Calendar of Events

We are excited to announce Brian Pittman as our featured artist for the month of December! Please join us for a show opening and to meet the artist. A display of Brian's new original work and new print design will be available for purchase.

Fri Dec 7, 6-9 PM. More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/250560902307423/

Local artist ACF Jewelry will also be up until the end of December. More Info: https://shoprala.com/blogs/blog/first-friday-w-acf-jewelry

Rala, 112 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Phone: (865) 525-7888
Instagram: @ShopRala
https://shoprala.com/

Don't miss this month's gallery artist, Melanie Fetterolf! Her acrylic and watercolor pieces, including her fascinating rain paintings, add vibrant color to gray winter days.
http://www.paintingyourworldstudio.com

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

Recent works by painter Lil Clinard and fiber artist Elaine Fronczek will be featured throughout December at the Art Market Gallery. An opening reception for the artists, including complimentary refreshments and live music performed by Brad Hitch and Friends, will begin at 5:30 p.m. on December 7th, during Downtown Knoxville’s monthly First Friday Art Walk. The show will highlight watercolor scenes of the Great Smoky Mountains by Lil Clinard, and 3-D functional fiber pieces by Elaine Fronczek.

Lil Clinard: Established Tennessee artist, Lil Clinard, is inspired by the unique way light affects the scenes that surround her. Drawing since an early age, Lil was already receiving art commissions while in high school. Interior design and freelance art also helped pay her way through college. Having no formal training in fine art, to challenge and supplement her understanding of painting, she has studied extensively in workshop settings with distinguished international and national watercolor artists including Frank Webb, Paul Jackson, Keiko Tanabe and Linda Kemp. Lil has won recognition in regional and national juried exhibitions including Best in Show, Best Watercolor and Best Plein Air Watercolor. In the fall of 2018, the Tennessee Artists Association juror chose “Acqua Alta”, a watercolor night scene at San Marco Square during a tidal flood, as Best in Show. Her works are in private and public collections across the county.

Elaine Fronczek: I come from a family that has made beautiful and functional objects with their hands. At an early age I could be found in my grandmothers sewing room creating my first designs. Fiber was an avocation for almost 50 years. In 2008 I attended a class at Arrowmont where I learned to felt. Here I realized that wool, silk and other natural fibers could be manipulated into both 2- and 3-dimensional creations in the shape and color of my choosing. Thus I began my current pursuit in the world of fiber. I am inspired by the colors of nature and the simplicity and functionality of pieces created by contemporary artists and designers. Using natural renewable materials and repurposed items allows me to create simple pieces that bring beauty and comfort to the eye.

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

The Gaudy Gold Frame Show
On exhibit from Friday Dec 7th until Saturday Dec 29th.
Open Friday - Saturday 10am-6pm and by appointment.
Broadway Studios and Gallery, 1127 N. Broadway

Broadway Studios and Gallery, 1127 Broadway St, Knoxville, TN 37917. Hours: Fri-Sat, 10-6, by appointment, or when the "open" sign is illuminated. Information: 865-556-8676, www.BroadwayStudiosAndGallery.com

Carl Gombert uses stamps – the kind sold in craft stores – to create black-and-white or color-filled mandalas, symbolic graphics usually in the form of a circle. He stamps the circles with rows of images from gnomes to skeletons to babies to crowns to bees to pop culture characters.” His playful large scale paintings will be on display for the entire month.

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

The Arts & Culture Alliance proudly presents its 2018 Members Show, the largest annual exhibition of local artists in the Greater Knoxville area. The fresh mix of two- and three-dimensional works created within the last two years encompasses a wide variety of media such as oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, mixed media, photography, fine craft, sculpture, ceramics, fiber, and more from regional artists who are all individual members of the Arts & Culture Alliance, which serves and supports a diverse community of artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions. Membership is open to all, and information may be found at www.knoxalliance.com/join-renew. Most of the works in the 2018 Members Show are for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition.

An opening reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on December 7 from 5:00-9:00 PM with complimentary cookies and sweets. The First Friday reception features dances presented by Circle Modern Dance, BreedArts School of Art and Dance, and Sandsation Dance & Yoga. The WIVK Santa Claus Parade starts at 7:00 PM along Gay Street and passes in front of the Emporium.

