Calendar of Events

Closing reception Aug 27, 5-9 PM

One day every week during the exhibition, the artist will be present working in the gallery.

Blackberry Farm Gallery at Clayton Center for the Arts, Maryville College: 502 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804. Information: 865-981-8590, www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com

At the Denso Gallery at Clayton Center for the Arts, Maryville College: 502 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804. Information: 865-981-8590, www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com

Join us on First Friday for the opening reception of an exhibition featuring work by Knoxville-based illustrator Esther Sitver. The Dogwood Arts Gallery is located at 123 W Jackson Avenue in the Historic Old City.

Reception: Friday, August 6th from 5-8PM
Exhibition on Display: August 6 - 27
Gallery Hours: M-F 10AM-5PM

Esther Sitver is a Knoxville, TN-based illustrator who merges vintage aesthetics with contemporary progressive ideas. She draws great inspiration from Charles Dana Gibson, mid-century lifestyle illustrators, and Molly Crabapple. Sitver’s love for traditional pen and ink drawing pulls together her specialties: portraiture/figure drawing, editorial illustration, pattern design, plein air painting, and hand-lettering. Recently, she won 2nd place in the Dolly Show at Rala. Sitver also works at Pioneer House Letterpress as an Internet Marketing Assistant and for Danielle Art Matters as a Graphic Artist. In her free time, she loves hiking, gardening, cooking, and rollerskating. A graduate of Ringling College of Art + Design’s Illustration BFA Class of 2020, she is looking for work opportunities.

https://www.facebook.com/events/dogwood-arts/first-friday-ft-esther-sitver/247926750475604/

Ame Houston is a painter/maker from East Tennessee. Come see her art throughout August in the Ijams Hallway Gallery. Visit Instagram to see more of her fun, fabulous work!
https://www.instagram.com/junedogart/

2915 Island Home Ave., Knoxville, TN 37920. 865-577-4717 or www.ijams.org

Oliver Guerguis is an 11-year-old illustrator, doodler and sketcher from Knoxville. This multi-talented, young artist is passionate about helping children with special needs, especially children with autism. You'll find his artwork in the Visitor Center lobby. A portion of the sales from his art will help children with special needs.

2915 Island Home Ave., Knoxville, TN 37920. 865-577-4717 or www.ijams.org

Aug 3-31: Art Guild at Fairfield Glade: Classes & Workshops
Tue Aug 3, 10-12: Smorgasbord Class: “Little Marquise Earrings,” with Michalanne Sloan, $30
Tue Aug 10 & 24, 9-12: “Heart of the Sketch” with special guest instructor, Bill Quillen, $80
Fri Aug 13, 1-4: “Digital Painting – The Mystery Solved” with special guest instructor, Dale Turner, $75
Tue Aug 17, 9:30: Monthly Members Meeting
Wed Aug 18, 12-2: Project Discussion, a bi-monthly artwork review session
Thu Aug 19, 1-4: Chain Maille Jewelry “Harvest Bracelet,” with George Gallant, $70
Wed Aug 25, 12-2: Life Drawing, with Dena Whitener, $5
Fri Aug 27, 9-12: “Let’s Make Art Felt” with Cindy Stroud, $70
Tue Aug 31, 9-12: “Drawing Conclusions” with special guest instructor, Bill Quillen, $40
Located at 451 Lakeview Drive in Fairfield Glade (off Peavine Road). 931-707-7249 or www.artguildfairfieldglade.net

Members of the Fountain City Art Guild will be exhibiting at Market Square Tomato Head through the month of August.

The mission of the Guild is to create an atmosphere that promotes, encourages, guides, supports, and informs artists in our guild. The Fountain City Art Guild began in 1979 as a group of women who met in the “Art Cellar,” the basement of Chloe Harrington’s home. Most of the Guild members were watercolor artists. For several decades, they were known as the Fountain City Watercolor Guild, and they met in various churches and homes in the community, holding exhibitions in local businesses. In 2000, the Guild voted to allow other 2-D media in their exhibits, and in 2015 members voted to allow nonfunctional 3-D work as well. In 2004, the Guild was instrumental in helping open the Fountain City Art Center at 213 Hotel Avenue, the location of the old Fountain City Library. They welcome creative, committed artists who will bring fresh ideas, energy, and enthusiasm to join the Guild.

Tomato Head, 12 Market Square (865-637-4067) in Knoxville. http://thetomatohead.com

Our members show is coming up: July 30 – September 15.

Our RECEPTION and show opening will be Sunday, August 1st from 2pm – 4pm! Awards will be announced at 2:30pm.

Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37918. Hours: Tu-Th 9-5, or by appointment. Information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityartcenter.com

Tri-Star Arts announces the next exhibition at their gallery in the historic Candoro Marble Building. A solo show, Mondegreen, features new work by artist Pete Hoffecker Mejía (Salem, Oregon).

Public receptions will be held on Friday, July 16 from 5:00- 8:00 pm (artist in attendance) and Friday, September 3 from 5:00- 8:00 pm. An in-person artist talk will be held on Friday, July 16 at 3:30 pm.

Pete Hoffecker Mejía states: “This work is engaged with the negotiation of multiform cultural identities. I am expressly concerned with exploring the intersection of contrasting cultural information, hierarchies of representation, and conflation in the expression of otherness.

Born in Bogotá, Colombia, of indigenous ancestry, adopted by a multiracial family, and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, I have created a studio practice that serves as a space for mediation of the resulting geographic and cultural estrangement. Cut and reassembled serape blankets, mochila pattern, molas, and other fragments of a whole speak to cultural and geographic discontinuity. Interrogating the themes of European geometric abstraction and Indigenous art forms allows me to create a sculptural narrative of contemporary Latin-American and Indigenous cultural hybridity, with acknowledgment of the postcolonial landscape.

