noticed a positive response. Gwen's art features a lot of color and texture that people are drawn to," notes Heather Castellaw.

Gwen Pevonka experiments with paint as an object and is interested in the Heroic Gesture of a woman as she creates large-scale paintings that are just as much about line and color as they are about texture. These completely abstract pieces are vibrant with movement. Through gouging and carving, the paint is physically removed from the surface. Digging deeper in some areas, while more shallow in others, psychedelic colors are revealed, evoking emotion and excited contemplation. Gwyn Pevonka is originally from Indiana. She graduated with a BFA in Painting from Appalachian State University in 2011.

29 Market Square, Knoxville, TN 37902. Phone: (865) 673-6711

Are you a fan of Brian Pittman aka "The Cathedral Guy"? Have you always wanted to own an original? Here's your chance! Brian has created 32 new pieces for this annual show and we are honored to feature his work throughout the holiday season (and perhaps into January 2017). Brian is an architect by trade, drawing cathedrals is his hobby and way to relax. He draws every piece without the use of rulers or guides. Each one is a fictional place that he creates. Brian hand picks each salvaged vintage frame, which makes them even more special! Brian has also created this unique Knoxville Skyline Tshirt that we are proud to carry exclusively at Rala. Stop by Rala on Fri Nov 4 from 6-10 pm and watch Brian draw!

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