“The annual Members Show is a perfect way to round out a year of diverse programming at the Emporium,” says Liza Zenni, Executive Director for the Arts & Culture Alliance. “We’re excited to see what so many local artists have been working on throughout the year.”

Individual members of the Alliance participate locally and regionally in gallery exhibitions, art festivals, sculpture trails, weekend shows, studio tours, and public murals. Some of the members are full-time artists, while others have day jobs and create on evenings and weekends. Some Alliance members include art professors with the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Carson-Newman University, Maryville College, Pellissippi State, Roane State, and Walters State. Others are teachers within Knox and surrounding county’s elementary, middle and high schools. Some Alliance members teach classes privately or through community classes with the Appalachian Arts Craft Center Fountain City Art Center, Knoxville Arts & Fine Crafts Center, Knoxville Museum of Art, and Oak Ridge Art Center. Many of the artists have working studios in their own homes, while some are part of studio collectives such as The Emporium Center, The Vacuum Shop, 17th Street Studios, Mighty Mud, Studio 2515, and Broadway Studios & Gallery.

The 2018 Members Show will be on display throughout the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville from December 7-21, 2018. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Please note, the Emporium will be closed December 24 – January 1 for the holidays. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543 or visit www.knoxalliance.com.

Christmas in the Cave: Dec. 7-16.
Celebrate the holidays in a cave this December. Cherokee Caverns will host its Christmas in the Cave events 5-8 p.m. Dec. 7 and 14 and 3-8 p.m. Dec. 8-9 and 15-16. Admission costs $10 for those 4 and up. Christmas in the Cave features photo ops with Santa, vendors, food trucks and opportunities to interact with characters like the Grinch and cousin Eddie from "Christmas Vacation."

Info: cherokeecaverns.com.

KNOXVILLE WALKING TOURS – THE CIVIL WAR IN KNOXVILLE - DECEMBER 7, 2018 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
A City Divided - It’s been over 150 years since the battle of Knoxville, one of the most sharply divided cities during the civil war. Occupied by both sides with recruiting offices set up on Gay Street on the same day, Knoxville was home to spies, street fights, and family feuds that outlasted the war. Visit the downtown sites and then get an overview of the battles and fortifications from the observation deck of the Sunsphere. Meet on the porch of the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street.

KNOXVILLE WALKING TOURS – GUNSLINGERS - DECEMBER 8, 2018 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM
When Knoxville was the Wild West - Knoxville’s history is colorful and the predominant hue is blood red. Take a walk on the wild side, from the Old City to Gay Street, down to the river and beyond. The now peaceful streets were once the scene of violence and mayhem of all descriptions—family feuds, duels, lynchings, and riots. Telling all the stories might take years, so this tour varies its route and our guide is always finding fresh tales to share. Meet in the Knoxville Visitor Center, 301 S. Gay Street.

KNOXVILLE WALKING TOURS – THE EARLY YEARS
DECEMBER 14, 2018 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM AT EAST TENNESSEE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
EARLY YEARS
Step back over two centuries and visit Knoxville’s founders as you listen to the stories of the settlement of White’s Fort and establishment of the capital of the Southwest Territory at the headwaters of the Tennessee. Meet on the porch of the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street.

KNOXVILLE WALKING TOURS – GUNSLINGERS
DECEMBER 16, 2018 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM AT KNOXVILLE VISITOR CENTER
When Knoxville Was the Wild West
Knoxville’s history is colorful and the predominant hue is blood red. Take a walk on the wild side, from the Old City to Gay Street, down to the river and beyond. The now peaceful streets were once the scene of violence and mayhem of all descriptions—family feuds, duels, lynchings, and riots. Telling all the stories might take years, so this tour varies its route and our guide is always finding fresh tales to share. Meet in the Knoxville Visitor Center, 301 S. Gay Street.