High art and low, the historical and the ahistorical, the found and the fabricated, caricature and the sincere, all collide and collude. In this way, I explore the blurred points of contact resulting from estrangement, while touching on the obstacles in mediating self through distorted representations of the other in mass culture.”

This exhibition will be open to the public, alongside iconic spaces within the Candoro Marble Building, regularly from Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 am until 5:00 pm. Social distancing is encouraged.

Tri-Star Arts at Candoro Marble Building, 4450 Candora Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Tue-Sat 11 AM - 5 PM. Information: https://tristararts.org/

They say, "into every life, rain must fall," and while that is true, some individuals defy that logic and always deal with a light hand and a joy that defies the trials and tribulations of life. Hugh Bailey was one of those rare individuals. He experienced the sorrows of life as we all do, but chose a brighter side. Hugh saw, painted, sculpted, printed, and related stories of joy. He created objects that were "joy filled" and shared them with those lucky enough to cross his path. This show will be an echo of that joy and his legacy to all who knew him.

Hugh was an ambassador for the clay arts especially. A founding member of Foothills Craft Guild and an active member of Southern Highlands Craft Guild, an instructor in our program and others for many years, and an active demonstrator of clay arts throughout the region, Hugh was gracious with his time and talents sharing both with curious individuals of all ages. All of his work was imbued with his quick wit, amazing sense of humor and delightful sense of whimsy. In fact, Hugh was an advocate of playful experimentation in all media. These aspects to his work are readily apparent and will bring many memories to those who knew him and inspire those who did not have that privilege. The objects displayed in this exhibition will be shared with the Art Center from his many collectors in homage.

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

Treat your eyes to an art exhibit with over 100 original paintings by 25 members of the Tennessee Watercolor Society. This 50th Anniversary Celebration includes works by the members of the three eastern regions of the statewide Society: the Knoxville, Chattanooga and Tri-Cities chapters. This show runs from July 5 - August 20, 2021, at The Arts Center in Athens, Tennessee.

Art enthusiasts may mingle with the artists and learn about techniques and processes from the artists themselves at our opening reception to be hosted on Friday, July 16 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. This reception, as well as exhibit attendance during the show at The Arts Center, is free.

Exhibiting artists are Mary Ahern, Claudia Balthrop, Jann Bohnenberger, Mary K. Brown, Sandy Brown, Helen Burton, Linda S. Campbell, Durinda Cheek, Lil Clinard, Mark Cobbe, Don Gotterbarn, Marie Spaeder Haas, Irma Herzog, Harriet S. Howell, Spencer Hudson, Faye Ives, Barbara Brown Jernigan, Linda A. Johnson, Judy Lavoie, Kirsten May, P. Holly Peck, Jean Porter, Richard Rice, Gayla D. Seale, Tom White, and Barbara Wilfon.

This is the second biennial show of the regional Tennessee Watercolor Society artists and one of The Art Center’s largest, favorite, and best attended exhibits. Among the original paintings being displayed are various water media, including watercolor, acrylic, ink, tempera and gouache. See works on paper, canvas, and panels, including scratchboards, in a wide range of sizes and formats. Most of the works are for sale. Tennessee Watercolor Society (TnWS) is the largest and most respected organization in Tennessee dedicated to the exploration and advocacy of water media. This is an exciting year for the TnWS, as the 50th Anniversary of the society’s founding. The society has grown in numbers and significance over the years, with regular showings all over the state and an acclaimed juried Biennial Exhibition. TnWS currently has a statewide membership of more than 250 artists and supporters, representing some of the finest artists in the state. For more information on the Tennessee Watercolor Society, please visit tnws.org.

Athens Area Council for the Arts: 320 North White Street, Athens, TN, 37303. Hours: Mon-Fri 10-5. Info: 423-745-8781, http://www.athensartscouncil.org/exhibitions/

Bliss & Tori Mason Shoes is excited to host local artist Kara Lockmiller for First Friday as Downtown Knoxville starts to return to normalcy amid more reopening activities since the pandemic shutdown.

Kara will be at Bliss & Tori Mason Shoes at 445 S. Gay St. in downtown Knoxville from 6 – 9 PM on Friday, July 2nd for an in person meet and greet where snacks and drinks will be served.

Kara Lockmiller is a Knoxville artist who specializes in painting in shadow hues. She is known as a chromesthete, which means she sees a vast array of real colors in her mind when she listens to music. Kara paints musical artists ranging from Dolly Parton to Billy Joel and accepts custom commissioned requests. She has displayed her work at several venues throughout Knoxville over the years and has received many creative awards.

Bliss & Tori Mason Shoes is a women's clothing and gift store located on Gay St. in downtown Knoxville and has been a downtown Knoxville mainstay since its start in 2003. Bliss prides itself on offering an alternative to the standard retail experience and often carries pieces you won't find anywhere else. Husband and Wife team Scott Schimmel and Lisa Sorensen own Bliss, along with four other Bliss stores throughout TN and KY including another women's boutique in West Town Mall, and three furniture stores (Bliss Home) located in Knoxville and Nashville, TN and Louisville, KY. For more information on Kara Lockmiller, please visit her website at www.klockmillerart.com or follower her on social media @klockmillerart

For more information on Bliss, please visit their website at www.shopinbliss.com or contact Molly Hanley at 865-219-2703 or marketing@shopinbliss.com