Calendar of Events

RED Gallery announces the opening of Untamed Beauty, a new exhibition of oil paintings and watercolors by Jackie Langford. The show will open at 5 pm on Friday, May 6, 2022 (First Friday) and run through May 27. Work on display will include portraits and landscapes.

When asked what inspires her, Langford says, “It begins with a smile—the smile of a woman whose portrait I am painting, or my own joy when I look at the rugged backcountry, fierce whitewater, and smoke-blue mountains of East Tennessee.” The portraits on display at RED Gallery took shape in the log home Langford shares with her husband, Tom, on a ridge off the Cherohala Skyway, a Scenic Byway that straddles the Tennessee–North Carolina border. Along that ridge, old friends and new—from Atlanta, Clarkesville, Knoxville, and Nashville—have raised cabins and formed close bonds. During the pandemic, Langford says she felt moved to paint the women, from all walks of life, who share her passion for the wilderness.

After years of working in oils and acrylics, Langford expanded into watercolor. As the pandemic continued, masking her friends’ expressions, she says, “I needed to see their smiles.” She sketched, then painted, using background washes to reflect the individual personalities and portray each person’s essence. “I thought of all the challenges they’ve lived through,” says Langford, “yet they still express such joy and effervescence.” Langford says a good portraitist sees into her subjects’ interior landscape. In these women, Langford perceives strength and love of life that support their families and friendships. She captures the women’s natural exuberance, which mirrors the untamed beauty of the surrounding wilderness. As for her landscapes, Langford also works from photographs she and her husband have taken in the southeast and on their travels, from the National Parks to Alaska and Southern Cypress Swamps.

A graduate of Austin Peay State University, Jackie took studio art classes with T. Max Hochstetler, who painted the murals at the Opryland Hotel. She also studied with award-winning portraitist Daniel E. Greene, and learned from the techniques of John Howard Sanden, first recipient of the John Singer Sargent Award for Lifetime Achievement. Her paintings are part of the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library Collection and the Permanent Army Military Art Collection, and are owned by prominent military, political and civic leaders. In 2018 she placed First with a watercolor in the Booth Western Art Museum member fall show in Cartersville, Georgia. Her paintings won First and Second place in the Clarksville, Tennessee 2017 Riverfest art show. Current work can be seen at the Downtown Artists’ Co-op in Clarksville. Jackie is a member of the Portrait Society of America, the Booth Western Art Museum, and the Downtown Artists Co-op of Clarksville.

Starting May 6, Untamed Beauty can be viewed at RED Gallery on Fridays 5-9pm, Saturdays 1-5pm and Sundays 1-5pm, and by appointment through the week, until May 27.

RED Gallery, at 130 E Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN. Info: 865-524-0146 or email robin@robineaster.com

The public is invited to a special exhibit by the Knoxville Watercolor Society at the Art Center from May 6 to June 1 in addition to art exhibited by the Art Guild’s members. The show opening is May 5, 5:00-7:00 pm at the Art Center, which is always free and open to the public.

Formed in 1963, the Knoxville Watercolor Society has a long history of gathering artists to learn, develop, show and teach this beautiful art form to the community. Their work has been displayed in various venues throughout Tennessee, including Nashville, Morristown, Fountain City, and of course, multiple venues in Knoxville. Several members have exhibited in other watercolor shows as well, consistently winning regional, state and national awards.

Watercolor painting has a fascinating history, with its roots in cave drawings dating back to paleolithic Europe, with color being extracted from plants and accented with the charcoal tips of burnt wood. Upon the development of papyrus (paper), watercolor was used to create exquisite highlighting in manuscripts from early Egypt. For centuries, artists made their own paints and closely guarded their formulas and techniques . The Renaissance period saw a large surge in watercolor art. Mass manufacturing of simple watercolors started in the 1800’s and was often one of the early art forms taught to school children. Many of us can recall the Prang brand sets of watercolors that children coveted. Today, many people still think of watercolor as pastel and soft edged, but it can also be more hard edged and vibrant, eliciting a variety of emotional responses and appealing to a wide range of art appreciators.

