Calendar of Events

Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times Best-selling Author, will talk about her latest book, The Bookshop at Water’s End, at Blount County Public Library. The program is sponsored by the Blount County Friends of the Library and Southland Books. Callahan Henry’s novel explores the themes of friendship, forgiveness and second chances. Set in the fictional town of Water’s End, the romance of a summer beach novel in this “Charlestonesque” town comes to life in the absorbing and crisscrossing story of two best friends returning to an idyllic river house in South Carolina—pulled like the tidal flow of the scenic water—to face their fears. Intent as teens on solving mysteries in their Nancy Drew Club, as adults they contend with a profound grown-up mystery with far-reaching consequences.

Callahan Henry, author of nearly a dozen novels, has had writing that appeared in numerous magazines including Good Housekeeping, Skirt! magazine, South magazine, and Southern Living, and has been nominated four different times for the Southeastern Independent Booksellers Novel of the Year. Two of her novels, Okra Picks and Coming up For Air were selected for the August 2011 Indie Next List. A full-time writer, wife, and mother of three, Henry lives in Mountain Brook, Alabama. Growing up with the idea that being a novelist was “unrealistic,” Callahan Henry set her sights on becoming a pediatric nurse. She left nursing to raise her children and began writing down the stories that had always been in her head. Henry says, it was “when her daughter told her that she wanted ‘to be a writer of books’ when she grew up, that she realized that writing was her own dream as well.”

Blount County Public Library, 508 N. Cusick Street, Maryville, TN. Information: 865-982-0981, www.blountlibrary.org

ATTENTION SONGWRITERS/SINGER SONGWRITERS AND ORIGINAL MUSIC LOVERS!

The coveted Guitar Pull. Long since the ‘after party and back stage’ tradition at prestigious festivals and concerts, where the artists/writers let their hair down and play what suits them…try out new songs in a welcoming environment and network in such a way that it builds co-writing and co-gigging friendships. So how cool would it be to take that to another level?

This summer…in Knoxville, TN, Modern Studio presents The ‘Songwriters Soiree’. A combined workshop and Q&A about the music business and songwriting, a short set concert performed by Writer’s Block Radio Program host/program director, music industry consultant/career coach and Award Winning Singer Songwriter, Karen E. Reynolds, and the evening will end with a traditional guitar pull including any attendee who wishes to perform (doesn’t have to be a guitar…can be a keyboard, banjo, etc. But must bring your own instrument). You will learn more about the business, receive kind and constructive critique, meet and network with other artists, as well as, share your own music with an interested and listening, audience. Cost is $10 per person.

Modern Studio, 109 W Anderson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-323-2425, www.modernstudio.org

The Art Gallery at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church (ORUUC) will present an exhibit of the work of Kathy Holland from July through September 8. A gallery opening talk and artist reception will be hosted at the church on Sunday July 16, at 12:30 p.m. The public is invited.

ORUUC is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge. Admission to the gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For artists interested in a showing contact Nancy Starr at starroakridge@gmail.com or call 865-483-8684.

The Ewing Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of recently acquired works from our permanent collection. All works on exhibit were collected between 2015 and 2017.

The Ewing Gallery will be having abbreviated summer hours. The gallery will be open Monday - Thursday: 12-4PM and Sunday: 1-4.

Ewing Gallery, 1715 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Information: 865-974-3200, www.ewing-gallery.utk.edu

Exhibiting works by new Artists-in-Residence – Xia Zhang, Paige Ward, Elyse Krista-Mische, Emily Culver, and Max Adrian. The Artists-in-Residence Program provides early career, self-directed artists time, space and support to experiment and develop a new body of work in a creative community environment. Each year, five artists of different media are selected for the eleven-month program, which begins mid-June and continues through late May of the following year. Participants receive exhibition opportunities, teaching experience, professional development and a private studio. Showcasing work in a range of media including ceramics, fiber, mixed media, drawing, and installation, the exhibit introduces work by Arrowmont’s five Artists-in-Residence as they begin their 11-month residency. The exhibit is on view in the Geoffrey A. Wolpert Gallery.

