Calendar of Events

The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with the Carpetbag Theatre and several other arts groups will collaborate to present A Night with the Arts: A Celebration Concert in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 15 at 6:00 p.m. at the Tennessee Theatre. This concert, free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission of Greater Knoxville, Gannett Foundation/Knoxville News Sentinel, Tennessee Valley Authority and with support from Knox County Commissioners Brad Anders, Evelyn Gill, Bob Thomas, and Dave Wright. No tickets are required to attend this free performance.

The concert’s theme is "Transforming the Community by Committing to Service." KSO Music Director Aram Demirjian conducts the Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra joined by the Celebration Choir directed by Aaron Staple. The performance will include drama, spoken word and digital stories woven throughout the concert by members of the Carpetbag Theatre, Inc., directed by Linda Parris-Bailey. The Celebration Choir will perform gospel tunes including “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “We Shall Overcome.” Other musical selections from the KSO include Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and music from Leonard Bernstein’s Candide. Clarence Vaughn, Chair of the MLK Commemorative Commission, will present the Commission’s Arts Award.

For more information visit www.knoxvillesymphony.com or www.mlkknoxville.org. Parking is free on nights and weekends in the State Street Garage. This concert is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

"Ebony Imagery XVII" - a Mixed Media Exhibition by African American Artists from Tennessee;
"Travelogue: Colma, California's Religious Stained Glass" - photographs by Nicole Ferrara; and
"Selections from the Permanent Collection" - featuring International Artists including Henri Matisse, Karl Appel, Salvador Dali and many others.

Opening Reception: Sunday Afternoon, January 14, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, Gallery Talk at 4:00 PM. The event is free and open to the public. Bring your friends and family!

Oak Ridge Art Center, 201 Badger Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Tu-F 9-5, Sa-M 1-4. Information: 865-482-1441, www.oakridgeartcenter.org

JOIN US FOR A RECEPTION ON Thursday, January 11, 6:30 - 8:30 PM in the Ewing Gallery featuring work by Dana DeGiulio, Ezra Tessler, Clare Grill, and Caitlin Cherry

The presence of acclaimed artists—who have lived and worked in major cultural centers across the country—enhances the educational opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the University of Tennessee School of Art. With daily contact over the course of a full semester, resident artists develop a unique relationship with the student body which complements the creative stimulation offered by guest lecturers and the School of Art’s faculty. Representing diverse ethnic, cultural, educational, and professional backgrounds, these resident artists introduce another layer of candor and a fresh artistic standard for the students who, though early in their formal art studies, are beginning to develop their own perceptions, skills, and theories in connection with the making of art.

Although the resident artists present slide lectures during their stays, it is access to their works of art that is highly anticipated and valued by both the students and the faculty. Therefore, the Ewing Gallery has sponsored group exhibitions of these artists since the inception of the Artist-in-Residence Program in 1982. Currently held every two years, this exhibition provides a continuing dialogue between artist-teacher and student. The A.I.R. Biennial also offers our general university and regional community an opportunity to experience a provocative and often challenging exhibition of contemporary art.

NEW WORK BY ELEANNA ANAGNOS
Eleanna Anagnos (born Evanston, IL 1980) is a New York-based artist and curator. Her work explores the nature of human perception and aims to elicit a physiological response where subjectivity, phenomenology, and the conscious act of seeing are addressed. She has received awards from Yaddo; BAU Institute; The Anderson Ranch, The Atlantic Center for the Arts and The Joan Mitchell Foundation. For the past four years Eleanna has been a Co-Director at Ortega y Gasset Projects, an artist-run gallery and curatorial collective located in Brooklyn, NY.

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

January's exhibit features Rikki Taylor Pottery and The Poetry of Nature. Rikki's colorful, patterned pottery juxtapose perfectly with Katharine's gorgeous, detailed nature photographs.

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

Wednesday, January 10
OPENING EVENT - INTERFAITH PRAYER SERVICE - 12:00 NOON at Mount Zion Baptist Church, 2714 Brooks Avenue Knoxville, TN 37914

Thursday, January 11
LEADERSHIP EDUCATIONAL SYMPOSIUM - 8:30AM - 11:30AM at Knoxville Marriott Hotel Ballroom, 500 Hill Avenue, 37915
LEADERSHIP/AWARDS LUNCHEON - 12:00 NOON

Friday, January 12
COMMUNITY FORUM – OAK RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL PEACE ALLIANCE - 6:30 PM (Refreshments), Beck Cultural Exchange Center, 1927 Dandridge Ave, 37915

