Calendar of Events

This year's theme is "On the Bright Side". Open to women artists of any medium!

Oak Ridge Art Center, 201 Badger Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Tu-F 9-5, Sa-M 1-4. Information: 865-482-1441, www.oakridgeartcenter.org

The online-only retrospective exhibition titled “STAYING CONNECTED: The Valentines of Jim Balderes, Jr.” will be available for viewing from Saturday February 6 through Sunday February 28, 2021 at the Greeneville Arts Council website greenevilleartscouncil.org under the Mason House Gallery Online: Current Exhibit section.

Balderes has been sharing valentines of his own creation with friends and family for nearly forty years. The first was produced in a darkroom during his senior year at Cornell University where he earned a BS degree in Design and Environmental Analysis. Since then he’s seen Valentine’s Day as a regular opportunity to reach out at a time of year when family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and former colleagues could all use a bit of “handmade” warmth and whimsy.

During a two-decade career in corporate interior design and project management in New York City, both his mailing list and the variety of media for the yearly missive grew – thanks, in part, to a few classes at the School of Visual Arts and the significant transformation in digital media during those years. The various media for his valentines have included drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and digital art. Some of the greeting cards (primarily postcards) involved the use of custom-made tools and materials such as rubber stamps, die-cuts, candies and even scratch-and-sniff stickers.

Coincidentally, this year’s mailing is Balderes’ fourteenth since moving to East Tennessee. It becomes more important to him each year to send a tangible, physical greeting card when social media and email messages seem to be a step too removed. “Not only am I proudly supporting the ever-important U.S. Postal Service, but people would have a really hard time sticking a Facebook, Instagram or Twitter post to the refrigerator,” says Balderes. Balderes with the valentines he sent in 2007, his first after moving to Greene County. “And especially now, as we continue to contend with a worldwide pandemic, ‘Staying Connected’ safely is paramount. It is with that sentiment in mind, and as an expression of unceasing appreciation for all of our healthcare workers, that I made this year’s valentine.”

For information on Greeneville Arts Council exhibits, please contact Til Green, director of exhibitions, at 423-329-5366 or tilgreen724@yahoo.com.

Hosted by Knoxville Entrepreneur Center and The Maker City
New 3-part workshop on QuickBooks!
Get the training you need to get your books in order

QuickBooks accounting software is often used by small business owners, to keep invoices and bills in order. If you use this software, don't let its nuance and features hold you back. Register to learn from Nikki Elliot, CPA, from Elliott Advisory Group, LLP, as she sets up easy to follow steps for business financial success. The classes are FREE and will all be held virtually.

The first meeting will be 3-hours and you have two weeks to do the homework. The following two meetings will be shorter and topics will be based on attendee questions and needs.

February 6, 9am-12pm
February 20, 9am-10am
February 27, 9am-10am

Only 15 spots available! Register through Eventbrite today! If the class is full, you can sign up for the waitlist to be contacted for the next class. https://www.facebook.com/events/848255579348870

The McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is reopening to the public after a closure due to the pandemic, and visitors are invited to enjoy a new temporary exhibition, Women’s Work.

The museum will be open Wednesday through Saturday 9AM-5PM starting in June.

The exhibition, which is presented by First Horizon Foundation, features 28 paintings, ceramics, sculptures, and works on paper from the museum’s permanent collections and will provide a number of virtual programs for the campus and Knoxville communities. The exhibition is curated by Emma Grace Thompson, a UT alumna and former graduate assistant for the McClung Museum. It was born out of her research into the museum’s collections along with her interest in women’s history.

The McClung’s Jefferson Chapman Executive Director, Claudio Gómez, is excited that the exhibition will highlight the work that has been done during the museum’s closure: “The team of the McClung Museum has responded creatively to the COVID-19 crisis, and although the building is closed, our programs and activities have remained active to engage with the different communities that we expect to serve. I am proud of the work done by my team during these months, and I am sure that the steps we are implementing for a limited reopening in January will allow us to provide some of the on-site experiences that are deeply missed by many people.”

More about the exhibition: https://news.utk.edu/2021/02/01/mcclung-museum-reopen-public-womens-work-exhibition/

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Information: 865-974-2144

Rala is preparing for our February First Friday show, with featured artist Cynthia Markert. The opening reception will be from 6-8 on February 5th. All paintings are one of a kind and make the perfect gifts for Valentine's Day! Cynthia's work will remain on display from February 5th - March 31st.