Art Guild at Fairfield Glade at the Plateau Creative Arts Center, 451 Lakeview Drive, Fairfield Glade, TN 38558. Hours: M-Sa 9-4. Information: 931-707-7249, www.artguildfairfieldglade.net

Paintings by Michelle Barillaro and Jewelry by Charles Osten

Westminister Presbyterian Church, 6500 S Northshore Dr, Knoxville, TN 37919. Hours: M-R 9-4, Fri 9-12. Information: (865) 584-3957 or www.wpcknox.org

For the past thirteen 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 by:

Cosima Aryee, Kate Aubrey, Sally Brogden, Jan Burleson, Gino Castellanos, Elle Colquitt, Barbara Bolton Cornett, Denise Cumming, Yvonne Dalschen, Vincent Drake, Melissa N. Everett, Diana Ferguson, Alan Finch, Elena Ganusova, Carl Gombert, Brian Horais, Anthony TungNing Huang, Kathleen A. Janke, Siobian Jones, Gretchen Kaplan, Anne W. Kinggard, Andreas Koschan, Judy Lavoie, William M. Long, Allison Meriwether, Anders V. Nienstaedt, Tom Owens, Dennis Sabo, Phil Savage, Baxter Stults, Kelli L. Thompson, Chloe Wack, Carl Whitten, Douglas Wielfaert, Marianne Woodside, and Museum of Infinite Outcomes.

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

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

The Knoxville Museum of Art, in conjunction with the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, showcases what two important Tennessee cultural organizations are doing to support and empower women artists. Women Artists: Highlights from the Hunter Museum of American Art is on view at the KMA April 22-July 24, 2022, and Currents: Women Artists from the KMA Collection is on view May 13-August 14, 2022. Both exhibitions pay tribute to contemporary women artists represented in each museum’s respective collections.

Since 2000, the Hunter Museum of American Art has prioritized the acquisition of works by women artists from around the United States, who have long lagged behind their male counterparts when it comes to museum-level recognition. Highlights of the Hunter exhibition include an installation by Lesley Dill featuring floor-to-ceiling banners and hand-embroidered text, a silhouette pop-up book by Kara Walker examining the history of American race relations, a textile by Vadis Turner questioning inherited gender roles, and a mixed media installation by Beverly Semmes inspired by composer John Cage’s minimalist music.

Like the Hunter, the Knoxville Museum of Art has actively sought to acquire outstanding works by women for its collection. The selection on view reflects women’s broad technical and aesthetic range found in contemporary art. A mixed media painting on wooden sections by Alison Moritsugu conveys a monumental landscape, expansive yet incomplete. Nancy Rubins elevates graphite drawing into a large sculptural construction apparently shaped by violent forces. British artist Marilène Oliver constructs provocative portraits of her family in the form of acrylic sheets imprinted with digital medical scans. Patty Chang uses water and mirrors to transform her own image taken in a Belgian church into a complex photographic work fragmented by harsh angles and provocative reflections. In her video Joan of Arc, Alex McQuilkin responds to Maria Falconetti’s memorable lead role in the legendary 1928 French silent film by Carl Dreyer and the film’s themes of adolescent desire, faith, and suffering. These and other selected works call overdue attention to women’s significant role in reshaping the contemporary art landscape.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tu-Sa 10-5, Su 1-5. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org. Admission and parking are free.

Reception: Friday, April 29, 2022, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Artists’ Talks: 6:30 p.m.

"THE PROMISE OF THE HEART" in Exhibition Hall B
I believe that the power of art can inspire and affect change in one's self and others. This exhibit is an expression of a joyful heart that flows from a spirit that is nourished by understanding one's emotions, character, and passions. It features thirty-six original works of art by Suzanne Jack.

Photography by David Liles Exhibition Hall A
I seek to create art through photographic imagery. Inspiration often comes from the natural world. Great material is everywhere & seeing it is limited only by opportunity and imagination. My eyes are trained to look for textures, patterns, contrasts, and plays of color in everything I experience on a daily basis. My imagery is often an abstraction, a departure from the normal “snapshot” type photograph. I use mostly digital photography with cropping and image enhancements of color saturation, tone, and contrast, but no additions. The computer is my darkroom, via software tools of digital manipulation.

Gallery Hours: Mondays 10 am - 4 pm, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10 am - 3 pm. Other times are by appointment only. Sign-in and masks are required. At Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Information: 865-523-4176 x101, www.tvuuc.org

Sat Apr 9, 11 AM - 4 PM - champagne opening and meet the artists (1-3 PM)

In conjunction with the premier of the concerto Cycle of Life, created in celebration of Richard Jolley’s monumental Cycle of Life: Within the Power of Dreams and the Wonder of Infinity permanently installed in the Ann and Steve Bailey Hall at the Knoxville Museum of Art, Bennett is proud to be mounting a gallery-wide exhibition of Richard Jolley’s work focusing on both large scale hot formed glass sculpture, smaller blown pieces, and acrylic paintings from the last 20 years. The work of his partner, Tommie Rush, will be displayed alongside Richard’s work.