Saturday, January 13
YOUTH SYMPOSIUM - 8:30AM–2:30PM at Austin-East High School, 2800 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave, 37914 - A day packed with fun, activities, free food, entertainment, and much more!
TEACHER IN-SERVICE TRAINING - 8:30 AM - 2 PM
Y.W.C.A. RACE AGAINST RACISM : Phyllis Wheatley YWCA Event, for more information see http://www.ywcaknox.com/news-events/race-against-racism/

Monday, January 15
MLK PARADE - Line-up will be at 8:30AM, Step-off will be at 10:00AM from the YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Center, 124 S. Cruze Street, 37915
MEMORIAL TRIBUTE SERVICE - 11:45AM at Greater Warner Tabernacle AME Zion Church, 3800 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave, 37914
A NIGHT WITH THE ARTS TRIBUTE & THE KNOXVILLE SYMPHONY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA and THE CARPETBAG THEATRE - 6:00 PM at Historic Tennessee Theatre, 604 South Gay Street, 37902

http://www.mlkknoxville.com/2018-events/

The January/February 2018 Featured Artist is nature photographer Mike Naney. His exhibit, titled "Fire and Ice," is composed of photos he took during recent trips to Hawaii and Greenland.

The Hawaii photos, taken in February 2017, capture lava flowing through a "fire hose," or lava tube, before falling 60 feet into the ocean below. Mike and his wife, Linda, traveled to the Big Island with the hope of witnessing this dramatic eruption of the Kilauea volcano. The photos were taken from a fishing boat that was a safe distance from the exploding lava bombs, but close enough to steam up his glasses, he says.

The couple traveled to Scoresby Sound in eastern Greenland in August 2017 and spent eight days on a photo tour aboard a 100-foot sailing ship. They spent two days near "Iceberg City," an informal name for a shallow, narrow channel separating a small island from a larger island. Five of the images in the exhibit illustrate the various iceberg shapes, texture and color they saw in Iceberg City.

Mike's geology training and passion for earth science influence his artistic interpretation of photographic subjects in wild places, from his backyard to places far from home. He enjoys the serendipity of wandering upon scenes of nature's beauty, and using science to plan and capture fleeting splendor. He is a member of the Art Market Gallery of Knoxville.

Each month, the work of an artist or group of artists is featured in specially-designed cases on the second floor of the rotunda in Farragut Town Hall. For more information about this exhibit or to access a Featured Artist of the Month application, contact Lauren Cox at ParksandRecInfo@townoffarragut.org or 218-3372 or visit townoffarragut.org/artsandculture.

Ken Anderson is a professor of taxation in the College of Business at UT. He enjoys painting diverse subjects in various mediums and gravitates to landscapes with a “strongly defined horizon.”

Lisa Kurtz received a Masters Degree from the University if Louisville and has been a functional potter for over 38 years. Her work is influenced by nature, early Japanese Jomon pots and Greek Minoan pottery.

6500 Northshore Drive, 865-584-3957 or www.wpcknox.org
Hours: Monday thru Friday, 9AM to 4PM

While ancient Roman coins usually display emperors, a surprising number depict female members of the imperial family, particularly empresses. Coins are powerful propaganda used to advance political ideals and reinforce social mores. Closer observation of these coins reveals a tension between Roman society’s expectations for women and the reality some created for themselves.

In ancient Rome, women had no formal political role and were not allowed to vote or hold public office. They were expected to devote themselves to their family and oversee the domestic sphere. Depictions of goddesses on coins highlight this feminine ideal. Women who stepped outside gender norms, especially empresses who gained informal power, were seen as a threat to social and political order. Julia Domna is one such woman. She exerted political influence over two consecutive reigning emperors—her husband, Septimius Severus, and son, Caracalla—and jump started a dynasty of influential imperial women from the East.

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

A reception will take place on Friday, January 5, 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.

Genevieve S. Byrd: Pour L'amour des Chevaux in the lower gallery
Genevieve S. Byrd specializes in equestrian paintings and will display artwork created with pencil, oil, watercolor and acrylic in this solo exhibition. An avid equestrian herself, Byrd has worked with horses for her entire life. As a child, she rode on her family farm and competed for East TN Hunter/Jumper Association, and then she continued to ride for the Intercollegiate Equestrian Team at the University of Tennessee. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Drawing from UT-Knoxville, graduating in 1999. Specializing in pastel, watercolor and oil paint, her works include a variety of mediums. Some of her current work is featured in veterinary hospitals, art galleries, restaurants, private collections and various businesses throughout Georgia, Maryland, California and Tennessee.

