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

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/

Tiger Lily Theatre, in conjunction with Tennessee Stage Company, proudly present William Shakespeare's Hamlet like you have never seen it before. This production utilizes gender blind casting rather than traditional casting, ensuring the right actor plays the right part, regardless of gender. You won't soon forget this fresh, modern take on one of the Bard's most recognizable tragedies.

The production runs November 4th-6th and November 10th-13th. All performances are at 8 PM. Adults $15, Students $12. Make reservations by emailing us at tigerlilytheatretn@gmail.com.

At Historic Southern Railway Station, 300 W Depot Ave, Knoxville, Tennessee 37917. https://www.facebook.com/Tiger-Lily-Theatre-281478158575613/

Featuring recent works by painter George Rothery and jewelry designer Jennifer Lindsey. Also featuring the new artists for 2016: Carl Gombert and Amber Anne Pal. An opening reception for the featured artists will begin at 5:30 p.m., November 4, during Downtown Knoxville’s monthly First Friday Art Walk, with complimentary refreshments, and music performed by Em Chitty Turner.

George Rothery is an oil and acrylic painter whose love of the sea inspires his work. Basically “self-taught” his earliest memories of his artistic endeavors were drawings of ships and airplanes. Today he enjoys researching sea lore so he can combine his keen interest in history with his love of the sea. Jenifer Lindsey has been creating designer jewelry for many years. Her glass and crystal creations are a subtle blend of art, style, and function.

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

The whimsical paintings of Ocean Starr come to life through vibrant hues and wonderous scenery. Enjoy her work through the month of November at Ijams.

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

Knoxville Children’s Theatre will present “The Haunting of Hill House” a live theatre version of Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel, especially adapted for young people, ages 11 and older, and families. The play will be performed October 28 through November 13, Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM; Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM; Sundays at 3 PM. (There is no 5 PM performance on Oct. 29.)

Three strangers volunteer to accompany Dr. John Montague in an investigation of Hill House, a mysterious mansion with a reputation for being haunted. While the four are there, supernatural events drives them to the edge of sanity and pushes one toward a terrible end. The novel was a 1959 Finalist for the National Book Award, and Stephen King calls the book “one of the finest terror novels.” Jackson is widely known to teenage readers for her macabre short story “The Lottery.”

The play is performed by 10 talented young actors, from ages 14 to 18.

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

Set in Reagan-era New York, the play follows forty-eight hours in the lives of three wayward adolescents on the cusp of adulthood. Shy 19-year-old Warren has stolen $15,000 from his abusive father and turns to his bullying friend Dennis to hide both him and the money. Dennis then hatches a plan to score a major drug deal with the money, as well as to help romance Jessica, the girl Warren pines for. By turns funny, caustic and compassionate, it is a snapshot of the moment when many young people go out into the world, far less effectual than they could possibly imagine.

This production contains strong language and adult themes and is recommended for mature audiences only.

A Pay What You Wish Preview performance will be held Wednesday, October 26, a talk back with the cast will take place Sunday, November 6 following the 2:00 pm matinee, and an Open Captioned performance is on Sunday, November 13 at 2:00 pm.
Lab 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

Art exhibit by Thomas Riesing and Koichi Yamamoto

Opening reception November 18 from 5 to 8:00 p.m.; artists’ talks at 6:30 p.m.

Thomas Riesing: These artworks, produced from 2007 to the present, utilize drawing not only to develop ideas before and during the painting process, but also as independent works of art. The drawing materials include graphite, silver point, and ballpoint pen. Riesing prefers sketching with ballpoint because of its fluidity and its unique ways of developing relative densities and layers of information. The graphite drawings allow for erasing and reduction, while the silver point drawings require a more deliberate, subtle approach to image and surface development. The places represented include East Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains, the Pocono Mountains and Delaware River Gap, and the forests along the coast of Oregon. Riesing responds to the light and space between and beyond the persistent verticality of the trees.

Koichi Yamamoto: Layers of line and folds within the sediment provide a sense of connection in Yamamoto’s crafted illusion of landscape. The significance of each moment, a fraction of time, is not lost in the grand scale of the completed work. Removing copper from the plate surface, he begins to cultivate a specific landscape. Multiple prints from multiple plates provide maps of the excavation, each image a record of past events. Using these samples, he discovers a significant composition. In contrast, the monotype is transparent; there are no interruptions in form as it appears. It is a seemingly tangible moment and like tectonic plates, it is dynamic and in constant motion.

Free and open to the public. Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Gallery hours: M-Th 10-5, Su 10-1. Information: 865-523-4176, www.tvuuc.org

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.

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