Calendar of Events

Learn about bluebirds and their environments.
The UT Arboretum Society and the Tennessee Bluebird Society will present two programs on bluebirding. A program entitled, “Bluebirding Basics,” will be held on Tuesday, February 6th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Roane State Community College, Oak Ridge campus, Goff Room 104. A second program, “Bluebird Nest Box Trail Monitoring Training,” will be held on Thursday, February 15, Roane State Community College, Oak Ridge campus, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., City Room.

If you are interested in bluebirds or want to learn more about them, you are invited to attend these free programs. Bluebirding is an enriching activity for the whole family.

For more information on this program or the UT Arboretum Society, call 865-483-7277 or visit utarboretumsociety.org.
Celebrating 53 years in 2018, this program is one of many lectures and activities that will be offered this year by the UT Arboretum Society. The program is cosponsored by the UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center.

Celebrate women in art at Pellissippi State Community College! The free exhibit will showcase regional female artists who work in processes that use metal, including forging, casting, welding and assemblage. Works in the show range from large-scale abstract assemblages to intimate cast iron garments and figurative bronze castings.

A reception to meet the artists -- Allison Baker, Caroline Covington, Jacqueline Fisher, Cassidy Frye, Holly Kelly, Stephanie Loggans, Erica Mendoza, Marisa Mitchell, Karly Stribling and Erin Tucker -- will be 3-5 p.m., Feb. 5.

"Fe" is curated by Covington, who is also a faculty member at Pellissippi State. "The chemical symbol for iron is 'Fe,' and one of the basic classifications of metal is whether or not it contains iron - whether it is ferrous or non-ferrous. Thus, 'fe' is an elemental component of all of these works, as is being female," Covington said. "Each artist brings her own conceptual presence to the show. Metal has endless possibilities; so does our definition of femininity," she added.

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

Check out the full festival schedule and details here: http://tennesseestage.com/2018/01/05/new-play-festival-2018/

Table Readings: Free admission. Each reading will include a discussion session afterwards with the cast, director and audience and, when possible, the playwright.

Swimming Upstream by Rich Rubin - A love story, complicated by science and political ramifications – who says politics makes strange bedfellows?
Saturday, 2/3 10:00 am Bearden Branch Library
Monday, 2/12 6:00 pm Fountain City Library
Sunday, 2/25 2:00 pm Lawson McGhee Library

Amazing Graces by Lea McMahan - A weekend getaway for five women – cousins and friends – in Gatlinburg, TN, with barely enough food but plenty of wine goes off the deep end when two armed gunmen crash the party.
Saturday, 2/3 2:00 pm Fountain City Library
Saturday, 2/17 2:00 pm Bearden Branch Library
Saturday, 2/24 2:30 Lawson McGhee Library

Indian Giver by Michael Reiman - A wry dramedy about an organ donor whose own failing body drives him to do the unthinkable – sue to get his donated organ back!
Saturday, 2/10 2:00 pm Bearden Branch Library
Saturday, 2/17 2:00 pm Fountain City Library
Saturday, 2/24 12:30 pm Lawson McGhee Library

Tennessee Stage Company: 865-546-4280, www.tennesseestage.com

In 2015, Chicago collectors Helen and Russell Novak made the single largest and most important gift of art to the KMA’s contemporary print collection in the museum’s history. Press Ahead: Contemporary Prints Gifted by Helen and Russell Novak represents the official unveiling of this remarkable gift. The exhibition features 38 works by leading contemporary artists from around the world including Roger Brown, John Buck, Christo, Lesley Dill, Jim Dine, Helen Frankenthaler, Red Grooms, Sol LeWitt, and Barbara Takenaga William T. Wiley, and by younger artists such as Brad Brown, Enrique Chagoya, Tom Huck, Jiha Moon, and Hans Schabus. Some artists are leading printmakers while others work primarily in other media, but became interested in collaborating with master printers in order to realize their ideas in print-based formats. The KMA’s selection includes great examples of each artist’s work, prints produced in small editions, and those representing a broad range of printmaking techniques and formats (including sculptural and book format prints).

