Calendar of Events

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

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

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

Please join us First Friday April 7, for an opening reception from 5-9pm.

Alison Saar weaves narratives relating to the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 into the mixed-media sculpture and paintings featured in “Breach.” Saar explores issues of gender, race, racism, and the African diaspora. She mines mythology, ritual, history, music, and her biracial heritage as sources for her work.

During a 2013 residency at the Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans, Saar was dismayed to see how little had been done to rebuild African American communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina eight years earlier. Upon her return to Los Angeles, she began researching the histories of American floods and the effect on African Americans. The Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927, described as one of the worst natural river disasters in U.S. history, piqued her interest. Heavy rains resulted in the river breaching levees, creating a historic catastrophe that had a profound impact on the life of African Americans living in the Mississippi Delta. The flood exposed the conditions of poor African American sharecroppers and tenant farmers and their relationship with cotton plantation owners. The flood also resulted in social, cultural, federal policy, and political changes.

With water imagery woven throughout, “Breach” is the culmination of Saar’s creative research on American rivers and their historical relationship to the lives of African Americans. Through mixed media sculpture, paintings, and works on paper, she explores floods not only as natural phenomena; but also the complex interaction of social, cultural, and political factors associated with flooding and its aftermath.

Saar will also be giving a public lecture on her work on Thursday, April 6 at 7:30 PM in room 109 of the Art + Architecture Building.

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

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

Join us for a week of activities and events that celebrate the places that give shape to our stories, our lives, and our communities.
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Art Salon: https://www.facebook.com/events/1863622320590108/, Sponsored by Genna Sellers Photography
A Behind the Scenes Tour, Hosted by Knox Heritage
The third annual First Friday pop-up gallery to celebrate and showcase the vast range of original works of art created by architects and related professionals in East Tennessee. Don’t miss out on this one-night only event in conjunction with a Behind the Scene’s Tour hosted by Knox Heritage. From Scratch Foods (food truck) will be there.

Friday, April 7 at Kern’s Bakery – 2110 Chapman Highway
Opening reception: April 7, 2017 – 5:00pm to 9:00pm
Knox Heritage Tour: April 7, 2017 – 5:00pm to 8:00pm
The tour is free for current KH members. Visit knoxheritage.org for more info or to become a member.

Jack Neely Walking Tour - https://www.facebook.com/events/738687206308420/, Downtown Performance Venues, Sponsored by Knoxville Mercury
Inspired by Knoxville’s Big Ears and Rhythm and Blooms festivals, join us for a walk and talk with historian and author, Jack Neely highlighting downtown Knoxville’s historic theatres and event spaces.
Civic Auditorium and Coliseum | Bijou Theatre | Tennessee Theatre | Tennessee Amphitheatre | Scruffy City Hall | The Square Room | The Standard | The Mill and Mine
Saturday, April 8th - 9:00am to 12:30pm, Civic Auditorium and Coliseum (free parking available)
$10 per adult. Children are free. (Proceeds go to support The Knoxville History Project)

Kazuyo Sejima - https://www.facebook.com/events/1870388169872723/, Hosted by the University of Tennessee College of Architecture and Design
As co-founder of the multiple award-winning international architectural firm, SANAA, and a 2010 recipient of the prestigious Pritzker Prize for Architecture, Kazuyo will present, “Environment and Architecture,” an introspection of how her interests translate into architecture.
Saturday, April 8 - 4pm (doors open at 3 p.m.) at Bijou Theater. Free and open to the public.

Design SLAM! Knoxville Vol. 4 - https://www.facebook.com/events/169345296911554/, Sponsored by Messer Construction
Design SLAM! Knoxville is a live fast-paced architectural competition of design prowess and presentation. DSKv4 will pit teams from Knoxville’s architecture firms against one another to solve a Knoxville design challenge. Teams will be given 1.5 hours to come up with and present their solution to the audience and a panel of guest judges for both juried and a people’s choice favorites. Come, grab a beer, and root for your favorite team.
Wednesday, April 12 - 5:30pm to 7:30pm @ Schulz Brau Brewing Company, Free and open to the public.

The Design Symposium - https://www.facebook.com/events/210453736101020/, What Makes a Livable City?
Sponsored by Tennessee Lighting Sales. As the pace of Knoxville’s development accelerates there are critical questions to ask. Each year the AIA Design Symposium tackles one of these questions. This year our presenters are provided 7 minutes each to answer the question: What makes a livable city? Answers range from the role of public places, density development, walkability, and city identifying amenities.
Moderator – George Dodds, Professor at the University of Tennessee, College of Architecture and Design and Author of the Architecture Matters column in the Knoxville Mercury
Friday, April 14 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm at The Square Room, Free and open to the public.

Mid-Mod Home Tour - https://www.facebook.com/events/799509310206331/, Self-paced driving tour
It was the era of the ‘Mad Men.’ Mid-century modern design embodied the optimism of America following the Second World War and was decidedly about looking forward with a belief in the future. This spirit influenced everything from furniture to fashion and graphic design to industrial design, but most people best associate the style with Architecture. And the world is still crazy for it. How about you, are you mad about Mid-century Modern Design? Then join us for this rare opportunity to see the interiors and gardens of 7 homes designed by local and national architects, while highlighting the time period’s distinctive architecture, design, and lifestyle.
Saturday, April 15, Check-in opens 9:00am at Mid Mod Collective and Wild Love Bakehouse
Houses open at 10:00am and close at 4:00pm; Check-in will close at 12:30pm. $10 per person, children are free.

