Calendar of Events

Join us for the 67th Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in the Smokies on April 11-15, 2017!

The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage is an annual five-day event in Great Smoky Mountains National Park offering professionally guided programs which explore the region’s rich wildflowers, wildlife, ecology, culture, and natural history through walks, motorcades, photographic tours, art classes, and evening seminars. Most programs are outdoors in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. All programs are held, rain or shine.

As you probably know, a devastating fire in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) moved into Gatlinburg, TN in late November, 2016. The fire burned 3% of GSMNP land (17,140 acres) from the Chimney Tops down into Sugarlands Valley. Portions of Gatlinburg contiguous to GSMNP forest land also burned. Embers from the fire drifted off many miles and created secondary fires. All GSMNP buildings within the fire zone were spared. Unfortunately, approximately 2,200 homes and businesses in Gatlinburg were severely damaged or destroyed. The GSMNP is alive and recovering. The business core of Gatlinburg is intact. Most of the hotels and restaurants were not affected by the fire. This is a great time to observe how the wilderness recovers from fire damage. Several walks this year explore the effects of fire on a natural environment.

Featured Artist-of-the-Year, Mary Ruden, will be honored at a Wednesday evening reception and exhibit.

Gatlinburg needs your business. The 67th Wildflower Pilgrimage offers visitors a unique experience this year. Come see the first stage of the Park’s recovery and show your support for Gatlinburg.

Register now online at http://www.springwildflowerpilgrimage.org/ Click the Register Now button on the left side of the homepage.

On-site registration will begin Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 5:00 PM in the Mills Conference Center, Gatlinburg TN.
http://www.springwildflowerpilgrimage.org/

For those who love the thrill of the thrift store hunt, Goodwill is offering a sweet treat for Easter.

Goodwill Industries-Knoxville is hosting an untraditional Easter egg hunt in each of their stores April 11 through 15. Hundreds of plastic eggs will be hidden throughout the 28 regional Goodwill locations; if a customer finds one, they will receive savings from 10 to 50% off their purchase that day, depending on the value hidden in their egg. While looking for their Easter egg, customers may also find other springtime essentials. With Easter just around the corner, Goodwill is stocked with baskets, decorations, children’s books, stuffed animals and spring clothes. Purchases support Goodwill Industries-Knoxville’s job training programs and employment services for individuals with barriers to employment in East Tennessee.

The Goodwill Easter Egg Hunt is held in 15 counties in East Tennessee. Find a Goodwill Industries-Knoxville location near you at www.goodwillknoxville.org. Goodwill stores will be closed on Easter Sunday, April 16th. For more information, call 865.588.8567.

"Outside In" with artist Jered Sprecher. This after-hours series mixes spirits with stimulating discussion. Bring a friend, meet someone new, and experience art in a fresh way.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM; Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org

The AIA lecture series final talk will be Stephen Collins-Elliott of UT’s Department of Classics giving the lecture “Going West: The 2016 Pilot Season of the Project, ‘Gardens of the Hesperides: The Rural Archaeology of the Loukkos Valley’ in Northern Morocco.” “Gardens of the Hesperides: The Rural Archaeology of the Loukkos Valley” is a collaboration between UT and the Institut National des Sciences de l’Archéologie et du Patrimoine (National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage Sciences) in Rabat, Morocco. It is co-directed by Professor Aomar Akerraz from the Moroccan university and UT Professor Stephen Collins-Elliott, with the participation of Moroccan professors and students.

Collins-Elliott recently accompanied five UT senior classics students for the summer in Morocco, conducting an archaeological survey around one of the oldest cities in northwestern Africa. “The central question of the project is to know how the economy of the Loukkos was organized,” Collins-Elliott said. Researchers want to understand the relationship between Lixus and its surrounding region as well as its connections with the western Mediterranean, and whether those relationships changed in the Roman period.

The lectures are illustrated, and are free and open to the public. They are held in the McClung Museum Auditorium and are followed by a reception.

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

Ensemble concert

Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall, Natalie L. Haslam Music Center
Unless otherwise noted, concerts are FREE and open to the public. The Natalie Haslam Music Center is located at 1741 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus, and the Alumni Memorial Building is located at 1408 Middle Drive on the UT campus. *For individual or small group performances, please check the web site or call the day of the event for updates or cancellations: 865-974-5678, www.music.utk.edu/events

Exhibiting April through June will be Nashville based painter Catrina Long. Join us for a First Friday Artist's Reception on April 7th from 5:30– 8:00.

Knoxville Arts & Fine Crafts Center, 1127 Broadway Suite B, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-523-1401, www.cityofknoxville.org/recreation/arts

On Friday, April 7, from 5 - 7 p.m., The Art Guild at Fairfield Glade will host a special Opening Reception for the Spring Bounty Art Show. Progressive Savings Bank is sponsoring this show and providing the awards. This show is special because the viewers will cast their votes for their favorite artworks beginning on April 7 and ending on April 28. Winners will then be announced to the public.

The Opening Reception will feature a large assortment of hors d’oeuvres and wine, soda, and water to attendees. This event is free and open to the public. The PCAC is a great place to shop for art including paintings, photographs, pottery, jewelry, wood carvings, and greeting cards.

