Calendar of Events

The Town's July/August 2018 Featured Artist is Sheri Burns, a home-school mom of four. She became an accomplished basket maker after studying Appalachian culture with her children. In an effort to add a hands-on element to her teaching, she signed up for a basket-making class and was immediately "hooked," she says. "I loved making baskets, and soon had a house full of them, and generously gifted them to all my relatives and friends!"

She is now a juried crafter at the Appalachian Arts Craft Center in Norris and teaches classes there and at Pellissippi State Community College. She is a member of the Tennessee Basket Association.

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. Farragut Town Hall, located at 11408 Municipal Center Drive directly across from the Farragut Branch Post Office, is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about this exhibit or to access a Featured Artist application, visit townoffarragut.org/artsandculture or contact Brittany Spencer at ParksandRecInfo@townoffarragut.org or 865-218-3378.

Recent works by artist Kathy Holland and jewelery artist Lynn Straka will be featured throughout July at the Art Market Gallery. An opening reception for the artists, including complimentary refreshments and live music performed by Wendel Werner, will begin at 5:30 p.m. on July 6th, during Downtown Knoxville’s monthly First Friday Art Walk.

The show will highlight the new drawing series, “A Sea of Color,” by Kathy Holland, as well as the mixed-media jewelry of Lynn Straka, one of the Art Market Gallery’s newest artists.

Kathy Holland: I grew up enchanted and intrigued by the landscape around me: the undulating, mysterious, constantly changing forests, meadows, light and weather of the central and southern Appalachians. Even in my travels to England, Scotland and New Zealand I feel a pull toward similar terrain with an obviously dynamic geological past: land masses folded by tectonics and molded by weather, moving water and gravity.

Lynn Straka: My name is Lynn Straka, DVM. I am a mixed media jewelry artist and practicing small animal veterinarian. I began making natural and glass crystal beaded jewelry in about 2000—helping me through a tumultuous time. Jewelry-making quickly became a second vocation and I began selling my jewelry at craft shows. Ten years later, I expanded my work and began to transition from stringing beads to creating my jewelry by letter and word stamping on sterling silver and copper. I opened an Etsy shop, making and selling personalized pendant necklaces, bridal gifts and other unique pieces. At that time, I was self-taught, researching and learning technique and materials use on my own. I’ve always felt comfortable using small hand tools in these techniques, because the tools are similar to the tools I use in my veterinary surgical practice.

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

In Ijams' Hallway Gallery. Stop by to see gorgeous underwater photography by Bryce Gibson in July! Gibson's stunning photos of native, freshwater fish will help you appreciate the beauty and diversity of wildlife living in East Tennessee's waters.

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

A reception will take place on Friday, July 6, 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.

My Life, My Art in East Tennessee in the Main gallery
“My Life, My Art in East Tennessee” is a juried exhibition developed to recognize local artists ages 50 and up. The exhibition, sponsored by Renaissance Terrace Assisted Living, will feature fine art works of all media works by local artists reflecting the theme “My Life, My Art in East Tennessee”. Works in the exhibitions may also be a reflection of community, family and history in East Tennessee. For more information about participating in the exhibition, please contact kkinney@schas.org.

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, July 6, 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.

Iron Dreams in the Balcony gallery
“Iron Dreams” is a show of hand-forged ironwork made by five metal workers in Tennessee. The show will focus on functional and sculptural ironwork for the home and garden. A diverse collection of work results from the unique style and expression of each artist. Featured artists include Joe Babb, Brad Greenwood, Abraham Pardee, Mike Rose, and Ryan T. Schmidt.

Joe Babb has been a maker of things in various materials for his entire life, working in steel with forge and anvil for the past 40 years. He currently devotes most of his time to the design and production of custom ironwork.

Abraham Pardee holds a BFA in Metals from the Appalachian Center for Craft in Smithville, TN, has completed the Apprentice Program at the Metal Museum in Memphis, and has worked for several professional blacksmith shops across the country. He has exhibited work nationally and taught workshops, and he has managed his own blacksmithing studio, Pardee Metal, since 2016.

Brad Greenwood is a full-time coppersmith and blacksmith in Anderson County. He belongs to two professional guilds: the Clinch River Blacksmith Guild (CRBG) and the Appalachian Area Chapter of Blacksmiths (AACB). He hand crafts custom pieces in his own forge, utilizing the same techniques perfected over centuries by masters of the trade.

Mike Rose’s work is a combination of traditional blacksmithing and sculptural expression. He has smithed for over 40 years, including 25 as Master Smith at Dollywood theme park and eight years as Professor of Fine Arts at Pellissippi State College.

Ryan T. Schmidt lives and manages his metal art studio and shop surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Park in historic Cumberland Gap. He learned the art of blacksmithing from William Brock, a traditional blacksmith and the owner of Rusted Bird Studio. Schmidt is a proud member of the Clinch River Blacksmith Guild (CRBG), Appalachian Area Chapter of Blacksmiths (AACB) and Artist-Blacksmith's Association of North America (ABANA).

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, July 6, 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.

Work by Michelle Barillaro, Viktoria Cubbedge, and Emily Shane in the display case
Michelle Barillaro, a 2018-2019 Bailey Grant recipient, will display paintings and jewelry. She has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She works mostly in abstract using pastels, paint and charcoal.

Viktoria Cubbedge will display four dolls that are made of air-dried clay, acrylic paints, pastels, fabrics, leather, vintage elements, and fabric. She was born and raised in Ukraine and has received degrees in library sciences and exhibition management. She worked as a photographer for almost 20 years. She lives in Seymour and has been making dolls for one year.