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/753165832032219
Artwork: https://shoprala.com/collections/cynthia-markert

Cynthia Markert's art-deco paintings of women have long been a staple in the Knoxville art scene and have become symbolic of the city's artistic community. A long-time Knoxvillian, Cynthia was a Studio Art major at the University of Tennessee with a minor in Women's Studies. Since then, she's created these gilded, glowing, and brooding works that Tennesseans have come to adore and collect. Cynthia began developing her iconic style by painting plywood panels on empty buildings around downtown in 1994. Back then downtown was, as Cynthia puts it, a "ghost town", so the boarded up buildings provided plenty of the wooden canvas that would become indicative of her work.

"I would go walking past these big gorgeous pieces of plywood nailed to doors and I would start to see a face or a body. On Saturday mornings I would fill a baggie with pencils or pastels and return to draw"

Fun Fact: Markert's work is included in the archives of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C.

Due to the ongoing pandemic and Knox County safety guidelines, we will be limiting customer capacity and requiring that masks be worn inside at all times. Rala: Regional and Local Artisans, 112 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-525-7888, https://shoprala.com. Instagram: @ShopRala

Photographer Thomas Whitehurst is the Art Guild’s Featured Artist for February, 2021 and he will be honored at the Fun and Wine Friday Reception on February 5th from 5:00 - 7:00 PM at the Plateau Creative Arts Center (PCAC), 451 Lakeview Drive in Fairfield Glade. Thomas’ photographs will be on display along with the monthly members’ gallery artwork exhibit. Over 50 of Mr. Whitehurst’s photographs will grace the walls of the small gallery and many will be available for purchase at 50% off the original price. The public is invited to come and enjoy a glass of wine or non-alcoholic beverage, meet Thomas and other artists, and view a wonderful variety of artwork.

Thomas loves being outside and taking photographs of “Nature’s beauty;” outdoor scapes and floral shots make up the majority of his subject matter. Thomas states, “We have so much beauty here in East Tennessee to enjoy, and through photography we can enjoy it over and over each day.” Thomas uses archival papers, mats, and pigment inks to produce his photographs. He prints his own photos (except the ones on metal) and does his own matting and framing. His printer has nine ink cartridges giving his photographs an excellent color gamut. Thomas prints on various types of media; standard photo paper as well as canvas, watercolor, and fine art papers. He does all of his photography using a full frame digital SLR camera and state of the art lens’ and processing software. With today’s photographic technologies and Thomas’s talents, he’s able to create artistic photographs that can be enjoyed by all for decades. Visit Thomas' web site: https://3-thomas-whitehurst.pixels.com/art

The Art Guild is open to the public Monday through Saturday during winter hours from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Browse through eye-catching displays of paintings (watercolor, oil, pastels, colored pencil, acrylic, mixed media), photography, pottery, jewelry, woodwork, and more! The artwork of Thomas Whitehurst is part of the Art Guild’s February gallery exhibit, which will be on display from February 5 – March 4. All artwork in the gallery is available for purchase. Unique gifts can also be found in the Art Guild’s new retail space, “Endless Possibilities, Fine Arts and Crafts.”

Hours: Mon-Sat 10 AM - 2 PM. Art Guild at Fairfield Glade at the Plateau Creative Arts Center, 451 Lakeview Drive, Fairfield Glade, TN 38558. Information: 931-707-7249, www.artguildfairfieldglade.net

"Art Thru The Window #3" Broadway Studios and Gallery. Featuring our resident artists. View the Art Show and Sale safely through the glass. Purchase info will be listed on the window!

Broadway Studios and Gallery, 1127 Broadway St, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-556-8676, www.BroadwayStudiosAndGallery.com

"Beauford and Joseph Delaney: Lives in Art" opens Friday, February 5 from 5-8pm at the UT Downtown Gallery. This is the first exhibition of the brothers' work together.

In 1970, Beauford and Joseph were approached by art historian Elsa Honig Fine at the University of Tennessee about the possibility of a joint exhibition of their paintings at the university's McClung Gallery. Beauford had agreed in principle, and on April 4th, Mrs. Fine wrote to Beauford in Paris to say that the show – in September and October - would be sponsored by the Black Student Union, that it would be retrospective, and that the union would pay to ship his paintings from Paris to Knoxville. Unfortunately, due to Beauford's fragile mental health, the joint exhibition never came to fruition and became a solo exhibition of Joseph's drawings and parade paintings. Beauford was regretful that he could not participate, but very proud of this accomplishment for his brother.

Now, 50 years later, this first joint exhibition of their art features works loaned from the estate of Beauford Delaney and works from the permanent collection of the Ewing Gallery of Art + Architecture, and the private collection of Dr. Fred Moffatt.

