Calendar of Events

The Opening Reception for “Fall in Love with Art,” a judged art show at the Plateau Creative Arts Center in Fairfield Glade, will be on Friday, October 6, from 5-7 p.m. The public is invited to attend and enjoy wine or non-alcoholic beverages and hors d’oeuvres. This is a chance to view the show and to mingle with the artists. The show is sponsored by the Cumberland County Bank, a division of Putnam County Bank, who will be awarding the cash prizes.

The judge for the show is artist Jesse Kaufman, a resident of Cookeville with a fifty-year background in both commercial and fine art. He has extensive experience in graphic design, photography and presented a 60-plus show of his fine art at the Cookeville Art Society in January. Kaufman also reaches art and design at Peachtree Learning Center in Cookeville, TN.

Kaufman’s criteria for judging include subject matter, design and composition, knowledge and skill with choice of materials, and execution and quality of appearance. He will present his choices for first, second, and third place, for honorable mention, and best of show. Awards will be given in four categories: works under glass, works not under glass, photography, and jewelry and 3-dimensional art.

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

The District Gallery is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition, "Barry Spann: Twenty-One Still Lifes," opening Friday, October 6, 5-8 PM.

Comprised entirely of oil paintings, "Twenty-One Still Lifes" is an unprecedented body of work from the Knoxville native artist that was created specifically for exhibit at the gallery.

A longtime resident of Sequoyah Hills, Spann studied printmaking at the University of Tennessee, and is an international artist whose paintings, prints, and drawings are in many collections worldwide. In 1990, Spann was commissioned by Whittle Communications to produce the artwork for its new headquarters in Knoxville (now the Howard H. Baker, Jr. US Courthouse). The resulting million-dollar project was the largest of its kind in Tennessee history.

For the past decade, Spann has been working on projects in Paris and Beijing, but he has now returned to the local scene with an all-new series of paintings. After such a long and somewhat mysterious recess from the public eye, we are excited to present his latest work.

The District Gallery, 5113 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Hours: M-F 10-5:30, Sa 10-4. Information: 865-200-4452, www.TheDistrictGallery.com

Hosted by Rala: Regional and Local Artisans

Rala is proud to introduce new sculptural work by Pippin Long. She is a native Tennessean and a recent graduate of UT Knoxville with a degree in art. She currently lives in Asheville, NC where she spends her time sculpting faces, painting, and hiking with her dog Egon.

Opening reception October 6th from 6-9pm

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

A reception will take place on Friday, October 6, 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. Knoxville Shimmy Mob and the UT Electroacoustic Ensemble will perform during the reception.

Tennessee Artists Association: The Fall Juried Show: 43rd Fall Art Exhibition in the lower gallery
The Tennessee Artists Association (TAA) will feature original art by over 20 Tennessee artists including oils, watercolors, acrylics, pastels, photography, and mixed media. “This is TAA's eighth show at the Emporium Center, and we are very excited about the opportunity to present the breadth and quality of Tennessee artists' works represented by our members,” said Kay List, TAA president. The 43rd Fall Show is juried by Connie Gaertner. As sponsors of the show, FastFrame, FrameWorks, Jerry's Artarama, and CMI Moulding have made it possible to provide awards and recognition to the artists.

Tennessee Artists Association (TAA) was founded in 1972. The TAA is a civic organization of fine artists with 50 members. TAA encourages each individual artist to grow and develop through fellowship with other artists, educational programs, and opportunities to exhibit and sell art, and it serves the community through classes. Membership in TAA is open to anyone age eighteen years and older and a resident of the state of Tennessee. Dues are currently $50 for single membership, $60 for family and $15 for students. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6500 Northshore Drive, which includes a business meeting, a program, and a time for fellowship and refreshments. Guests are always welcome to attend. For more information, visit www.tnartists.org.

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, October 6, 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. Knoxville Shimmy Mob and the UT Electroacoustic Ensemble will perform during the reception.

The Arrowmont Experience will feature work by its current Artists-in-Residence, Max Adrian, Emily Culver, Elyse-Krista Mische, Paige Ward, and Xia Zhang, as well as a small selection of works from its permanent collection. This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Tennessee Craft Week, October 6-15, a collection of craft events and happenings across the state each October. The purpose is to connect and celebrate Craft Artists, the work they create and the businesses that support them. View http://tennesseecraft.org/tennessee-craft-week for more information.