"Focus on what surrounds you" - https://www.facebook.com/events/1929677433932391/, #iLookUpKnox Instagram Contest
What do you see when you look up? Look up from the chaos of everyday life. Take in everything around you. Show us what you see. This campaign challenges us to think of Architecture as a Solution. The buildings and spaces create a time stamp of what life is like in that moment. Post your photographs on Instagram with the hashtag #ilookupknox between March 15th-April 15. Winners will be announced at the Annual AIA Awards Gala on April 21st. We want to know what you see when you "look up" in Knoxville. Other hashtags to include: #ilookup #archweek17 #architecture #aiaetn #iSeeTNArch

Best New Architecture in East Tennessee - People’s Choice Vote - https://www.facebook.com/events/1559006177458023/, AIA East Tennessee Design Awards Program
Cast your vote for the best new architecture in East Tennessee. The poll opens on April 8th and runs through 6pm on April 21st.

http://www.archweek.aiaetn.org

Sculptures created by 11 University of Tennessee art students that incorporate materials provided by steel recycler Gerdau will be on public display April 6-19 at the Knoxville Convention Center.

“The Art of Recycling” sculpture exhibition celebrates April’s National Recycling Month and is a partnership among Gerdau, Dogwood Arts and the University of Tennessee Sculpture Program. The artworks will be unveiled in a public ceremony Thursday, April 6, at 10 a.m.

Dogwood Arts, 123 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-637-4561, www.dogwoodarts.com

Sculptures created by 11 University of Tennessee art students that incorporate materials provided by steel recycler Gerdau have been unveiled and are on public display through April 19 at the Knoxville Convention Center. “The Art of Recycling” sculpture exhibition celebrates April’s National Recycling Month and is a partnership among Gerdau, Dogwood Arts and the University of Tennessee Sculpture Program.

In January, Gerdau’s Knoxville steel mill opened its scrap yard to the students, along with UT associate professor Jason Brown, visiting lecturer Jessica Ann and 3D area technician Erin Tucker. The students selected 4,860 pounds of discarded metal and steel, provided free of charge by Gerdau, and gained inspiration for new works of art.

“Most people don’t realize how ‘green’ our business really is,” said Johnny Miller, vice president and general manager of Gerdau’s steel mill in Knoxville. “This project provides an excellent opportunity to support these students and the arts, celebrate National Recycling Month and educate the public about our business.”

Students at the dig were enthusiastic about the project and grateful for the opportunity. "To create something of beauty and purpose from what many would consider to be ugly waste is an exciting prospect,” art student Thomas Colabella said. This marks the third year the partnership has culminated in a public art exhibition, and the Knoxville Convention Center remains an enthusiastic supporter of the project.

Participating UT students include Colabella, Reid Arrowood, Mary Badillo, Zachary Edwards, Mary Hallman, Holly Kelly, Otis Kennedy, Elena Lee, Cara McKinley, Hannah Shimabukuro and Drew Shorter.

Around the world, Gerdau transforms millions of metric tons of scrap into steel every year. The company’s Knoxville mill recycles discarded steel into reinforcing bar, which is used to support concrete in new bridges, buildings and other structures.

Recent works by painter Harriet Howell and mixed-media artist Marilyn Avery Turner will be on display during April. An opening reception for the featured artists will begin at 5:30 p.m., April 7, during Downtown Knoxville’s monthly First Friday Art Walk, with complimentary refreshments, and music performed by Matt Tilley.

Harriet Howell’s work uses color and movement to express the emotional content of the landscape. She prefers plein air painting which, she feels, encourages an interactive relationship between the artist and the subject. She teaches classes in pastel landscape drawing and in experimental water-media painting. Her art training includes a BFA from the University of Tennessee and studying with master painters over many years. She has taught in pastel landscape drawing at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts for many years.

Marilyn Avery Turner draws from numerous sources, ancient and contemporary, to blend personal experiences with archetypal images. The use of drawings and statuary from early Mexican cultures reflects her abiding attraction to the country where she spent a formative part of her childhood. With a background in painting and collage, her use of monoprinting has become an ideal synthesis for these two mediums.

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

By day, Casey Fox is the celebrated manager of Library Fund Development for the Knox County Public Library. Featured as one of the Knoxville News-Sentinel’s “40 under 40,” Fox gets kudos for her fund-raising efforts, particularly a capital campaign to help digitize the library’s historic archives. But when she’s not busy contributing to the Library’s mission, Fox has a secret identity, and it’s one that Tomato Head has proudly unveiled and put on public display in our Market Square restaurant. Casey Fox is also a photographer.

Now through May 1st, Fox presents her first solo exhibit in our downtown location. Titled “Landscaped,” the exhibit features a collection of images that Fox captured over the last 7 or 8 years but without intending to create a series. Fox says it was only after the fact that she realized that not only did she have enough shots for a show, she had also uncovered a style: “I was just looking back through my pictures and realized, ‘oh this is what I do’. I remember sitting on the couch once lookin

"Landscaped", an exhibit of photographs by Casey Fox will be on view at the downtown Knoxville Tomato Head Restaurant from April 3rd to April 30th, 2017. The exhibit will then display at the West Knoxville Gallery Tomato Head from May 2nd to June 5th, 2017. Tomato Head, 12 Market Square (865-637-4067) and 7240 Kingston Pike, Suite 172 (865-584-1075), in Knoxville. http://thetomatohead.com