Calendar of Events

Light the Park is back to help usher in the winter holidays as the span of N. Campbell Station Road is illuminated by over 100,000 sparkling lights. The display will start at the commuter lot next to the Town of Farragut welcome sign and continue to Founders Park at Campbell Station, the Farragut Community Center and Mayor Ralph McGill Plaza. Lights come on every evening at dusk from Monday, Nov. 22, through Sunday, Jan. 2. Restrooms at Founders Park and the plaza will stay open until 10 p.m. nightly, except for Dec. 25, when restrooms are closed.

Shop Farragut and the Town of Farragut will kick off Light the Park with the 9th annual Countdown to Light the Park. Take in this seasonal spectacle from 5-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 22, at Founders Park, where the lights will be turned on with a flip of a switch at approximately 6:30 p.m. Additional parking will be available at the Farragut Community Center (239 Jamestowne Blvd.), the community center and the plaza.

Light the Park will offer special events every single day through Dec. 23. There will be gift giveaways from local vendors and organizations, caroling at the park and local food trucks serving up delicious holiday cheer. A calendar detailing all activities can be found at farragutparksandrec.org/lightthepark.

Santa’s mailbox will continue to usher all wishes directly to the North Pole! Letters can be placed in the mailbox at Founders Park for delivery by elves to the North Pole beginning Monday, Nov. 22. To receive a reply from Santa, please mail letters by Dec. 20 and include a return address!

If your group or organization is interested in passing out goodies or caroling, contact Special Event and Program Coordinator Brittany Spencer at 865-218-3376 or at bspencer@townoffarragut.org.

For more information and updates, see the Light the Park event on the Town of Farragut Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/townoffarragut

A native of Tennessee, Larry studied art and business at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. In his early studio work at UT, Larry drew inspiration from the painting techniques of his nationally-known professors C. Kermit Ewing and Carl Sublett. Their influence helped to develop Larry's abstract expressionist approach to his real-world subjects. Larry subsequently chose a career in banking but maintained a life-long interest in painting.

After a 33-year career and earning an MBA, Larry retired to pursue painting. He eventually opened a studio and gallery in the Bearden Arts District near downtown Knoxville which he owned for several years. He currently works from his new studio on his property in West Knoxville where he continues to explore varying painting techniques and subjects.

Larry's works have been showcased in solo and group exhibits in the Knoxville, Nashville, and Chattanooga areas. His works continue to gain ever-increasing recognition as he accelerates participation in events throughout the Southeast. In addition to public exhibitions and engagements, he enjoys the patronage of a number of devoted private and corporate collectors.

​https://www.colestudioart.com

Westminster Presbyterian Church’s Schilling Gallery
6500 Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN
865-584-3957
Hours: Monday thru Friday, 9 AM to 4PM
Please call to confirm availability of access to display

http://www.klockmillerart.com
I am a chromesthete which means I see a vast array of real colors in my mind when I listen to music. I like to think of it as my own personal light show. My goal for each portrait is to let you glimpse music and musicians the way I do. There is a kinship between color and music – both can say what words can not.

I paint in shadowed hues using the grisaille technique. After sketching out my musician in a grayscale underpainting, I add opaque and translucent acrylic colors according to what I see when I listen to their music. They come together like puzzle pieces on my canvas. I DO NOT use editing software or trace my portraits. They are hand drawn according to their highlights and shadows.

I began painting for others in 2017 as an outlet to share all the mesmerizing colors I see. While I can remember the lyrics to almost any song I’ve ever heard, I am most fascinated by the people who pen them.

My 10+ years as a journalist and graphic artist left me with a great understanding of design principles as they relate to color.

I think Wassily Kandinsky said it best: “Lend your ears to music, open your eyes to painting and … stop thinking. Just ask yourself whether the work has enabled you to walk about into a hitherto unknown world. If the answer is yes, what more do you want?”

John C. Hodges Library, 1015 Volunteer Blvd, Knoxville, TN 37996

For the past twelve years, the Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville and the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority (McGhee Tyson Airport) have partnered to present a biannual exhibition entitled “Arts in the Airport”. This juried exhibition was developed to allow regional artists to compete and display work in the most visited site in the area. The selected art features contemporary 2- and 3-dimensional artwork.

View and purchase artworks at https://www.knoxalliance.store/product-category/airport

www.knoxalliance.com/arts-in-the-airport

OLD TIME JAM, TUESDAYS AT 6.30PM, HOSTED BY SARAH PIRKLE
This strings only* session is the sound of the Appalachian legacy that richly indwells the soul and soil of Knoxville. The musicians sit together and pick and strum familiar tunes on fiddles, guitars, and bass. We play Old Time fiddle tunes mostly, everyone jams at once and there are no breaks. Open to all lovers and players of music. We welcome dancers but please no tap shoes, as it can interfere with the session. No need to build up the courage to join in, just grab an instrument off the wall and take a seat.
*No percussion instruments please.