+ Xia Zhang is a multi-media artist creating work centered on the vessel. She received her MFA from West Virginia University in 2015 and her BA from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. Xia works with ceramics, sculpture, photo, video and performance to examine colonialism, femininity, and memory. www.xiayzhang.com
+ Paige Ward is a ceramic and sculpture artist. She recently received her MFA from The University of Florida in Gainesville in 2017 and her BA from Union University in Jackson, TN. Utilizing sculptural media, Paige is inspired by philosophy, personal narrative, religion, and faith as she questions concepts of security. www.paigeward.com
+ Elyse Krista-Mische received her BA from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI with an emphasis in printmaking, drawing, and ceramics. Her work lives between make believe and reality and investigates time, wealth, memory and consciousness. She translates two-dimensional drawings and tapestries into three-dimensional performance pieces. www.lifepropaganda.com
+ Emily Culver is a multimedia jeweler. She recently received her MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2017 and her BFA from Tyler School of Art, Temple University in 2012. Ranging from body-sized sculptures to hand-held objects, Emily’s work examines the relationship between object and body. www.emily-culver.com
+ Max Adrian is a fiber artist creating three-dimensional sculptural forms. He graduated with his BFA in Fiber and Creative Writing from the Kansas City Art Institute. Using sculptural quilting, Max creates objects centered around nightlife, identity, performance, and storytelling. http://www.maxadrian.com/

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Gallery hours are Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

The public is invited to an Art Opening and Reception featuring photographs by Knoxville photographer Emily Brewer. The event will be held on First Friday, July 7 from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm at the newly named White Oak Gallery located inside Magpies Bakery at 846 North Central Street. The event is free, artwork and prints will be for sale, and refreshments will be served.

Knoxville Based photographer Emily Brewer practices portraiture and printmaking as a way to relate to her surroundings and relationships. Her film photographs will be on display through August 29 and will include platinum prints, silver gelatin prints, optical color prints, and Polaroid emulsion transfers. All work is for sale.

White Oak Gallery, located inside Magpies Bakery, is generously made available by owner Peg Hambright and managed by Knoxville artist Beth Meadows of With Bear Hands. Meadows' artwork is always on display, and a different Knoxville artist is featured every other month. The public is invited to visit the gallery any time during Magpies' business hours and to consider buying artwork and/or cupcakes while there.

MON. 10-4, TUES.-FRI. 10-5:30, SAT. 10-4 | SUN. CLOSED
For more information, visit withbearhands.com/gallery or contact beth@bethmeadows.com.

First Friday reception from 6-9 PM

Harry Underwood is a self taught painter living in Nashville Tennessee. He began painting pictures fifteen years ago while working as a flooring installer in Nashville. He was born during 1969 in Miami Florida, and raised in the rural "Redlands" farming area near Homestead. His father was a Carpenter and his mother worked at a Supermarket. He has one sister. With his family he attended the Church of God pentecostal church until 1982. As a teenager he cleaned swimming pools at many of the Motels in the area and bussed tables at the Capri Italian Restaurant in Florida City. Uprooted by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 he lived in New Orleans and Austin, eventually settling in Nashville where he worked in the construction industry until 2005. His artwork has been shown by galleries in United States, France and England. http://artbyharry.weebly.com/

RALA, 112 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-525-7888, https://shoprala.com/

A reception will take place on Friday, July 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM as part of First Friday activities downtown to which the public is invited to meet the artists and view the artwork. Most of the works are for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present the fifth annual Knoxville Photo, an exhibition featuring selected works from 37 artists throughout the region. Knoxville Photo was developed to provide a forum for photographers to compete on a national scale and display their work. The exhibition encompasses photographs depicting all subjects and genres, including streetscapes, cityscapes, landscapes, environmental portraiture, portraits, abstracts, and more. Baldwin Lee served as juror for the exhibition and viewed images from 107 artists to select the exhibition. For more information, please visit http://www.knoxalliance.com/knoxville-photo/.

On display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Information: (865) 523-7543 or www.knoxalliance.com.

