Calendar of Events

Arrowmont invites you to view works by Mary Ruden – The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage “Artist of the Year." Join us for the opening reception on April 12, 5:30-7 PM. Bring your family and friends and enjoy an evening of art, live music and refreshments. Live music will be performed by “Pistol Creek Catch of the Day” – a local bluegrass band comprised of Edward Harper, Bill Cabage and Carl Gombert. Admission is free.

The exhibition showcases Mary Ruden’s sculptures, prints and drawings depicting natural subjects such as orchids, wildflowers and butterflies. Her work is inspired by her Welsh roots and her travels to Europe. The exhibition is on view in the Geoffrey A. Wolpert Gallery. Gallery hours are Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Mary Ruden, sculptor and mixed-media artist, creates outdoor and collectible art. She received her BFA from University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida and has taught art and design classes for over eight years. Her work is displayed in two state parks, various government buildings and at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C. to honor the centennial anniversary of the National Park Service. Mary is an active member of the Knoxville Arts and Culture Alliance and exhibits her work throughout the southeastern United States. For more information about Mary and her work, visit: www.maryruden.com.

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

The visual work of L&N STEM Academy's junior and senior art students includes everything from digital pieces to graphite and watercolor renderings. Enjoy this impressive collection through the month of April at Ijams!

Ijams' Visitor Center is open Monday – Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 5 pm.

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Opening reception TBD. Free and open to the public.

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, www.fountaincityartcenter.com

The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra presents a lunchtime performance at The Square Room in downtown Knoxville. Tickets for the one-hour concert are $15 in advance/$20 at the door and include a boxed lunch from Café 4. Seating is general admission and is limited; doors open at 11:30 a.m.

Details TBA.

At The Square Room, located behind Café 4 in Market Square, downtown Knoxville. Tickets and information: 865-291-3310, www.knoxvillesymphony.com

Friendly Faces: Dr. Andy Holt: President, University of Tennessee, 1959-1970

Dr. Andy Holt is remembered for his inspirational outlook and for the growth of the university under his tenure, a record that included a tripling of student enrollment, a doubling of faculty and staff, and the addition of eight new buildings. Dr. Joe Johnson, a close friend and colleague and president emeritus of the University of Tennessee, will discuss Dr. Holt’s career and legacy and the personal characteristics that made him so effective. A video presentation, Friendly Faces, will feature excerpts from an interview with Dr. Holt and from one of his most famous speeches.

The program is free and open to the public. Guests are invited to bring a “Brown Bag” lunch and enjoy the lecture. Soft drinks will be available.

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

Whether on a greenway through a historic park or on a natural trail through the woods, you will observe historic relics and beautiful wildflowers among the dogwood trees on these easy, four-mile hikes. The interactive hikes will highlight interesting facts, features, and flora in the unique locations. Hikers should wear comfortable clothing and bring any water or snacks you might need. No pre-registration is required. Please arrive a few minutes before 9:00am so that hikes begin on time.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12 AT 9:00 AM
GPS: 3700 LANCASTER DRIVE, 37920
Gather with leaders from the Happy Hikers group at 3700 Lancaster Drive to discover the meandering trails of Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness just minutes from downtown. You’ll take the easy Sycamore Loop 1.2 miles, where you’ll find native vegetation and giant sycamore trees, and then climb a more strenuous 0.8 miles on Best Medicine to a beautiful view of the valley at Pappy’s Point. From here, you may be able to see the windmills on Buffalo Mountain to the north before returning to the base of the trail system.

For more information please visit http://www.dogwoodarts.com/hikes-blooms.
Dogwood Arts Festival: 865-637-4561 www.dogwoodarts.com

"Being Otherwise, Being Grace Jones: Surface Aesthetics, Disco Commons, and Sensuous Acts of Knowing"

Uri McMillan, Associate Professor of English at UCLA, is a cultural historian who researches and writes in the interstices between black cultural studies, performance studies, queer theory, and contemporary art. He is the author of Embodied Avatars: Genealogies of Black Feminist Art and Performance. He has published articles on performance art, digital media, hip-hop, photography, and nineteenth-century performance cultures in varied arenas. In addition, he has lectured at art museums, including MoMA PS1 and the Hammer Museum, and published numerous essays on black contemporary art for the Studio Museum of Harlem. His work has been supported by the Ford Foundation and the Woodrow Wilson Foundation.

This discussion is part of the Distinguished Lecture Series in Musicology, as well as the Women, Gender, and Sexuality interdisciplinary program inaugural event. A reception for the Women, Gender, and Sexuality program will follow in the lobby.

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

This tea features a fashion show with models wearing the newest spring and summer Lilly Pulitzer dresses from the Palm Village Shop at Western Plaza. Each model will accessorize with a beautiful hat (suitable for Derby Day and other social occasions) provided by Crescent Bend. After the fashion show and a tea provided by Bradford Catered Events, you may enjoy the colorful gardens!

Come and enjoy the elegant pleasure of partaking in a formal High Tea and take the tour of the house museum and gardens were 25,000 tulips will be in bloom. Special entertainment will also be provided during tea time. Cost is $24.95 per adult & $15.00 per child. Price also includes the cost of admission to tour the house museum and gardens.

Crescent Bend House & Gardens, 2728 Kingston Pike Knoxville, TN 37919. Information: 865-637-3163, www.crescentbend.com

The Knoxville Bar Association is pleased to announce that a Legal Advice Clinic for Veterans will be held on April 12, 2017 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office at 1101 Liberty Street, Knoxville TN 37912.

This is a general advice and referral clinic and it is anticipated to serve between 20 and 30 veterans in the community each month with a wide variety of legal issues, including family law, landlord/tenant, bankruptcy, criminal defense, consumer protection, contract disputes, child support, and personal injury, among other issues.

Free Legal Advice Clinic for Veterans
Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 12 Noon – 2:00 P.M, at the Knox County Public Defender’s
Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty Street, Knoxville, TN 37919.

The Veterans Legal Advice Clinic is a project sponsored by the Knoxville Bar Association (KBA), the Knoxville Barristers (the Young Lawyers Division of the KBA), Legal Aid of East of Tennessee, Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office, the University of Tennessee College of Law and the local Veteran’s Affairs Office.
For more information on the Legal Advice for Veterans Clinic please see www.knoxbar.org.

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.

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