IRISH SESSION, 1ST AND 3RD THURSDAYS AT 7.15PM
From the low central valleys to the high coastal mountains, music fills the pubs of Ireland. Guitar, harp, bodhran, flute, accordion, and dulcimer are the celtic sounds of old that combine to create a traditional and lively atmosphere every other Thursday night. Musicians play to enjoy and to preserve the cultural heritage that the Scots-Irish brought to America generations ago. Come and listen or join in! (Thanks Jason for the video!)

SCOTTISH SESSION, 2ND AND 4TH THURSDAYS AT 7.15PM
A proud tradition, Scots love nothing more than music and drink. The drink is strong and the music is steeped in the history of the green highlands and rocky cliffs. Whether lyrics or no lyrics, every song tells a story. The hills of East Tennessee are a home away from home for this style. Pull up a chair to listen or play along every other Thursday night.

BLUEGRASS JAM, FIRST AND FOURTH SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 3 P.M., HOSTED BY PERRY COOPER
It’s true that Bluegrass has roots in traditional English, Scottish, and Irish ballads and dance tunes. That’s why the Bluegrass Jam Session is a great fit for the Jig and Reel crowd. Come listen to acoustic string instruments as one or more instruments take their turn playing melody and improvising around it. As one instrument plays melody, the others will perform accompaniment. It’s an improvised jam session for all you pickers and grinners out there.

CELTIC JAM FOR BEGINNERS, SECOND SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 3 P.M., HOSTED BY TIM WORMAN
This session is your chance to enjoy traditional Celtic tunes at a slower pace. Learn as you play alongside host Tim Worman. He is there to guide the group of beginners as they take in the folk music traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe. Let yourself get swept up in years of living tradition and hear songs that celebrate life by the sea. All are welcome to Celtic Jam for Beginners. Don’t be afraid to join in on the fun!

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE, THIRD SUNDAYS AT 3PM, HOSTED BY CYNTHIA WEST
Dancing is just as important as the music in the Scottish tradition, and upbeat rhythms make for great foot-stomping. Those that are more experienced can even present a well-practiced jig or reel! Whether you are watching or dancing, 3rd Sundays at Boyd’s are overflowing with energy and fun.

*Jams/Sessions are currently limited to the number of players, so you must contact the session leader in advance if you are interested in playing. If you need assistance reaching them, you can email us at info@jigandreel.com, and we can connect you.*

101 S Central St, Knoxville, TN 37902, www.jigandreel.com, Phone: (865) 247-7066

New work from the Voodoo Rocket - Institute of Advanced Typographic Research

We will be open every Friday and a few other dates to be determined (check Social Media).

If you stop by the office of Robin Easter next door, they can provide access during the M-F 9-5 work hours, or after hours by appointment.

https://insideofknoxville.com/2021/10/kevin-bradley-presents-voodoo-rocket-in-the-old-city/
132 W Jackson Ave | Knoxville TN 37902 | www.robineaster.com

The annual James Agee Conference for Arts and Literature at Pellissippi State Community College will be held as the James Agee Online Reading Series this fall, after having been canceled due to COVID-19 in 2020.

“By rethinking the conference as an online reading series that will be available on YouTube throughout the academic year, we can reach a wider audience,” said conference founder Charles Dodd White, an author and associate professor of English at Pellissippi State. “We are encouraging instructors to use it in their classrooms, but the entire series is free and open to the public as well.”

White, whose 2020 novel “How Fire Runs” won a 2021 Independent Publishers gold medal for Best Regional Fiction – South, created the James Agee Conference six years ago to give Pellissippi State students an opportunity to attend a scholarly conference while also celebrating the literature, culture and arts of Appalachia.

While the online reading series continues in the spirit of the James Agee Conference, White noted that an online reading series allows Pellissippi State to expand the featured writers beyond Appalachia to the general Southeast. Their readings will be recorded, not live, and will include the authors’ thoughts on writing and publishing in addition to sharing from their books.

The three authors on tap this fall include:

• Crystal Wilkinson, Kentucky’s Poet Laureate and the award-winning author of “Perfect Black,” “The Birds of Opulence,” “Water Street” and “Blackberries, Blackberries.” Her reading will premiere Sept. 30.
• Ravi Howard, author of two books of fiction, “Driving the King” and “Like Trees, Walking,” which won the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. His reading will premiere Oct. 30.
• Jim Minick, author of five books, including “The Blueberry Years: A Memoir of Farm and Family,” winner of the SIBA Best Nonfiction Book of the Year Award. His reading will premiere Nov. 30.