A reception will take place on Friday, July 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM as part of First Friday activities downtown to which the public is invited to meet the artists and view the artwork. Most of the works are for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition.

The Vacuum Shop Studios (VSS) was founded in January 2013 between the Old North Knoxville and 4th & Gill neighborhoods. Occupying the former location of a vacuum repair shop at 1326 N. Broadway, VSS is a collaborative work space for artists. While the space is primarily used as private artist studios, VSS opens their doors to the public three times a year for open studio nights annually on First Fridays in February, May, and October. VSS has exhibited at Bagwell Gallery (Pellissippi State Community College) and Catron Gallery (Walters State Community College). The exhibition at the Emporium Center marks VSS’s third group exhibition. The Vacuum Shop Studios were voted "Top Artists Workshop/Studio" in the Knoxville Mercury's "Top Knox 2015 Reader's Poll."

Currently, VSS houses eight artists: Eleanor Aldrich, Heather Hartman, Kelly Hider, Ashton Ludden, Erin Mullenex, Chelsie Nunn, Deborah Rule, and Jessie Van der Laan. The exhibition will include works by these artists in a variety of media such as painting, collage, mixed media, printmaking, and fiber work. For more information, please visit https://vacuumshopstudios.wordpress.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. Information: (865) 523-7543 or www.knoxalliance.com.

A reception will take place on Friday, July 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM as part of First Friday activities downtown to which the public is invited to meet the artists and view the artwork. Most of the works are for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition.

A native Californian, Christine Parkhurst holds degrees in English and Education from the University of California at Berkeley, has taken advanced Creative Writing at San Francisco State University, and has lived, worked, and studied in Europe. She loves writing, gardening, dogs, music, and ceramics. She has worked with clay in England, Lake Tahoe, Bakersfield (one of her greatest regrets is that she didn’t go on a class field trip to visit the art studio of Peter Voulkos), and Knoxville. Christine has two grown children, two stepchildren, four young granddaughters, and currently shares a home in Knoxville with her husband, George, their two dogs, and – at last count – 22 rather large fish.

In this exhibition, Christine Parkhurst will display clay busts, bowls, vases, and animal forms with some of our poetry.

On display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Information: (865) 523-7543 or www.knoxalliance.com.

A reception will take place on Friday, July 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM as part of First Friday activities downtown to which the public is invited to meet the artists and view the artwork. Most of the works are for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition.

Tracey G. Crocker makes paintings and mixed media artworks. By questioning the concept of movement, Crocker finds that movement reveals an inherent awkwardness, a humour that echoes our own vulnerabilities. The artist also considers movement as a metaphor for the ever-seeking man who experiences a continuous loss.

Her paintings are characterised by the use of everyday objects in an atmosphere of middleclass mentality in which recognition plays an important role. By choosing mainly formal solutions, she often creates work using creative game tactics, but these are never permissive. Play is a serious matter: during the game, different rules apply than in everyday life and even everyday objects undergo transubstantiation.

On display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Information: (865) 523-7543 or www.knoxalliance.com.

A reception will take place on Friday, July 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM as part of First Friday activities downtown to which the public is invited to meet the artists and view the artwork. Most of the works are for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition.

Silas Reynolds was born and raised in Morristown and now resides in Knoxville. Growing up with an artist father, art was like second nature to him. He began drawing at a very young age and his passion for art grew quickly. He continued his love for drawing throughout his childhood and began experimenting with paint in his early twenties and soon fell in love with the freedom of abstract painting which allowed him to express himself in a different way.

Silas Reynolds is a self-taught artist and is primarily recognized as an abstract painter using bold colors and shapes to create a highly energetic work of art with acrylic, spray paint, latex enamel, pastel, and other media. His style is influenced by the likes of Jackson Pollack, Willem De Kooning and Alex Brewer, and his work is inspired by nature and everyday life. “Most of my work is completely spontaneous,” says Reynolds. “I start with a mark and keep adding layers until there is a cohesive balance between the shapes and colors that are made.”

On display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Information: (865) 523-7543 or www.knoxalliance.com.