Calendar of Events

Stop by for local art that will put a smile on your face! March's exhibit features Gayla D. Seale's bright watercolor paintings and Mtn. Girl Design's adorable pebble collages. Both capture the charm and magic of everyday life.

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

Recent works by photographer Pamela Salyer and Hugh Bailey will be on display through the month of March at the Art Market Gallery. An opening reception for the featured artists with complimentary refreshments will begin at 5:30 p.m. on March 2 during Downtown Knoxville’s monthly First Friday Art Walk.

Pamela Salyer: Nature inspires my artwork in so many ways, but I find myself continuously intrigued by trees. Whether the subject is a single tree, a group of trees, a knot of branches, or a mass of leaves, my paintings and collages are my attempts to describe and capture the ephemeral beauty that I find outdoors. The results are usually somewhere between direct representation and abstraction, transforming trees into pattern, color, light and texture. I use color and shape to try to communicate some of the mystery and beauty that I see in the shifting moods and landscapes of the natural world: nature can be lush or sparse, sinister or comforting. These aspects may be conveyed in different ways, i.e., through a beautiful color combination, a somewhat surreal image, or in a scene that’s almost in focus but remains slightly out of reach. Regardless, I strive to create something that will hopefully draw the viewer in, and evoke a moment of connection with the natural world.

Hugh Bailey received a B.A. in fine arts from Berea College in Berea, KY in 1956 and a Masters of Fine Arts in ceramics and painting from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana in 1959. He has extensively taught extension courses for the University of Virginia from its Bristol division and filled in for his pottery teacher for one year at Berea College. Bailey worked as a graphic designer for the University of Tennessee beginning in 1960, and retiring in 2001. Bailey divides his time between painting and ceramics and has always been fascinated by animals and this certainly reflects in his art. When he first started doing craft shows he noticed that most of the work was utilitarian and thought that there might be an opportunity for more sculptural work. This has worked out. The first examples were small solid figures mounted on wood blocks, but they eventually developed into wheel thrown shapes assembled into one whole form. A woman at a pottery festival once asked him what his pieces were good for. He replied, “They are dust catchers with a 100% chance to catch dust.”

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

Join us on March 2, 5-9 PM for our second First Friday Art Show EVER in our newly updated gallery space! This month we're excited to be featuring the work of #Knoxville's Adam Pernell Deal!

Adam Pernell Deal is an illustrator and performance artist working in Knoxville's underground art scene. His art is influenced by Albrecht Durer's detailed woodcuts, Austin Spare's esoteric symbolism, and a pleasant childhood spent in the woods and abandoned buildings of rural Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

Adam's illustration work is primarily in ink and watercolor, generated through surrealist automatism. His guided hand reproduces worlds and their inhabitants beyond the veil, whether they may be on the far side of the universe, or as near as the empty lot next door. Adam is currently working on fantasy- based children's literature, gothic rock n' roll, and his biceps. You'll often find him in DIY studio spaces or corner tables of coffee shops. He crafted his technique in the moonlight.

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

Opening reception Friday, March 2, 5-7pm free

Early years spent in design were further fostered by time spent working at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Renee Suich now resides in East Tennessee and enjoys experimenting with new media including encaustic work. Different mediums, like encaustic work, allow Suich to explore color and texture in a new way. Every piece becomes a new challenge. For more information, visit www.reneesuich.com.

The Rose Center, 442 West Second North St., Morristown, TN, 37814. Hours: M-F 9-5. Information: 423-581-4330, www.rosecenter.org

Join us for the opening exhibition in First Friday, March 2, 5-9 PM

Gallery hours:
Wed & Fri - 2:30pm - 5:00pm
Thurs - 11:00am-1:00pm
or by appointment at 865-335-3358

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

Sylvia, written by A.R. Gurney, is an innovative modern comedy about a marriage and a dog. A rescued mutt becomes a bone of contention between a husband and wife moving in different directions. After a series of hilarious and touching complications, Greg and Kate learn to compromise and Sylvia becomes a valued part of their lives.

The play was an off-Broadway hit, with critics calling it ‘delicious and dizzy’ and ‘howlingly funny.”

Flying Anvil Theatre’s production stars Krisha Brook as Sylvia, with Mitch Moore, Terry Colquitt Bowen and Rollin Prince rounding out the cast. The show is directed by Charlotte Headrick, a UT alumna who recently retired from Oregon State University. “This is a role I’ve been dying to play,” Krisha Brook says. “It’s funny and touching and if you’ve ever loved a dog, you will love this show!”