For more about each featured author and the link to their readings, please visit www.pstcc.edu/events/ageeconference/.

I have lived overseas while in the Army and most recently 14 years in Las Vegas, Nevada. The last two years, my family has been getting acquainted with East Tennessee. Knoxville has been so welcoming, it is quickly becoming our home. Mostly, I paint in water based oils in a fairly realistic style. My subject matter is mostly landscapes, seascapes, animals & insects, and pets. I belong to Fountain City Art Guild, Tennessee Artist Association, and Tuesday Painters, a Plein Air Group. To see examples of my work, please see website: www.ArtisticEscape.studio

Smilin' Jack's is open Monday through Wednesday 11-4, and Thursday through Saturday 11-7.
4620 Mill Branch Lane, Knoxville, TN 37938 in Halls Crossroads

Ornithological Quadrupeds features prints from Beauvais Lyons, University of Tennessee Chancellor’s Professor of Art, Beauvais Lyons. Lyons’ whimsical prints, which are a companion display to Between the Hand and Sky: The Art of Elizabeth Gould, draw on the tradition of natural history illustration by artists including Elizabeth Gould and John James Audubon.

The museum is open from 9 am to 5 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays. As part of the University of Tennessee, we adhere to UTK's COVID19 policies.

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

The WDVX Blue Plate Special® is a live performance radio show held at noon, with your host Red Hickey, Monday through Thursday at the Knoxville Visitor Center. On Fridays WDVX takes the Blue Plate Special to Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria for “The Big Plate”, then back to the Visitor Center on Saturday with your host Evie Andrus.

It’s always free to join in, so please don’t be shy. Make yourself at home as part of the WDVX family. From blues to bluegrass, country to Celtic, folk to funk, rockabilly to hillbilly, local to international, it all part of the live music experience on the WDVX Blue Plate Special. You’re welcome to bring your lunch.

Just like at your favorite meat n’ three, the WDVX Blue Plate Special® is served up piping hot. This fresh and free daily helping of live music during the lunchtime hour that features performers from all over the world and right here in Knoxville has put WDVX on the map as East Tennessee’s Own community supported radio.

Previous performing artists include Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, The Avett Brothers, Old Crowe Medicine Show, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Jim Lauderdale, Marty Stuart, Nickel Creek, Red Stick Ramblers, Rodney Crowell, String Cheese Incident, The Del McCoury Band, Tim O’Brien, Yonder Mountain String Band, David Grisman, Claire Lynch Band, Brett Dennen, Tommy Emmanuel, Uncle Earl, The Infamous Stringdusters, the Jerry Douglas Band, Joan Osborne, John Oats, Mary Gauthier, Darrell Scott, and many many more! There’s plenty of great music to go around! http://wdvx.com/program/blue-plate-special/

Free 2-hour visitor parking located next door to the Knoxville Visitor Center. One Vision Plaza, 301 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Info: 865-544-1029, http://www.wdvx.com

Details TBA

Gallery 1010, 100 S. Gay Street, Suite 114, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Reception Fri 5-7 PM, Sat 10 AM – 1 PM, or by appointment. Information: https://gallery1010.utk.edu/

Portraits were the “social media posts” of the American colonial and antebellum periods. Today, social media allows users to not only visually document and share life’s moments but also curate how others see themselves. Early Tennessee portraits afforded the sitter the same duality. “They are,” as one art historian puts it, “the rhetoric–not the record–of self-representation.” As viewers two centuries removed, how are we to understand early portraiture in East Tennessee? Is it history, fiction, or perhaps a bit of both? This exhibition of works by Samuel M. Shaver, East Tennessee’s first native-born artist, provides interesting examples for discussion.

About Samuel M. Shaver (1816-1878)
Samuel Moore Shaver was the youngest or next to youngest child born to David and Catherine Barringer Shaver on Reedy Creek (near present-day Kingsport) in 1816. Little is known about his formative years. He may have studied at Jefferson Academy in Blountville; a Leonidas Shaver is listed as a teacher there, and his older brother David, Jr., operated a tavern nearby. In 1833, William Harrison Scarborough (1812-1871), a traveling portrait painter from Middle Tennessee, visited Sullivan County. What impact did Scarborough’s stay have on 17-year-old Shaver? Did he watch Scarborough paint the portraits of his neighbors? Or did he simply benefit by imitating the works Scarborough left behind? Whether by native talent, with formal instruction, or both, Shaver possessed the skill set to begin producing competently done portraits by the late 1830s.

Shaver: An Artist of Rare Merit traces the artist's maturation through the 19 portraits held by the East Tennessee Historical Society and the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection, Knox County Public Library. The exhibition is organized on the occasion of three recent Shaver acquisitions, making the East Tennessee History Center the largest repository of the artist's works.

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