Calendar of Events

BOO! at the Zoo presented by U.S. Cellular® is Knoxville’s largest Halloween event featuring 12 nights of safe and not-too-scary Halloween fun perfect for preschool and elementary-aged children. A Halloween tradition for 31 years, BOO! at the Zoo is a family event featuring trick-or-treating along the BOO! Trail, where little trick-or-treaters can fill their bag with goodies as they make their way through the zoo. Each night of BOO! at the Zoo will have a variety of entertainment.

New This Year: Annual Passholder Night! On Thursday, October 12th, only annual passholders will have the chance to experience BOO! at the Zoo before anyone else!

DETAILS
October 12 – 15, 2017
October 19 – 22, 1017
October 26 – 29, 2017

5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. each evening

$9 per person, Children under 4 admitted free, Free parking
$2 off for Zoo Knoxville members and U.S. Cellular customers

Zoo Knoxville, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Open every day except Christmas. Information: 865-637-5331, www.zooknoxville.org

Stop by to see this month's colorful art exhibit by Tracey G. Crocker. Her work ranges from natural still lifes to logogram and abstract paintings. They'll brighten your day!

More events at http://ijams.org/events/. Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Call for Visitor Center hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

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/

Broadway Studios and Gallery presents "Wearable-Fun." A two artist showcase featuring the wearable art by Christal Yost and pinstriped inspired art by David McElyea.

Yost has a long resume of art related accomplishments, but in this latest series she uses wet Alpaca, and boiled and upcycled wool to create colorful and sculptural caps, scarves and shawls. Just in time for the fall weather, her wearable art can be obtained at the point of sale.

McElyea is a pinstripe artist who says he will stripe anything from cars to motorcycles. A definite talent, his work is both colorful and complex with beautiful fine brushstrokes with airbrush graphics. He says that he has no message behind this series of work other than he hopes it brightens someone's day.

Opening reception is "First" Friday, Oct. 6th from 5-9pm. Artists will be on hand to discuss their work with patrons. There will be light refreshments and parking is on site. Resident artists will be opening their doors to the public as is the case for every "First" Friday.

This exhibit is free to the public. Regular business hours are 10a-6p Thursday-Saturday and whenever the open light is on throughout the week. Broadway Studios and Gallery is on N Broadway one mile north from the Old City located and one block south of WATE studios' Greystone Mansion between to Vinyard Floor Covering and Knoxville Arts and Fine Craft Center in Wright's Place. Broadway Studios and Gallery is a collective of 10 artists with individual studios under one roof. They operate a retail shop and offer art lessons. Call Jessica Gregory at 865-556-8676, or visit: www.BroadwayStudiosAndGalley.com

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

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

Opening reception on Fri Sep 22, 6:30-8:00 PM. 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

For thousands of years Northwest Coast Indians including the Coast Salish, Haida, Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw, Makah, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Tlingit peoples represented in this exhibition, have made art expressing their cultural norms and values with precision, clarity, and artistic exuberance. Using indigenous and trade materials obtained in their homes along the coast of Oregon and north to Alaska, Northwest coast peoples mark elaborate ceremonial life, social rank, and prestige through their objects and art.

This exhibition explores Northwest Coast art through over 60 objects made by known and unknown artists, representing traditional and modern forms of cultural expression. From model totem poles and bentwood boxes, to spoons, prints, and silver bracelets, these objects were created for different purposes––utilitarian, decorative, and ceremonial. What all of them share in common is the desire to preserve and perpetuate Northwest Coast cultural heritage and community.

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

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts invites you to attend our latest exhibit entitled Of the Earth: Selections from Arrowmont’s Permanent Collection.” The exhibit opens in the Sandra J. Blain Gallery September 1 and will run through December 9. Admission is free.

Works included in Of the Earth reflect a range of themes including nature, human emotion and the passage of time. Some of the pieces display overcoming struggle while others focus on hope. The earth tones and scorched surfaces found in many of the wood and ceramic pieces tie the show together. Arrowmont’s permanent collection is made up of pieces that were made by current and past artists-in-residence, instructors, national and international artists - all of the pieces and their creators have ties to Arrowmont and are part of the school’s history. This is the second large-scale curated exhibition utilizing works from Arrowmont’s permanent collection that Kelly Hider, Arrowmont’s Gallery Manager, has created, the first being Pieces of the Whole, in 2015.

The permanent collection includes nearly 1,000 works in a variety of arts and crafts media, including fiber, ceramics, wood, metals, and mixed media work. 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’s permanent collection encompasses such a diverse range of work,” Hider said. “It’s an impressive collection.”

The Sandra J. Blain Gallery is located at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway in Gatlinburg, and is open Monday-Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Saturday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. It is closed on Sunday. The gallery serves as an educational resource, enabling students and visitors to learn about various media and techniques.

Hosted by With Bear Hands and Magpies Bakery. Please join us for a First Friday Opening Reception with Knoxville-based artist and sign painter Bud Ries. Snacks and drinks will be served, artwork and prints by Ries and Beth Meadows will be for sale, and the artists will be present for questions or comments. White Oak Gallery is located inside Magpies Bakery and is open to the public during their regular business hours. It is managed by local artist Beth Meadows whose work is on display there throughout the year and features a new artist every two months.

About Bud Ries and his work: "I am a local sign painter who has lived and worked in Knoxville since 2011. When I first moved to town I began documenting the ever-changing local scenery of signs and hand lettering on my website KnoxFlair.blogspot.com (now on Instagram @KnoxFlair). These paintings are of particular favorite photos I've posted in the past."

White Oak Gallery, 846 N Central St, Knoxville, TN 37917. Hours: M 10-4, Tu-F 10-5:30, Sat 10-4. Information: http://withbearhands.com/gallery/