Art Guild at Fairfield Glade at the Plateau Creative Arts Center, 451 Lakeview Drive, Fairfield Glade, TN 38558. Hours: M-Sa 9-4. Information: 931-707-7249, www.artguildfairfieldglade.net

On your way downtown to Rhythm and Blooms, stop by and celebrate "Big (EYES) Festival" with us. Broadway Studios and Gallery proudly presents artist Charlesey Charlton-McCallister in her solo exhibit entitled "Interrupted Signal." In this exhibit Charlesey displays abstract work dealing with digital media as a way to make the viewer contemplate it's role in our society.

Under a festival TENT we will have ethereal music by guitar god, Laith Keilany. Asian food will be provided by the popular Oishii Food Truck. And inspirational works of poerty will be recited by Sundress Academy of Art, featuring Jennie Frost and Erin Elizabeth Smith. All is FREE except for food. Parking is free and on site.

The event opens "First" Friday April 7th from 5-9pm. All ages are welcome.

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

A public reception will take place on Friday, April 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM to which the public is invited to meet the artists and view the artwork. The First Friday reception also features jazz music by Vance Thompson & Friends from 7:00-9:00 PM in the Black Box.

Little River Art & Frame, a family owned business located in West Knoxville, was begun by artist and art broker Thomas Cover. Since its beginnings in 2006, Little River has become the leading supplier of Fine Art to the Knoxville Interior Design industry. Outside of Knoxville, their artists reach interior design houses and fine furniture galleries in ten surrounding states with an ever-increasing client base. Little River recently launched an international website selling fine art giclees from originals created by their artists. In addition, Little River owns several collections of 18th and 19th Century bird, botanical and equine prints. They handcraft frames for their pieces from the finest moldings, and craft one-of-a-kind art boxes from the spare pieces.

Little River Artists include: Thomas Cover, Aleksandr Cherepov, J Austin Jennings, Michael Cover, Annalee Bohon, and Brittany Elle. The exhibition will feature various styles, which make up an impressive collection of contemporary art with an eye toward interior trends. They use a variety of mediums including oil, acrylic, glass and wood. While specializing in large scale atmospheric abstract paintings, they also feature more traditional landscape oils as well as a beautiful array of wooden “frame boxes”. For more information, visit www.littleriverartists.com/

On display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Friday, April 14, for the holiday. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit the Web site at www.knoxalliance.com.

A public reception will take place on Friday, April 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM to which the public is invited to meet the artists and view the artwork. The First Friday reception also features jazz music by Vance Thompson & Friends from 7:00-9:00 PM in the Black Box.

Raised in a small coal mining community in southern West Virginia, Sharon Gillenwater was always interested in art. While living in Fort Worth, Texas, she saw an ad in the local paper stating, "If you can hold a brush, I can teach you to paint." This was the beginning - she started to pursue her passion for art. She lived at the Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio for several years before moving to Kentucky and then to Knoxville. While in Knoxville, Gillenwater took lessons from several teachers and eventually found her way to Bob Ross, where she became a Bob Ross instructor. Her next move was to Johnnie Liliedahl at the Liliedahl School of Classical Oil Painting. Sharon completed her training at the school and became a certified Liliedahl Fine Art Instructor. She teaches locally and in her home studio as well as nationally at workshops, seminars and conventions. For more information, visit www.sharongillenwaterfineart.com/.

In the field of art, Michael McKee is largely self-taught and has cultivated his talents through practice and observation. His subjects of choice are animals and landscapes, and his medium of choice is acrylic. The art of noted Sumner County wildlife artist Ralph McDonald has greatly influenced McKee since the 1970s and is likely most responsible for his current interest in wildlife art. He has attended art workshops featuring some of the best wildlife artists in the business, including Robert Bateman, Terry Isaac and Rod Frederick, and his works have won Best of Show and First Place Awards in local art shows. McKee is a native Tennessean and has been a member of the Tennessee Artists Association since 1992. For more information, visit www.michaelemckee.com.

On display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Friday, April 14, for the holiday. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit the Web site at www.knoxalliance.com.

A public reception will take place on Friday, April 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM to which the public is invited to meet the artists and view the artwork. The First Friday reception also features jazz music by Vance Thompson & Friends from 7:00-9:00 PM in the Black Box.

Renee Suich creates mixed media art including collages inspired by nature, history and the energy that surrounds us all. Early years spent in design were further fostered by time spent working at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Her work has been referred to as ‘Heritage Collage’, as she incorporates vintage imagery in a contemporary composition. “My vision starts with a story that I want to share,” says Suich. “I then use layers of my own artist-made altered paper, natural objects, and painting.” Suich now resides in East Tennessee and enjoys experimenting with new media including encaustic work. Different mediums, like encaustic work, allow her to explore color and texture in a new way. Every piece becomes a new challenge. For more information, visit www.reneesuich.com.

On display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Friday, April 14, for the holiday. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit the Web site at www.knoxalliance.com.

A public reception will take place on Friday, April 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM to which the public is invited to meet the artists and view the artwork. The First Friday reception also features jazz music by Vance Thompson & Friends from 7:00-9:00 PM in the Black Box.

Kat Lewis is an East Tennessee native who grew up in Andersonville. She studied art at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville as well as Pellissippi State Community College. She has previously worked with oil and acrylic mediums. She currently resides in Knoxville as a mother and hairstylist. Kat Lewis will display a collection of works that illustrate dreams, visions and stories of spiritual awakening and enlightenment. These illustrations of enlightenment are through the artist's perspective as well as shared experiences from others. These are experiences that go beyond the tangible, physical realm in order to touch the soul and create a new state of mind.

On display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Friday, April 14, for the holiday. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit the Web site at www.knoxalliance.com.