Calendar of Events

Folk Art Nativities from Around the World, from of a private collection of nativities, hand crafted crèche in a myriad of techniques and materials by folk artists from many countries.

Holiday Reception: Sunday, December 4, from 2 to 4 p.m. with a hands-on "make and take" for artists of all ages.

Oak Ridge Art Center, 201 Badger Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Tu-F 9-5, Sa-M 1-4. Information: 865-482-1441, www.oakridgeartcenter.org

The public opening of the exhibition begins at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, November 18, with light refreshments and remarks. Following the exhibition opening will be a special showing of “Quarry Project—Tennessee,” an exterior projection by artists Kate Katomski and Judd Mulkerin at 7:00 p.m. at the Knoxville Museum of Art.

East Tennessee marble is prized the world over. Rock of Ages: East Tennessee’s Marble Industry, a new exhibition by the East Tennessee Historical Society, offers a first-time look into the industry that launched the rock’s fame and crowned Knoxville as the Marble City.

The marble industry was once an important sector of East Tennessee’s economy. By the mid- 1850s, East Tennessee marble from Knox County had been chosen for the interiors of the Tennessee State Capitol and marble from Hawkins County was being installed inside the new House and Senate wings of the United States Capitol. In the decades that followed, East Tennessee’s varicolored marble was sought by architects and patrons for the interiors of a variety of public buildings: state capitol buildings, courthouses, city halls. Tennessee marble would soon also be ordered for high traffic railroad terminal flooring across the United States and Canada. The exhibition includes more than two dozen artifacts and numerous photographs and illustrations representative of Tennessee’s unique marble story.

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: M-F 9-4, Sa 10-4, Su 1-5. Information: 865-215-8824, www.easttnhistory.org

Opening reception on Fri, Nov 18, 6:30-8:00 PM with awards at 7 PM. Free and open to the public.

Also showing: Watercolor Paintings by the Students of Kate McCullough

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/

A special exhibit at the Museum of East Tennessee History will remember the legendary life and legacy of Waymon Earl Terrell (1950-2015). Earl was well known to the Powell community, where he was regularly seen riding his bicycle and pulling a cart along the busy thoroughfares of Clinton Highway and Emory Road, his dogs often accompanying him. At his passing in December 2015, he left the legacy of a simple life, kindness, and decency. The display features Earl’s amazingly inventive bicycle and cart, whirligig, and a memorial sculpture, and will be on view in the lobby of the East Tennessee History Center through January 2. The public is invited to bring personal care items, such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, paper towels, dish soaps, disinfectant sprays, to be donated to Knoxville Pays It Forward in Earl’s honor, and in return will receive one free museum admission per item. Knoxville Pays It Forward is a local non-profit that helps low income families, the homeless, the disadvantaged, and senior citizens in times of need.

Earl Terrell could fix anything. Although he chose to live a solitary life, he was a well-recognized and accepted member of the community. Most days he could be seen along the highways looking for trash and other items from which he could earn money to buy food and supplies. His home was crafted of tarps, sticks, and scraps of metal that he had fashioned with homemade tools and scavenged parts. He was originally from Kentucky, served in the United States Marine Corps, and by his own word, had a master’s degree in economics before coming to Knoxville.

Kristin Brown was a long-time friend of Earl and tended to him as his health began to fail. Realizing the community’s interest in Terrell, Brown launched a Facebook page to accommodate people’s well wishes, and soon there were 3,300 followers. After his death, the page helped raise money for his burial. His bicycle was on display when he was laid to rest. The bike has been donated to the permanent collection of the East Tennessee Historical Society.

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: M-F 9-4, Sa 10-4, Su 1-5. Sunday is Community Day at the museum and admission is FREE to all. Information: 865-215-8824, www.easttnhistory.org

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is exhibiting over 25 quilts in Piecing Together a Changing Planet – a juried exhibition of fiber arts highlighting climate change in America’s national parks. Community members are invited to view the exhibition and attend the opening reception on Thursday, November 17, 2016, 6-8 pm.

Piecing Together a Changing Planet is a collaboration between Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) Florida and Biscayne National Park. Opening at Biscayne National Park’s gallery, the exhibit has travelled to nine other national park venues across the country. The exhibition coincides with this year’s centennial celebration of the National Park Service, marking the beginning of a second century of stewardship of America’s national parks.

Unlike utilitarian quilts used as bed coverings, these art quilts convey beauty and fragility of the environment and the urgency of climate change in ways that touch the heart and soul. All quilts were created by members of the Studio Art Quilt Associates, a 3000-member national organization dedicated to promoting art quilts through education, exhibitions, professional development, documentation and publications.

In conjunction with the exhibit, Arrowmont will be exhibiting quilts from it’s permanent collection. Arrowmont’s permanent collection includes nearly 1,000 works in a variety of arts and crafts media. Made by the hands of current and past Arrowmont instructors, individuals from the settlement school’s days and past artists-in-residence, the works represent the school’s past, present and future.

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

Paintings by The Honest Brush, Rebecca Mullen

Westminister Presbyterian Church, 6500 S Northshore Dr, Knoxville, TN 37919. Hours: M-F 9-4. Info: (865) 584-3957 or www.wpcknox.org

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/

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

The Farragut Museum invites the community to visit "Timeless Toys." This exhibit will be on display through early 2017 (closed Dec. 24 and 25). This special exhibit will feature items from the Museum's collection of artifacts as well as items belonging to Museum Committee members. The exhibit showcases a variety of antique toys, games and dolls dating from the late 1800s through the 1900s. A featured item is the Rice doll house, designed and built in 1929 by local architect Malcolm Rice and a National Architecture Award recipient in 1930. Originally with electricity, the doll house was enjoyed by three generations of the Rice family. Museum committee member Lou LaMarche has loaned several 1940s toys from his personal collection, including toy soldiers, a Rudolph radio and an electric football game. In addition, the exhibit features a 1940s toy steam engine donated by museum volunteer Malcolm Shell.

The Farragut Museum is committed to preserving the heritage of its East Tennessee community and features a remarkable collection of artifacts from the area, including an extensive collection of the personal belongings of Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, first Admiral of the U.S Navy and hero of the Civil War. Housed in the Farragut Town Hall located at 11408 Municipal Center Drive, the museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and offers free admission. For more information about the museum or the exhibit, please visit www.townoffarragut.org/museum, like the museum at www.facebook.com/farragutmuseum, or contact Museum Coordinator Julia Barham at jbarham@townoffarragut.org or 966-7057.

Get out and see some live music!
Open Chord Music, 8502 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Information: (865) 281-5874 or http://www.openchordmusic.com/live-music-venue