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. Arrowmont's artists-in-residence will showcase contemporary, craft-based works using a range of media including ceramics, fiber, mixed media, drawing, and installation. The current Artists-in-Residence include:
• Max Adrian - fiber artist creating three-dimensional sculptural forms: www.maxadrian.com
• Emily Culver - multimedia jeweler: www.emily-culver.com
• Elyse-Krista Mische - printmaking, drawing, and ceramics: www.lifepropaganda.com
• Paige Ward - ceramic and sculpture artist: www.paigeward.com
• Xia Zhang - multi-media artist creating work centered on the vessel: www.xiayzhang.com

The exhibition will also include a small selection from Arrowmont's permanent collection, which 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 arts and craft school's history, present, and future. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is a national art education center. The school enriches lives by developing aesthetic appreciation and fostering self-expression with hands-on experiences in a variety of media, classes, conferences and seminars. On the leading edge of arts education, Arrowmont utilizes contemporary and fine arts techniques to build upon a foundation of traditional arts and crafts. For more information, please visit www.arrowmont.org.

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, October 6, 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. Knoxville Shimmy Mob and the UT Electroacoustic Ensemble will perform during the reception.

Synthia Clark: Anthropomorphize in the display case
With a background in photojournalism, Synthia Clark is an award-winning photographer based in Knoxville with a focus towards what she calls “the little things.” To Synthia, these are the obscure, usually unnoticed details all around us. In this exhibition, she focuses on finding faces in our surroundings. When she isn’t completing coursework towards her MS in communication studies or working at the University of Tennessee, Clark displays her work in various outlets and enters photo competitions. From tree bark in her hometown of Rockwood, Tennessee to faded graffiti in the alleys of Bergen, Norway, she has traveled to parts of the world photographing the minute details for which she has a passion.

Artist statement: In a crowd of people on a beach pointing at a gorgeous sunset, I would be the one person crouched in the sand with my camera aimed at some seaweed draped on a rock. Not because I’m the one person in the world who hates sunsets. Because I love to photograph the little things, both literally and figuratively. I frequently focus on capturing small, intricate scenes with my lens. So many things in life go unnoticed by people. Through my camera, I am able to notice things from a different perspective. There’s a special beauty in this perspective – a beauty that spurs the imagination and invokes feelings. The best aspect of sharing my work is the opportunity for other people to experience the same range and depth of emotion evoked from a scene I’ve captured. For more information, visit https://tltphotos.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, October 6, 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. Knoxville Shimmy Mob and the UT Electroacoustic Ensemble will perform during the reception.

Richard Jansen: Painting with Light on the North Wall
Photography has been Richard Jansen’s passion since 1970 after he returned home from Vietnam. As a freelance photographer, his motivation comes from his surrounding world. “It is what I believe to be a beautiful gift from God,” says Jansen. Scenic and landscape photography is his main area of interest, and he enjoys the spontaneity of creative photography. After his experience in Vietnam, he realized how much he had taken for granted in his environment. “I began to look beyond the everyday routine views and became a very visual person, which thus transformed my way of seeing and understanding the world around me.”

Richard Jansen was born and raised in Kansas, attending Wichita State University before doing a tour of duty in Vietnam. In 1971, he enrolled at University of Washington, Seattle and also attended the University of Colorado, Boulder. He completed Command & General Staff College in 1987 and retired as Lieutenant Colonel in 1997. He has been a freelance photographer for over 45 years. His work has appeared in numerous publications, and he is an active member of the Arts & Culture Alliance and Broadway Studios & Gallery. For more information, visit www.accentphotographyrj.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, October 6, 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. Knoxville Shimmy Mob and the UT Electroacoustic Ensemble will perform during the reception.

Melanie Fetterolf: The Love of Nature in the Atrium
The Love of Nature Painting series reflects a spiritual belief by the artist that a higher power has a hand in all that we do. The paintings are begun by hand, then given to nature (rain), and finally finished again by the artist. The paintings are a study of the juxtaposition of color and line, an experiment in the use of texture, and the abstract, uncontrolled nature of falling rain. They reflect a need by the artist to let go of control and allow the random and chaotic nature of the technique to create beauty.