Sylvia has two previews, Wednesday, Feb 28 (Pay What You Can) and Thursday, March 1. The Opening Night Party on March 2 includes a reception with the cast after the show. Tickets can be purchased online or reserved via telephone. Flying Anvil Theatre, 1300 Rocky Hill Road, Knoxville. Information: 865-357-1309, www.flyinganviltheatre.com

We have a full event calendar that grows by the day!

Monday - Singer/songwriter night (open sign-up)
Tuesday - Open mic night (open sign-up)
Wed through Sun - Various Americana/Folk artists from Knoxville and across the country

The Troubadour Roadhouse and Performance Hall located in Bearden, 4705 Old Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919
Information: 865-851-8650, www.troubadourroadhouse.com
www.facebook.com/troubadourroadhouse

Reception Friday, February 16, 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Artists’ talks at 6:30 pm.

Alyssa Johnson
There is a power in lines on maps, in three feet of fencing full of holes, in a velvet rope or a cement block. In this power, there are also rules. This wall is okay to climb over—that wall is not. You can paint on that wall, but you cannot touch this one. These are rules Johnson wants to define—to climb into, to push until she meets an edge, to make room for one or two or more people. She hopes to set the groundwork for this delineation by isolating the walls she interacts with daily, to draw them out of their repeated normalcy and question their necessity. There are two sides to every stance—therefore, she uses both realism and abstraction. Abolishing dividers leans toward naivety, yet holding all trust in borders rings with paranoia. Her primary hope is that a wide expression of style will allow for an exploration of both ends of the spectrum, prompting us to locate where our own feet stand in relation to either ignorance or distrust.

In December of 2017, Alyssa graduated from the University of Tennessee’s School of Art with a BFA in Studio Art and a psychology minor. Her past work has been featured in Phoenix Literary Magazine and included in group exhibitions in Tennessee; most recently, she has been displaying in New Jersey. While her focus is primarily on painting and drawing, Alyssa is also serving as studio manager to a local potter in Nashville while still maintaining her own practice in her studio at home.

Brandon McBath
McBath digs for treasure -- the images -- then makes the map to it. He compares this to viewing a cluster of clouds: the mind connects it with an image, and then one sees that image in the clouds. He wants viewers to discover hidden images and be observant of his clouds. He makes large-scale scroll-esque drawings that fill the field of vision from up close or afar. Intuitive gestural lines and ink-pours create a unique matrix or “sky.” Then, as he finds images, he reinforces them and makes them more readily available to the viewer.

Brandon McBath graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2016 with a BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in drawing and a minor in art history. He was raised in East Tennessee by Tammy McBath, of Tammy’s Fish and Fried Green Tomatoes, and a loving older brother. After his father’s death in 1997, his mother worked hard to support her two children. During this time, Brandon was highly influenced by the art within television, anime, and video games. This later accompanied his faith in Jesus Christ which has shaped his worldview alongside his church family at Beech Grove Baptist Church. He teaches middle school art at Concord Christian School in Farragut.

Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Gallery hours: M-Th 10-5, Su 10-1. Information: 865-523-4176, www.tvuuc.org

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/

A new special exhibit - "The Battle of Campbell Station" - will open January 22 at the Farragut Museum and remain through Friday, June 15.

The exhibit features items from the personal collection of local community member Gerald Augustus, including artifacts from the battle, fought Nov. 16, 1863, on the land surrounding the Farragut Town Hall.

A special "Friends Only" exhibit preview will precede a lecture by Augustus on Sunday, January 21. Friends are invited at 1:30 p.m. for refreshments. General admission begins at 2:30 p.m. If you are not a Friend and wish to join, you are welcome to register during the preview. The lecture on the battle begins at 3 p.m.

The Farragut Museum is committed to preserving the heritage of its East Tennessee community and features a remarkable collection of artifacts from the area, including an extensive collection of the personal belongings of Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, first Admiral of the U.S Navy and hero of the Civil War. Housed in Farragut Town Hall located at 11408 Municipal Center Drive, the museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and offers free admission.

Farragut Town Hall, 11408 Municipal Center Dr, Farragut, TN 37934. Hours: M-F 10-4:30. Information: 865-966-7057, www.townoffarragut.org/museum

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