Genevieve S. Byrd lives in Maryville where she teaches private art lessons and works as an independent artist. Her paintings capture the boldness, silent power and spirit of the horse. Whether working abstractly or in realism, Genevieve hopes to allow the art critic to feel the emotional reverence, power and energy of this amazing creature. For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/genevievesartbarn.

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, January 5, 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.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission Gallery of Arts Tribute in the Balcony gallery
The MLK Gallery of Arts Tribute will kick-off the 2018 King Week Celebration (January 10-15, 2018). The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission is partnering with the Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville to provide this annual exhibition. The Galley of Arts Tribute is a juried exhibition developed to recognize local artists and most importantly honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The exhibit will feature works by local artists reflecting the 2018 theme, Transforming the Community by Committing to Service, attributed to the Dream and the Dreamer who affirmed, “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” Works in the exhibitions may also be a reflection of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and have pertinence to the themes of Unity, Community, Love, Reconciliation, Social Justice, and Civil Rights. For more information, please visit http://www.mlkknoxville.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, January 5, 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.

Works by Jo Marie Brotherton, Renee Mathies, and Cheryl Prose in the display case
Jo Marie Brotherton, Renee Mathies, and Cheryl Prose are all recipients of 2017-2018 Bailey Opportunity Grants.

Jo Marie Brotherton has been passionate about glass her entire life, and the fascination has gotten more intense. The orb is the unspoken visceral shape to which humanity is drawn. Held, it allows the viewer to have ownership in the exploration of visual absorption. Her work forces the viewer to engage in rotating it to explore. In creating a finished piece, there is a peace coupled with challenged anxiety when she is sitting at the flame. Both have drawn her into pushing herself and her work. For more information, visit http://www.jomariebrotherton.com.

Renee Mathies is a glass and metal artist that loves to play with fire. She is a member of the International Society of Glass Beadmakers, the Smoky Mountain Firecrackers, and The Creative Hands Street Team which is an East Tennessee group of Etsy sellers. She loves to sell her work in person at shows because it gives her a chance to show people the craft and work it requires. Her media include handmade glass beads, acid etched copper, forged copper, and bronze and sterling jewelry components. Every piece comes out unique. Teaching glass beadmaking (lampworking) and metalsmithing have become her passion. For more information, visit http://www.outofthefiredesigns.com/.

Cheryl Prose will display encaustic wall art, handmade books, artist jewelry featuring wire work, lampwork beads, and mixed metal. Prose is a bookbinder and mixed media artist. She is a co-founder and coordinator of the Knoxville Book Arts Guild. She frequently serves as a studio and instructor’s assistant at Penland School of Arts and Crafts, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, and John C. Campbell Folk School. Her work has shown in numerous group exhibits in Knoxville and Lenoir City as well as Shelby, NC and Asheville, NC. Her work is published in Eco Books: Inventive Projects from the Recycling Bin by Lark Press. She has worked as an assistant binder at The Gilded Leaf Bindery: Fine Bookbinding and Restoration in Maryville since 2013. For more information, visit www.gildedleafbindery.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, January 5, 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.

Sam Stapleton: Stilled Life on the North Wall
As the son of a 40-year employee of Eastman Kodak, photography seemed ordained to be a meaningful part of Sam Stapleton’s life, if not his livelihood. His first camera, a Kodak Brownie, was purchased with money earned at Eastman, and among his first images were photos of the smoke plume rising from the 1960 Eastman plant explosion that killed 16 employees including one of his neighbors. Through the years, his dedication to the varying pursuits of rock concert photography, color landscape imagery, magazine collaboration with his freelance writer/wife, Patricia Hudson, as well as black and white portraiture arising from the births of two daughters, have led inexorably to the maturation of his photographic vision. “I now see myself engaged in a continual search for beauty in the hidden recesses of nature,” says Sam Stapleton.

Artist statement: My series, Stilled Life, juxtaposes the ephemeral beauty of flowers with the concept of eternal beauty. By freezing the flowers that I photograph, the otherwise transient splendor of the blooms is placed in stasis, potentially forever. The resultant ice texture is meant to have a profound effect upon the viewer, adding an unexpected dimension that commands closer inspection of the imagery. In essence, one’s attention is to be momentarily frozen. I created these photographs to serve as a reminder that although nature only permits the blossoms to flourish for a few hours to a few days, their beauty is something that resonates in our souls forever. For more information, please visit http://samstapletonphotography.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.