Local art educator and watercolor specialist Melanie Fetterolf manages Painting Your World Studio located in Seymour, where art and painting classes are offered in six-week sessions for all ages in addition to paint parties. Fetterolf has displayed at the Davis Gallerias, Smoky Mountain Arts, and the Center for Peace. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/Paintingyourworldstudio.

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.

Street Portraits of Unknown People in Any City in the World

"Fleeting encounters of light, shadows, gestures, and stories that will never happen again. Human condition. Death. Because every click of my camera leaves something in the past that will never happen again. And at the same time it gives birth to a unique image where my own view, my humanity, is also melted."

Opening Fri Oct 6, 5-9 PM at the Emporium

HoLa Hora Latina, 100 S. Gay Street, Suite 112, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-335-3358, www.holahoralatina.org

Read and discuss Emily St. John Mandel's bestselling novel Station Eleven with the entire community

When a community reads a book together, neighbors are inspired to be more empathetic, more aware, and more engaged. We are pleased to partner with more than 20 community agenices to share Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel with you. Join us for dozens of programs that explore Station Eleven and its themes.

Take the Station Eleven creative response challenge. Read the book, imagine you were there, and respond with a creation of your own—be it a poem, a painting or a video. You could win a prize, but you're guaranteed the satisfaction of trying.

Most events are free and open to the public, but a few require reservations (link is external). http://www.knoxlib.org/calendar-programs/programs-and-partnerships/big-read-2017

"Full Circle"
Recent Work by Jennifer Brickey
Solo Exhibition
Hosted by Jennifer Brickey, Artist
www.jenniferbrickey.com

CLOSING RECEPTION: Friday, October 27, 6-8 PM

Blackberry Farms Gallery, Maryville College, 502 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville, TN 37804

The work of Asheville artist, Kathryn Gunn is a vibrant collection of color, light and reflection that comes from an intuitive place where music and mindfulness mingle with canvas, acrylic, and curiosity. Gunn only recently started painting – in fact, until last year, she thought that she couldn’t: “I have always been a lover of art and when I was younger I pursued a career in Art history, but never believed that I could be an artist.”

But when she salvaged the remains of a children’s tempura paint set, Gunn’s artistic interest started her on a path that would lead to art shows and juried events across the southeast even though the beginning of the journey was a very, very private affair that included only one set of eyes: her own.

“I took [the children’s’ paints] home with me. I just loved mixing colors. I would hide in my basement and paint on cardboard so I could throw them away as soon as I was finished and no one would ever look at anything I did.” And even when a friend lured her to a live model drawing event with a promise that the event had “really chill music and you get to drink wine,” Gunn only agreed to attend when she was assured that no one would actually see what she had drawn. The event proved to be much more than a pleasant afternoon of wine and song because when her drawing turned out to actually look like the model Gunn was moved to continue to explore her artistic side. Her subsequent experiments with drawing led to more painting and more work with color and form.

Gunn’s approach remains intuitive – she adds color based on a sense of what’s missing and remains open in terms of style and subject style. “I’m not sure that I’ve found my niche, and maybe never will as I find the next style and go ‘I want to try that out!’”

But her work is certainly informed by nature – in landscapes and even in her abstract and “Flow” works, the colors might leap from the flowers and vistas of the Appalachian Mountains. But more than that, Gunn’s work reflects a peaceful beauty, one that’s attune to her creative process. When she works, Gunn is absorbed by the present, because, she says, “When I’m painting, I lose myself in the work, lose track of time, forget to eat, completely absorbed, I don’t even know that I am sore from standing for hours and hours until I am finished. There is really no separation between me and the painting.”

You can get lost in Gunn’s paintings, too at the downtown Market Square Tomato Head through October 1st. She will then hang at the West Knoxville Tomato Head from October 3rd through November 6th.

Tomato Head, 12 Market Square (865-637-4067) and 7240 Kingston Pike, Suite 172 (865-584-1075), in Knoxville. http://thetomatohead.com