The Novak’s collection includes thousands of contemporary prints acquired over a period of more than 30 years. The collection is noteworthy for its size and breadth, and because of Russell Novak’s close ties to such prominent master printers Jack Lemon and Bud Shark, who run two of the country’s premier print studios—Landfall Press and Shark’s Ink, respectively. Each year, Lemon and Shark would send the Novaks limited edition print portfolios, out of which the couple selected certain prints to be matted and framed for display. The collection has grown to a point at which framed works fill the walls of their home and of Russell’s corporate office space housing the accounting firm of Novak/Costello.

The Novaks chose to donate works to the KMA rather than area Chicago museums for several reasons. First, they became interested in the KMA thanks to Helen’s childhood friend, Knoxville educator Marilyn Liberman, who introduced Helen to the KMA. Marilyn also alerted the KMA about the Novaks and their collection, especially after learning that Helen had expressed interest in placing portions of the collection with suitable museums. The Novaks soon realized their gift to the KMA could eventually become a centerpiece for the museum’s works on paper collection. Their interest in placing the works at the KMA was heightened by the museum’s long association with contemporary printmaking (Dulin Gallery’s print competition ran from the early 1960s until the late 1980s), and the presence in Knoxville of the UTK School of Art’s Printmaking Program (ranked #2 in the country in 2017 by U.S. News & World Report). In this way, Press Ahead celebrates the Novak’s generosity, and underscores the important role of their gift in enabling KMA visitors to explore contemporary printmaking and the exciting range of expressive possibilities and technical approaches it encompasses.

For a full listing of the Novak’s gifts, please go to http://www.knoxart.org/info/files/Novak-collection-gift-2015.pdf

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org

Join us for a show opening featuring the work of Kristen Wasik.
Opening - Fri Feb 2, 6-9 PM

She is a senior BFA candidate in the School of Art at the University of Tennessee. Her most recent work is informed by minimalism in which gesture and abstract forms construct a sense of meaning. When not in the studio, Kristen enjoys traveling, exploring the Smoky Mountains, and learning how to embrace being human.

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

We’re excited to introduce our newly renovated upstairs gallery space, used to exhibit and highlight the artwork of Knoxville’s local artists. We’ll host a different local artists’ work each month for you to enjoy!

Join us for our Bijou Art Gallery Grand Opening at First Friday, February 2nd, 4-7pm.

We're thrilled to be featuring Artist Katy Smith. Art has long been a part of Katy Smith’s life. From a young age her mother, grandfather and grandmother were all major art influences while growing up in Knoxville, Tennessee. She primarily works with oil paint, acrylic paint, pencil, ink, and collaged paper. Drawing from her own memories and experiences she manages to take intangible thoughts and turn them into concrete images. She hopes to create an almost chaotic dream world where the memories flood both the mind and eye, and trigger a sense of nostalgia in the viewer.

Each image in this series represents a specific moment in time, and by obliterating or slicing up the image it allows the distortion of a memory to occur, much like our own minds tend to do. All people have memories that have affected them throughout their lives and each of my paintings represents a specific memory for me.

Katy is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a BFA in painting and drawing and a minor in art history: www.katycarrollsmith.com

Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-522-0832, https://knoxbijou.org/art-gallery/

The WordPlayers of Knoxville will tour Walk, Don’t Ride! in the East TN area throughout the month of February. The first public performance is Feb. 2 at 7:00 p.m. at Fountain City UMC, 212 Hotel Rd. in Fountain City. Public performances are free and no reservations are required. For more information and a full schedule of public performances, please visit www.wordplayers.org or call 865.539.2490.

Public Performances
Feb 2: Fountain City UMC, 212 Hotel Road, Knoxville, TN 37918, 7:00 PM
Feb. 3: Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E M L King Blvd, Chattanooga, TN 37403, 2:00 PM
Feb 13: Emerald Academy, 220 Carrick Street, Knoxville, TN 37921, 5:30 PM
Feb. 17: Oak Valley Baptist, 194 Hampton Rd, Oak Ridge, 37830, 4:00 PM
Feb. 19: Walters State-Greeneville, 6:00 PM
Feb. 20, Walters State-Morristown, 6:30 PM
Feb. 25, Fifth Ave. Baptist, 2500 E 5th Ave, Knoxville, TN 37914, 4:00 PM

“Walk, Don't Ride – A Celebration of the Fight for Equality” by Peter Manos is a presentation of drama and song depicting events that helped shape American freedom. Events included are: The Montgomery Bus Boycott, The Nashville Lunch Counter Sit-ins, and The Greyhound/Trailways Freedom Rides. For some, those events are part of a powerful personal experience. For some, they are part of a seemingly distant history. And perhaps for others, they are unfamiliar. But without a doubt, a couple of generations ago, those events changed the course of America.