Emily Shane, a 2018-2019 Bailey Grant recipient, has always been drawn to color and bold graphic design. Ten years ago she ran across three boxes of books destined for the landfill and decided to do something with them. She’s been making art with vintage hardback book covers and ephemera ever since. Inspired by nature, textile design, pop/op art, photography, and films, she uses a variety of tools to cut, shape, and arrange her materials into works of depth, balance, and symmetry.

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, July 6, 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.

Marcia Moffett graduated from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1981 with a BFA in Commercial Art. During this time, she concentrated on acrylics and later expanded to poetry and calligraphy. She has also experimented with collage, watercolor, and mixed media to create unique and original paintings. Her current work has vibrant colors, stylized realism, and abstract forms that were not seen in earlier paintings.

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, July 6, 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.

Short Sleeve Pants. Socks Are Optional by Rodney Yardley in the Atrium
Rodney Yardley has walked the streets of Knoxville for nearly 45 years, most of the time alone, usually in short pants, and generally with no socks. He believes he may be the original “free range kid”. The exhibition showcases his photography of Knoxville.

Artist statement: My Dad worked at Woodruff’s when it was a department store. When I turned twelve, he would bring me to work with him. I would spend a short amount of time going through the store and greeting everyone who worked there, and then I was allowed to go out and walk these very same streets I walk today. It was perfectly safe; no danger at all. I did have boundaries. I wasn’t allowed to go near The Bijou because I would have to walk by Comer’s pool hall, which was definitely off limits. I still had a ball, visiting Watson’s when it was Watson’s, The Hobby Shop where they sold model trains and airplanes, and Miller’s on Gay Street where the ladies at the candy counter would give me a free sample bag of candy. These are things I dream about some nights, and they are beautiful, heartwarming dreams. Welcome to my dreams of a town I love.

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.

On July 2, the Farragut Museum will unveil a very special exhibit which will showcase paintings by local artist Alexander Dumas. Visitors will also be able to view artifacts from various branches of the military and numerous wars, including the Korean War, Vietnam War, World War I and II, and Desert Storm. This exhibit will be on display through January 4, 2019.

Dumas was born in Detroit, Mich., and started painting on his 27th birthday. Serving in the U.S. Navy from 1945-1949 and as a Hospital Corpsman at the University of Virginia from 1949-1953 gave Alex a unique perspective on war. As a WWII veteran, the images of young men suffering from the wounds of war have stayed with the artist for a lifetime. While he did not see combat, many of his patients came back to the States with wounds that would be considered horrific under any circumstance. His wartime paintings are based on combat photographs.

Dumas spent 16 years as a member of the Tennessee State Guard, retiring with the rank of Major. His paintings are on exhibit at the Tennessee Theatre, the East Tennessee Historical Society and the USS Tennessee Battleship Museum, among other places. He currently teaches a painting class at Strang Senior Center in Knoxville.

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

Showtimes
Fri Jun 29, 2018 | 8:00PM
Sat Jun 30, 2018 | 8:00PM
Thu Jul 5, 2018 | 8:00PM
Fri Jul 6, 2018 | 8:00PM
Sat Jul 7, 2018 | 8:00PM
Sun Jul 8, 2018 | 2:00PM
Fri Jul 13, 2018 | 8:00PM
Sat Jul 14, 2018 | 8:00PM
Sun Jul 15, 2018 | 2:00PM

Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry as we celebrate the 75th birthday of both the Playhouse and the granddaddy of the modern musical. Oklahoma!, Rodgers and Hammersteins’s Pulitzer Prize winning show follows the trials and tribulations of young love. Set against the dynamic turn-of-the-century backdrop of the American west, one of Broadway’s most popular and beloved scores comes alive, sweeping across the stage as farmers and cowboys alike kick up their heels and hitch their wagons to the groundbreaking birth of a brand new state!

Oak Ridge Playhouse, 227 Broadway, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Information and tickets: 865-482-9999, www.orplayhouse.com

Meet the Artist, Esther Sitver, and Solo Art Show
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Arnstein Jewish Community Center, 6800 Deane Hill Dr, Knoxville, TN

Please come to meet Ringling College of Art & Design illustration major, Esther Sitver, at the Arnstein Jewish Community Center. Light refreshments and art sale of cards, prints, and original art. 30 pieces from Esther's sophomore year featuring illustrations, figure drawings, and paintings are on exhibit Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm through August 10. Esther is a 2016 BHS grad and West Hills resident. Commission inquiries and Esther's latest work can be seen at http://esthersitver.wixsite.com/portfolio.

Fridays at 7 PM

June 15 - Knox County Jug Stompers - Old-Time String, Country Blues, and Jug Band
June 22 - Jesse and Nick Keen
June 29 - The Holloway Sisters and Outta the Blue
July 6 - Kelly & Ellis
July 13 - Steven Rushingwind
July 20 - Tennessee Sheiks
July 27 - Pistol Creek Catch of the Day
August 3 - Roscoe & Bethany Morgan

As we continue to offer our Sunset Concert Series to you, please keep the following in mind when making your plans to attend:
All concerts begin at 7 pm – Rain or shine in the covered amphitheater.
Bring your own folding lawn chairs.
Coolers and alcohol of any kind are prohibited
Pets are not allowed (Except Service Animals w/ Proper Identification)
Smokin' Joe's BBQ available at the Concessions Stand until Intermission!

$10 per person, GSMHC Members and Children 5 and Under are FREE

Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, 3/4 mile east of traffic light at the Highway 321 and 73 intersection towards the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Townsend, TN. Hours: M-Sa 10-5. Information: 865-448-0044, www.gsmheritagecenter.org