Events and exhibitions at the UT Downtown Gallery are free and open to the public. As always, please wear a mask and practice social distancing when you visit the UT Downtown Gallery. Please do not come if you are feeling sick.

Open Wednesday - Friday 11am - 6pm and Saturdays from 10am - 3pm. UT Downtown Gallery, 106 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-673-0802, http://web.utk.edu/~downtown

The Ijams Visitor Center’s Hallway Gallery features Sonia J. Summers, a Knoxville-based artist who creates incredibly detailed, beautiful paintings of landscapes and portraits. She frequently can be seen in the community as she works en plein air (outdoor painting). See her work through February in the Ijams Hallway Gallery!

http://soniajacksonsummers.weebly.com/

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. www.ijams.org

Join us the entire month of February! Celebrate Black History Month by Joining YWCA for the Great Race Against Racism! Participants in this year's Great Race Against Racism will download the interactive "GooseChase" app on their mobile device and will race to collect points by physically visiting over twenty sites of cultural and historical significance in Knox and Anderson Counties. For more information and a list of the Great Race Against Racism locations, please visit YWCA's website at https://ywcaknox.com/great-race/.

Watch Karlyn Reel, YWCA Director of Communications and Events, explain a few questions about the event that we have received recently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYw1T4Dkm88&feature=youtu.be

If you have further questions, please contact Karlyn at kreel@ywcaknox.com.
How to Join the Great Race Against Racism -- Participation is FREE!

1.) Download the "GooseChase" app on your Android or iPhone.
2.) Choose to play as a guest; or register for a personal account with email, username, and password of your choice.
3.) Tap the search icon at the top and type "YWCA Great Race Against Racism" or enter game code "YWCAGreatRace2021" to find the game.
4.) Create your team (even if you are participating as an individual) or select your team from the list if it has already been created.
5.) Once in the game, you will be presented with a screen that reads: "Waiting to Start." The YWCA Great Race Against Racism will start on February 1 and will conclude on February 28. Be sure to check back regularly during the month of February, as bonus locations will be added.

About the Great Race Against Racism: For 25 years, YWCA's Diversity Day and Race Against Racism 5K has been a favorite community event. Attended by nearly 500 participants annually, the event has traditionally taken place on the Saturday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's event will be held virtually. While we will miss coming together as a community at the Phyllis Wheatley Center, we welcome this opportunity to celebrate our diverse community during the entire month of February.

At the Beck Cultural Exchange Center:

Make plans to join Beck for all our up coming Black History Events during February.
Black History Month is a time set aside during the month of February to commemorate history, and to celebrate the contributions of extraordinary people.

Stay Tuned For Information
https://www.beckcenter.net/black-history-month-events

Beck Cultural Exchange Center: 1927 Dandridge Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37915. Information: 865-524-8461, www.beckcenter.net

Children’s museum celebrates Dental Health Month by holding a lip syncing competition
Muse Knoxville hosts an online lip syncing competition from February 1-28.

Brush Battle is a competition where families can post videos of themselves lip syncing to songs while brushing their teeth. Combining the arts and the science of dentistry, Muse Knoxville hopes that Brush Battle will encourage children to get excited about dental hygiene. Videos must be at least 30 seconds long. The top five videos will be chosen by Muse staff, and will each receive an Amusements Kit. These top 5 videos will be reposted onto Muse Knoxville’s Facebook page, where fans can vote on their favorite video. The video with the most likes on February 28 at 11:59pm will win a VIP Experience at Muse Knoxville, valued at $125.

The museum partners with Delta Dental of Tennessee each February to host teeth-themed activities, programs and play sessions to celebrate Dental Health Month. Due to the limited number of people that can gather together currently, the two organizations decided to create free, virtual options that would still delight families. In addition to Brush Battle, Muse Knoxville will be sharing dental themed fun facts on social media.

Throughout the month, visitors can also enjoy teeth-centered programs and story times at the museum. Each patron that visits during February will also receive a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and a booklet of activities sponsored by Delta Dental of Tennessee, while supplies last. Admission must be booked online, in advance. To view the most updated list of hours, guests can visit www.themuseknoxville.org.

Muse Knoxville is a non-profit children’s science museum located in Chilhowee Park with a mission to inspire and empower all children through transformative learning experiences. We exist to serve East Tennessee by bringing hands-on, inquiry-based programming to children ages 6 months to 12 years old. In 2019, Muse Knoxville served over 200,000 individuals throughout 24 East Tennessee counties. www.themuseknoxville.org .
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