Calendar of Events

Opens August 2nd 6-9PM (Will be on display the entire month)
https://www.facebook.com/events/2289928674655767/
Please join us for the show openings and to meet the artist!

Jon Pemberton is a Special Education teacher, and during the summers he creates his pop-art paintings. He went to art school in Denver, where he first felt free to explore his love of materials, process, and color.

"Every piece is special to me in some way. The subject matter of each piece is something that I enjoy to a point where it has become a part of who I am. Regardless of the seriousness, or lack there of, of these pieces, they represent aspects of myself that I take very seriously. I nerd out to Miyazaki movies, such as Spirited Away. I got into reading as a kid through comic books. Now, I teach reading to students, still using comic books to spark interest. The Stan Lee piece is special to me because of that. What can I say about Beyoncé. She is the queen. I mean, have you heard Formation? It is a perfect song. Long live the queen."

Rala, 112 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902
PH: (865) 525-7888
Instagram: @ShopRala

Awaken Coffee will host artist Kimberlee Rose Smith for First Friday, Aug. 2 from 6-9 pm.

Kimberlee Rose Smith is a local artist who seeks to bring hope, joy, and peace by reflecting the beauty around us.

She explains her inspiration, “Anytime I go outside, I see a consistent yet ever-changing work of art- the sky. I’m also inspired by the natural beauty of water. My paintings reflect the majestic, mysterious, and vast open sky and open water. I hope my paintings encourage the viewer to appreciate the beauty of creation always surrounding us.”

Awaken Coffee is a live music venue, espresso bar, craft beer & wine bar and organic restaurant in the heart of downtown. Awaken Coffee, 125 W Jackson Ave, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902

Details TBA

Drown Wood Gallery
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

"It’ll Tickle Yore Innards!”: A (Hillbilly) History of Mountain Dew

Special Members Preview: Thursday, June 27, 2019, from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

The exhibition highlights the drink’s history, from the origins of the term “mountain dew” and the development of the marketable hillbilly image that influenced media and culture, to becoming the third most popular soft drink brand.

The exhibition includes more than 200 artifacts highlighting the drinks history, moonshining, and the hillbilly image. The exhibition begins with video footage of early moonshine busts and a visit to a moonshine still in Cocke County in 1938. A variety of liquor jugs, dating from as early as the 1890s are on display with other moonshine paraphernalia. There is an assortment of artifact reflecting the early color writers and their effects on the hillbilly image, as well as artifacts from Knoxville’s 1910 Appalachian Exposition. One case contains a variety of “hillbilly” memorabilia, including Beverly Hillbillies dolls, comic books, Lil’ Abner items, and a pair of Hee Haw overalls.

The exhibition features a 1900 carbonation machine from the Roddy Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Knoxville and a sizeable display of rare and highly collectable bottles, including a few dating to Knoxville in 1927, a progression of Mountain Dew bottles over the years, and a variety of other vintage soft drinks from around the region. Of special interest are the “Barney and Ally” bottles, which were the first Mountain Dew bottles ever produced. In 1951 and 1952, the Hartman Beverage Company produced 7 oz. green and clear bottles. The applied color label’s bare the name of the creators of Mountain Dew. In the early 1950s, green bottles were reserved for “colorless” flavors, while clear bottles were used for drinks where the color would reflect the actual flavor. Mountain Dew was originally bottled as a set of flavored drinks and not as a specific flavor like today. Also displayed are a variety of items relating to the Hartmann family.

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

Debut: Recent Acquisitions features important acquisitions from the past four years in the McClung Museum’s eclectic arts and culture collection. Many of the objects have never been on display.

From ancient Peruvian ceramics and new additions to our extensive map collection, to Cherokee carving and modern and contemporary works on paper, they reflect the enormous diversity of the McClung’s holdings, and the generosity of donors who helped to add important objects to our collections.

The objects also illustrate the work of museum staff to fill cultural gaps needed to support the McClung’s educational mission. These treasures underscore the museum’s continued relevancy as a site for inspiration and pondering our world and its wonder.

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

Knoxville - Our Wings of Wonder Butterfly Exhibit has been installed throughout the Gardens. Twenty-five large scale butterflies decorated by area artists will be on display until September 8 (when they will be auctioned off to the public). Come enjoy their whimsical beauty!

This is the second year of this great collaboration of artists and the UT Gardens whereby the showcased art is auctioned to benefit the Gardens. This year's theme of butterflies hopes to showcase the importance of pollinators to our ecosystems and is in conjunction with pollinator research being conducted at the UT Gardens and elsewhere around the world.

UT Gardens, Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996. Information: 865-974-7151, http://utgardens.tennessee.edu

3:00 PM - 6:00 PM on the 1st & 3rd Sunday of each month

Blackhorse Brewery on Gay Street in Downtown Knoxville hosts the WDVX Downtown Jam. Banjos, fiddles, mandolins and guitars all welcome. This is a great opportunity to meet new musical friends, learn tunes and jam!

WDVX info: 865-544-1029, http://wdvx.com

Blackhorse Brewery Gay Street Pub, 430 S Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902: (865) 249-8511 or https://www.blackhorsebrews.com/pubs/knoxville

Dogwood Arts Art In Public Places - Temporary Sculpture Exhibition

An exhibition of large-scale outdoor sculptures in downtown Knoxville, the McGhee Tyson Airport, Zoo Knoxville, and Oak Ridge. The annual rotating installation is one of many Dogwood Arts programs focused on providing access to the arts for everyone, promoting awareness of the strong visual arts community thriving in our region, and creating a vibrant and inspiring environment for residents and visitors to experience.

Sculpture installation will take place March 22-23, 2019.

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

View the calendar of ongoing 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

Join Circle Modern Dance on Wednesdays and Sundays for dance classes; Open to the public and available for all ages!

Ballet: Wednesdays at 6:00 pm with Kim and Sunday at 1:00 pm with Dr. Mary
Modern: Mondays at 6:00 pm with Jeny and Sundays at 2:00 pm with Amelia

First class is Free. $10 per class with class cards and annual passes available. Every body has the right to dance!

In the Emporium Center Annex, 100 S. Gay Street, downtown Knoxville. Info: www.circlemoderndance.com

Sundays at 8:00 PM. 17th-18th Century Social Dancing with live music. Beginners welcome, no partner is required. Also Rapper Sword dance group meets most Sundays at 7:00 PM. Free. Call 865-546-8442.

At the Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916. For information: 865-522-5851, www.jubileearts.org.