Calendar of Events

Opening Reception: Saturday, January 20, 8:30pm - til*

C For Courtside is pleased to present its inaugural exhibition, "A Half Note Familiar." The show will include the works of its founding members Lynne Ghenov, Joshua Bienko, John Powers and Rubens Ghenov along with four artists specifically selected by each C for Courtside Directors. Mirroring the intentions of the space itself, "A Half Note Familiar” seeks to consider work from inside and outside the region in a way that contributes to and influences broader contemporary dialogues.

* In solidarity with justice seeking peace minded artists and creative individuals across the world, we are participating in an International Day of Art Action on the one-year anniversary of the United States Presidential UNauguration. We join Laurie Anderson (the brainchild of The Day of Art Action) in our intentions, seeking to unite, connect and celebrate a spirit of love, peace and understanding based in the simple hope that artistic production symbolizes.

Lynne Ghenov has selected Melissa McGrath's work due to the approximation of their praxes and content. Melissa’s work is a response and reflection of a consistent trauma and disaster that has occurred in the landscape where she was raised inscribed on paper through fire. Lynne uses ledger gridded paper salvaged from her parents’ home office acquired after her mother’s death, wherein memory organically and symbolically investigates itself in form within the confines of the stoic gridded structure.

Joshua Bienko’s selection of Eleanor Ray sits in the attraction to slippages that can occur between works. What at once might appear quiet and tragic, holds the potential to become loud and humorous, and vice-versa. Though a dissimilarity may seem obvious at first, they also, perhaps surreptitiously and subtly begin to harmonize more than contrast, operating in cahoots as it were, in a psychological and physical interior space.

John Powers and Kim Faler are engaged in parallel explorations of systems, pattern, sub-pattern, language and personal narrative. Their shared interest in small, potentially mundane moments, rubs against evocations of the unseen forces and glacial timelines that frame our world. Their included works here variously address the passage of time, energy exchange, collapsed narratives and the veil separating the familiar from the anonymous.

Lastly, Rubens Ghenov here compeers his work to that of Claudia Peña Salinas’. Both of Latin American descent (Brazilian and Mexican respectively), their work strangely resides akin to the geometric abstraction of Central and South American artists, though the impetus here may emanate elsewhere. A specific coloration and insertion of memorabilia and objects are inherently present in both, forging an architectonic of the personal mired in the historical and the fictive.

C for Courtside is an artist-run curatorial project space located just north of downtown Knoxville. Founded in the fall of 2017 with the intentions of facilitating multiple creative activities, the Directors (John Powers, Joshua Bienko, Lynne Ghenov and Rubens Ghenov) will work to add to the exciting artistic development and momentum already at foot in the Southeast. In addition to exhibitions, C for Courtside will host artist lectures and guest speakers, live performances, pop-up shows, experimental theatre, justice seeking organizations in need of a place to meet, and other situationist aligned activities. Each endeavor will aim to extend the space of the gallery beyond its physical limitations, while fostering a community based in and on the exigencies of art-making. The launch of the space has been made possible in part by the support of Ann and Steve Bailey Opportunity Grant.

C for Courtside Gallery, 513 Cooper Street, Knoxville, TN 37917
Info: cforcourtside@gmail.com

Between 2006 and 2009, an international team of historians, archaeologists, and geographers traveled to France to rediscover and document where Fentress County-native Sergeant Alvin C. York made his heroic stand. In the Footsteps of Sergeant York, a traveling exhibition from the Museum of the American Military Experience, showcases this groundbreaking research and allows visitors to retrace the steps of one of America's best-known military heroes.

Through the new interactive exhibit, the East Tennessee Historical Society invites you to step back into the the trenches of WWI, to hear the sounds of war, view clips of the film on York's life, see items from the York home along with other interesting artifacts, and experience the front line that made the man from Pall Mall, Tennessee an international superstar.

In the Footsteps of Sergeant York will be on display in the Rogers-Claussen Feature Gallery at the East Tennessee History Center. The exhibit and corresponding programming is presented in partnership with the Museum of the American Military Experience, Tennessee State Parks, The Sergeant York Patriotic Foundation, the University of Tennessee's Center for the Study of War and Society, and the Knox County Public Library.

