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.

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/

Opening reception: Friday, November 4, 5-8 p.m.

The District Gallery is pleased to present States of Matter, a duo exhibition featuring potter Lisa Kurtz and painter Ginger Oglesby. Within two new respective bodies of work, States of Matter explores the push and pull of their separate disciplines and the integral factors that connect them. Complementary in their approaches, Kurtz and Oglesby create a spectrum of works that travels between paint and clay, canvas and vessel, earth and atmosphere, tactile and intangible.

A native southerner, Brentwood, Tennessee artist Ginger Oglesby grew up in a near constant pursuit of creative endeavors. Drawing from her background in modern dance, Oglesby makes paintings that are as kinesthetic as they are abstract, suggesting the ephemeral nature of rhythm and movement. Atmospheric, loose and free, her paintings are a climate all their own. Conveying tension and harmony, chaos and order, Oglesby describes her process as an intuitive dance that “captures the vibrant attitudes of the human heart.”

Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, ceramic artist Lisa Kurtz centers her work in her affinity for clay, calling it “a love affair with the material itself.” Exploring the wonderful, malleable qualities of clay in all its states of being, be it wet, fired, or glazed, Lisa creates pots that are both sculptural entities and functional vessels. Contrasting raw and earthy textures with smooth and polished surfaces, Kurtz’s work is grounded in its materiality. In her latest body of work, Kurtz transfigures the vessel by revealing the space inside with cutouts and voids. She piques a sense of curiosity in the viewer: what is inside? Are there surprises? Is it a glimpse into another state of matter?

Please join us Friday, November 4 from 5-8 p.m. for a special evening that combines a duo exhibition with our annual Thankful Event. Meet the artists, celebrate the season with festive food and drink, and get a first look at our new holiday inventory.

The District Gallery, 5113 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Hours: M-F 10-5:30, Sa 10-4. Information: 865-200-4452, www.TheDistrictGallery.com

Broadway Studios And Gallery presents "Hope and Intuition", an exhibit featuring the art of Jessica Payne and Bailey Earith. Jessica Payne is a painter. She is inspired by color and imagery found in nature. She uses layers of paint, leaving some areas barely worked and re-working others repeatedly to create a sense of mystery. Jessica is enamored with glitter and metallic paint which give an extra dimension to her work. Her work has been frequently seen locally. Bailey Earith has been involved in all aspects of art but feels at home with fibers. In her fiber based work, she also uses beads, vintage buttons, feathers, hand painted fabric among other things. She creates both two and three dimensional art. It is her hope that the viewer will feel a sense of joy and well-being upon seeing her work. Her work has been displayed in galleries across the country.

Opening reception is on First Friday, Nov. 4th from 5-9 PM. Will be closed Thanksgiving day Nov. 24 and Open Friday Nov 25.

Broadway Studios and Gallery, 1127 Broadway St, Knoxville, TN 37917. Hours: Thurs-Sat, 11-7. Information: 865-556-8676, www.BroadwayStudiosAndGallery.com

JOIN US! for a reception on Friday, November 4th, 5-9PM at the UT Downtown Gallery

An exhibition of new and recent works by artist Jessica Ann entitled; Guts Coming and Going. Featuring video, sculpture, and interactive installation, the exhibition explores the material potential at the edge of the world wide web. Composed of many parts, each component is networked together by Ann’s desire to meet what she calls the “aggregate monster.” An entity lurking and learning amidst the ever cooled data banks of your external and eternal memory. Data siphoned daily among a trillion other self published transmissions, happening across facebook, text messages, phone calls, emails, twitter, cameras, and networked refrigerators. What fabulation might emerge among all this noise is presented here as objects and subjects oozing off the grid and into mixed reality.

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

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

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts invites you to view Pigment of Our Imagination – an exhibition by artists Sam Mitchell and Aric Verrastro. Pigment of Our Imagination showcases an array of mixed-media jewelry pieces created by Mitchell and Verrastro independently and collaboratively. Mitchell's whimsical adornment explores childhood themes through personal memory and new experiences she shares with her son. Verrastro's vibrant work reflects the energy of a city environment and its nightlife.