This project is funded under an agreement with the TENNESSEE ARTS COMMISSION and sponsored by New City Resources. “Walk, Don't Ride” is an example of the best kind of “edu-tainment,” and has been booked in eight different counties and fifteen different venues, including middle schools, colleges, and churches.

For more information, please call 865-539-2490 or visit www.wordplayers.org.

Recent works by a group of local artists will be on display - the works will feature a valentine theme. An opening reception for the featured artists will begin at 5:30 p.m., Feb 2nd, during Downtown Knoxville’s monthly First Friday Art Walk, with complimentary refreshments.

Art Market Gallery, 422 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Tu-Th & Sa 11-6, Fri 11-9, Su 1-5. Information: 865-525-5265, www.artmarketgallery.net

L&N STEM Academy Honors and AP Studio Art students are showing their artwork at Java Old City, 109 South Central, through the month of February.

An opening reception will be held from 5-7 pm Friday, February 2, 2018. Information: CHERI JORGENSON: cheri.jorgenson@knoxschools.org

Dogwood Arts showcases emerging and established furniture artists creating one-of-a-kind tables on First Friday. This exhibition runs from February 2-24, 2018 at the Dogwood Arts Gallery.

Dogwood Arts provides artists the opportunities to showcase their talents at First Friday events and month long exhibitions. Traditional gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. First Friday hours are 5:30pm-8:30pm.

Dogwood Arts, 123 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-637-4561, www.dogwoodarts.com

A reception will take place on Friday, February 2, 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.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present its 12th annual National Juried Exhibition, a new exhibition featuring selected works from 44 artists throughout the United States. The National Juried Exhibition was developed in 2006 to provide a forum for local artists to compete on a national scale and display their highest quality work. The exhibition encompasses all styles and genres from both emerging and established artists working in a variety of media such as photography, acrylic, pencil, fibers, oil, paper, and more. Over $1,000 in cash awards will be announced at a brief awards ceremony at 6:00 PM on February 2. View images of the exhibition at www.knoxalliance.com/nje-12.

Jeffrey Morton served as juror for the exhibition. Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Morton is a resident of Signal Mountain, TN. During a two-year residence in Japan, earlier in his career, Morton was drawn to Japanese art and culture which influences his work to this day. He has exhibited his work regionally and nationally, including the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, Wilmington, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, the Harrison Center for the Arts, Indianapolis, and the Hunter Museum in Chattanooga. Educated at Yale University and Temple University, Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, Morton is a professor of art at Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, GA. Morton is a recipient of a 2015 Individual Artist Fellowship from the Tennessee Arts Commission.

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, February 2, 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.

John Humphries is a visual artist, gardener, and designer focusing on communicating, through abstraction, stories and phenomena from nature and mythology. This creative work takes the form of watercolor drawings and ceramic objects. He took an unusual path to get where he is today. Originally from Texas, pausing briefly on the Ozark Plateau and along the Puget Sound, he now finds the Miami Valley is the perfect location for locking in roots. During life travels he has completed degrees in Architecture and Fine Arts in Design, following a brief foray as a saucier. He teaches Architecture and Interior Design as a Professor at Miami University, OH.

“The watercolor drawings for this exhibition are emotional and technical but with a colorist's sensibility,” says Humphries. “They link the visual language of landscape, color theory, and constructed elements.” Humphries makes his watercolor drawings by researching a natural phenomenon, creating various codes to represent these elusive conditions, and then organizing the codes into a series or constellation. Constellations of Drawings includes collaged photographic elements and other constructed pieces of wood floating above the plane of paper.

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.