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: M-F 9-4, Sa 10-4, Su 1-5. Information: 865-215-8824, www.easttnhistory.org

Flying Anvil Theatre kicks off 2018 season with Mary’s Wedding, an epic love story set during the first world war. Love, hope and survival are the themes in Stephen Massicotte’s play, Mary’s Wedding, the first offering of an eight-show season by Flying Anvil Theatre.

The award-winning play follows Mary and Charlie from their awkward meeting in a barn during a thunderstorm across the prairies of Canada and the horrific battlefields of the first world war. Up and coming playwright Stephen Massicotte spins a breathtaking saga about young lovers who must surrender their fate to the uncertainties of their tumultuous times – a testament to the power of memory and hope that lingers like a remembered dream.

“It’s a simply gorgeous play,” director Jayne Morgan says. “Beautiful, heartbreaking and hopeful, all at the same time. “

The show stars UT students Emily Helton and Parker Jenkins. Lighting design is by Jon Chemay, with soundscapes by Mike Ponder. Steve Krempasky designed the set, which includes a logging sawbuck that doubles as horse. “The actors use this massive piece of logging equipment to simulate riding,” Morgan explains. “There’s something thrilling about it – they really manage to make you believe they are mounted on a draft horse or charging into a battle, saber drawn. It’s wonderful theatrical magic.” Critics have raved about the play, saying it “recalls the grand passion of Catherine and Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights.”

Flying Anvil Theatre, 1300 Rocky Hill Road, Knoxville. Information: 865-357-1309, www.flyinganviltheatre.com

Knoxville Children’s Theatre, with assistance from Gannett Newspapers, will present 14 live performances of the hilarious fairy tale mash-up, “Whatever Happened to Little Red Riding Hood?” The show features Red Riding Hood and Granny, along with Rapunzel, Hansel & Gretel, Rumplestilskin, and other characters from the world of The Brothers Grimm.

The live stage play will be performed January 19 through February 4:
Fri., Jan. 19 at 7 PM, Sat., Jan. 20 at 1 PM & 5 PM, Sun., Jan. 21 at 3 PM
Thurs., Jan. 26 at 7 PM, Fri., Jan. 27 at 7 PM, Sat., Jan. 28 at 1 PM & 5 PM, Sun., Jan. 29 at 3 PM,
Thurs., Feb. 1 at 7 PM, Fri., Feb. 2 at 7 PM, Sat., Feb. 3 at 1 PM & 5 PM, Sun., Feb. 4 at 3 PM.

Red Riding Hood was supposed to be at Granny’s at 3 PM, but the little girl never showed up. Granny turns detective and goes on a search. The old lady manages to find half the characters from the world of The Brothers Grimm, including Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, and Rumplestilskin. But whatever happened to Little Red Riding Hood?

This funny play features hilarious new takes on some of the world’s most familiar stories. Chock full of puns, sight gags, and jokes, the play is sure to delight fairy tale fans of all ages! The play is performed by 14 talented young actors, from ages 9 to 14. KCT Producing Director Zack Allen directs the production from his own original script. Maryville Junior High student Eric Magee is the stage manager. KCT is East Tennessee’s leading producer of plays for children and families.

Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com

Join us for the opening reception of the Bagwell Center's first 2018 art exhibition: Magic in Folds of Tajtania. Light refreshments will be provided. Tuesday, January 16 at 3 PM - 5 PM

Tatiana Potts is an artist, instructor, printmaker, bookmaker and ceramist. She pulls influence from her travels and her Slovakian heritage. Forever inspired by drawing, she is very much interested in a “world of making.” She constructs, reinvents and combines environments—revealing shadows of the self—using composites of memories, imaginations and architectural structures.

Hardin Valley Campus of Pellissippi State: 10915 Hardin Valley Road, Knoxville, TN 37932. Bagwell Center Gallery hours: M-F 10-6:30. Information: 865-694-6405, www.pstcc.edu/arts

"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

Opening reception on Fri Jan 12, 6:30-8 PM with awards announced at 7 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

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

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