Sam Mitchell is a maker and educator residing in Iowa City, IA. She received her BFA from James Madison University in 2009 and her MFA in Metal and Jewelry Arts from the University of Iowa in 2014. Mitchell was a recipient of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Grant in 2012. Her most recent work has been shown at Sieraad in Amsterdam (2015), AV Gallery in Vilnius, Lithuania (2014) and The Walker Center in Minneapolis, MN (2014). For more information, visit her website at www.aldentedesigns.com.

Aric Verrastro is currently a foundations lecturer at the University of Wisconsin – Stout in Menomonie, WI. Verrastro received his MFA in Metalsmithing and Jewelry Design from Indiana University in 2015. Aric was recently selected as a finalist for the 2016 Art Jewelry Forum Artist Award. Verrastro’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in Milwaukee, WI, Bloomington, IN, New York, NY, Houston, TX, Aspen, CO, Vilnius, Lithuania, Stockholm, Sweden, Munich, Germany and more. For more information, visit his website at www.aricverrastro.com.

In the Geoffrey A. Wolpert 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

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

Please join us for our new exhibition! Opening reception Fri Sep 2, 5-7 PM in the main lobby of the consulate office, which hosts modern art from both established and emerging Polish artists. Please RSVP: drpienkowski@gmail.com or 865-584-4112

Marcin Kowalik’s paintings are dominated by abstract forms and empty spaces while featuring vibrant colors, illusions and a precision of lines and geometric structures. His work is nonanthropocentric – human figures rarely appear, and when they do, they are faceless, devoid of identity. Kowalik’s perception of reality dictates his work. His gaze is the architect’s – registering solids, enriching them with vibranace and a dose of artful spontaneity which gives rise to his novel, uncanny universe. For Kowalik, Picasso is a master of augmented reality. Kowalik is primarily interested in the Cubist period in the work of the Spanish artist, in the composition of spatial forms and their fragmentation. One of Picasso’s most fascinating aspects is his extraordinary inventiveness. Paintings, which appear shattered into prismatic fragments and recomposed without conformity to their initial arrangement, can be ‘read’ from the foreground, followed along the path delineated by the painter and, suddenly, apprehended not from the front, but sidewise.

In 1944, Pablo Picasso joined the Communist Party. It seems to have provided him with a model of victory and strength which he begins to identify with the Communists. His joining the Party has obvious roots in his painting, which he considered to be more than a mere source of pleasure. Line and color were his arms, which he wielded in his revolutionary fight. He confided in Communism, enchanted with the specious beauty of its motivating ideals, but was even more partial to the company he could find in its circles. The stage in the life of the celebrated cubist sparked Marcin Kowalik’s new cycle. The cycle on a (wo)man at work. Each of the thirty canvases represents a person with their occupational attribute. The different quality of the paintings in “A Tale of the Working (Wo)Man” cycle arises from the overload of minimalism, the pinnacle of which was reached by Kowalik in his work on “Convergents”, one of his most recent projects.

Here, he has sought chaos – introduced into his art by people, as various and volatile as the nature of painting. Despite his desire to renounce his creative asceticism, Kowalik’s human is still confined by the minimalist formal limits. To demonstrate a human form, it is sufficent to simply sketch an eye, the shape of a head and, immediately, a face outline becomes recognizable. This is the machination of the human mind – symmetrical points are sufficient for our imagination to fill in the missing parts. Apparently, the human has finally moved to the center of the young painter’s field of interest. However, these are mere appearances. Kowalik does not stray far from home and attempts to misplace the human figure, offering its simplest possible representation. He tells the tale of a human, but his tale is extremely complex and multi-faceted. He posed the challenge and has risen to it himself – undertaking the effort of organizing the experiment. He invited over a dozen of amateur painters to cooperation on committing to canvas their image of an occupation, inspired by the output of the author of “The Weeping Woman”. Website: www.kowalik.art.pl

Viewing hours M-F 8-5, Sat 8-11:30 AM. At the Center for Polish Culture | Pienkow Art Gallery, 7417 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. http://www.consulpoland.com/index.php/center-of-polish-culture/