Tours last approximately 90 minutes. Adults: $15. Children 6-12: $10 (Group rate available). For more information or to book your tour, please visit the Knoxville Walking Tours Website at http://knoxvillewalkingtours.com/.
*Proceeds from this tour help to support the Knoxville History Project

Knoxville History Project, 516 West Vine Avenue #8, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-300-4559, www.Knoxvillehistoryproject.org

Zoo Knoxville is offering $5 off admission tickets during Kroger Discount Days. Guests can discover why winter is an enjoyable time to visit the zoo. Many animals, including red pandas, river otters, elephants, gorillas, red wolves, lions and tigers, enjoy the cooler temperatures. On days when the temperature drops below 40 degrees, some animals will be moved indoors, but visitors can still see most in their indoor viewing areas. The Pilot Flying J Wee Play Adventure is a popular indoor area that’s a warm stop for creative play and reptile viewing during visits as well.

A December trip to the zoo can even include a visit to Santa’s Village, a special holiday encounter and photo opportunity with Santa Claus. Santa’s Village will be open for holiday photos and Christmas wishes Thursday, Dec. 13 through Sunday, Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. each day in the heated Kids Cove Tent. Santa’s Village is included with general admission. Discounted tickets can be purchased at the zoo ticket window during regular zoo hours and online at zooknoxville.org. Discounted admission tickets must be used by Feb. 28, 2019, and cannot be combined with any other promotion, discount, or coupon.

Zoo Knoxville, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Open every day except Christmas. Information: 865-637-5331, www.zooknoxville.org

Knoxville Children’s Theatre, in partnership with Clayton Foundation, will present 16 live performances of “Best Christmas Pageant Ever,”
based on the classic novel by Barbara Robinson. In this hilarious Christmas classic, a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids: probably the most inventively awful kids in history! You won't believe the mayhem - and the fun - when the Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on! This delightful comedy is adapted from the best-selling book and has become a holiday staple for theatre audiences everywhere, featuring lots of laughs for audiences of all ages.

The live stage musical will be performed:
Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM, Saturdays at 1PM & 5 PM, Sundays at 3 PM

The play is performed by 22 talented young actors, from ages 9 to 16. Derrick Washington, Jr., a senior at STEM Academy will direct the
production. STEM Academy student Quintin Rhodes will serve as the Stage Manager.

TICKETS are $12 per Adult, $10 per child. Reservations are strongly recommended. Group rates are available for groups of 12 or more. To obtain a group rate, reservations must be placed by telephone. Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com

By Charles Dickens. Adapted by Edward Morgan and Joseph Hanreddy. Music by John Tanner.CBT Mainstage

There’s a reason we perform this tale every year. No matter how many times you’ve seen it, the story still proves to be the spirit of the season. Relive Scrooge’s ghost-guided look into his past, present and future, and his journey of redemption. A yearly tradition to treasure with family and friends.

Clarence Brown Theatre, 1714 Andy Holt Ave on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information: 865-974-5161, www.clarencebrowntheatre.com. For tickets: 865-974-5161, 865-656-4444, www.knoxvilletickets.com

SHOP FARRAGUT and The Town of Farragut will again usher in the holiday season with the 8TH Annual Countdown to LIGHT THE PARK, presented by TDS.

The event will be held from 5:00 -7:00pm on Monday, November 26th at Founder’s Park on Campbell Station Road, near the Farragut branch of the Knox County Library. With the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen in attendance, and entertainment by area performers, this family friendly event will set the holiday mood. The highlight of the evening will be when new Mayor Ron Williams and other Town officials welcome a very special guest dressed in a Red Suit. He will be asked to throw the switch at approximately 6:30 pm on 50+ trees, garland pole wraps and other lighted decorations, featuring over 60,000 glistening bulbs throughout the park. Entertainment will be provided by the Farragut High School Madrigal Singers, the Concord Brass Quintet, plus Soloists from Farragut’s Angela Floyd Schools and the Akima Club Singers. Mrs. S. Claus and her elves will be there helping post letters to the North Pole!

Parking will be available across the street from the park, courtesy of Westgate Christian Fellowship and south of the park at the new Farragut Town Community Center, (formerly Faith Lutheran Church). The Knoxville Sheriff’s Department will be on hand to assist those crossing Campbell Station Road.

Attendees can look forward to enjoying the holiday cheer with freshly-baked cookies to be provided by Costco and other area businesses. Coffee and hot chocolate will be courtesy of First Watch Café. The event will be held rain or shine. For more information, contact Steve@farragutbusiness.com or call 865-307-2486.