The progression of work during Richard’s 4-decade career will include glass pieces, works on paper, and paintings. Bennett has partnered with Richard and the KMA to present a truly spectacular reflection of Richard’s career and growth as a glass artist, and as a Knoxville art icon. Cycle of Life is a violin concerto composed by Michael Schachter that was jointly commissioned by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, the Knoxville Museum of Art, and their supporters. GRAMMY nominated violinist Tessa Lark will return to Knoxville to take perform this long-awaited concerto.

Richard’s art falls into distinct series, each serving as a stage in his evolution toward increasingly evocative and technically challenging forms. Jolley spent much of his childhood in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and became fascinated with sculpting glass as a student at Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tennessee. Since 1975, he has maintained a studio in West Knoxville, where he continues to create glass sculpture notable for its inventiveness and sophistication. He is represented in public and private collections across the country.

For more information contact claras@bennettgalleries.com or roberts@bennettgalleries.com. Bennett, 5308 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Hours: M-Sa 10-5:30. Information: 865-584-6791, https://bennetthome.com/

The Printmaking Showcase Gallery on the second floor of the Art and Architecture Building features “The Great Experiment,” an exhibition of lithographs by Ericka Walker. The exhibition will be on view from April 1 – May 30, 2022. Born in Wisconsin, Walker received her MFA from UT Knoxville in 2010, and lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, where she is an Associate Professor at NSCAD University.

Art and Architecture Building, 2nd Floor Printmaking Aisle
1715 Volunteer Boulevard, Knoxville, TN 37996
https://art.utk.edu/ericka-walker-lithographs-the-great-experiment-printmaking-showcase-gallery/

Opens FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2022 AT 6 PM – 8 PM

Rala presents The Fortune Teller's Sister & Other Portraits, a show by Cynthia Markert. All paintings are one of a kind originals.
Please join us for the show opening from 6 to 8pm. Visit our online gallery: https://shoprala.com/collections/art-originals

Cynthia Markert is a staple artist and local treasure within Knoxville's arts community and has long been creating timeless paintings of women on wooden panels. Due to the ongoing pandemic, we prefer that masks be worn inside the store. Thank you for helping us stay safe!

https://www.facebook.com/events/1611720295850859/

Rala: Regional and Local Artisans, 112 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Tu-Sa 11-6, Su 11-5. Information: 865-525-7888, https://shoprala.com or www.instagram.com/ShopRala

In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the 1982 World's Fair, the Museum of East Tennessee History announces the opening of a new, one-of-a-kind exhibition, "You Should've Been There!," in the Rogers-Claussen Feature Gallery from March 19 to October 9, 2022.

The exhibition’s theme is not only a nod to the international exposition’s marketing catchphrase, “You Have Got to Be There! The 1982 World’s Fair!,” but also an acknowledgement that four decades removed, there is a generation of East Tennesseans who were not alive to experience the historic event.

Organized by the East Tennessee Historical Society and the Knox County Public Library, “You Should've Been There!” traces the fair’s development from conception to the pivotal moment when The Wall Street Journal referred to Knoxville as a “scruffy little city” and questioned its ability to host an international event. More than 11,000,000 visitors from around the world were informed and entertained in the various pavilions, exhibitions, and attractions put on by 22 countries and some 50 private organizations. Popular souvenirs were shirts and buttons proclaiming, “The Scruffy Little City Did It!”

The fair’s theme, “Energy Turns the World,” played to the region’s reputation as a technology and science center. For example, it was at the 1982 World’s Fair that users were able to try out a touchscreen for the first time. Elo, a Knoxville-based company, debuted the touchscreen technology, then known as "talk back" computers, in the United States Pavilion. To honor this spirit of innovation, “You Should've Been There!” incorporates engaging touchscreens alongside displays of original fair materials from pickle pins to deely bobbers and everything in between.

To learn more about the exhibition, please visit: https://www.easttnhistory.org/1982worldsfair

"You Should've Been There!" is an official event of the 40th Anniversary of the 1982 World's Fair. To learn more about upcoming commemorative events, please visit: http://www.knoxvilleworldsfair.com.

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

No BPS will occur Jan 25-29 - please come back Feb 1 for more great music!

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

Central Filling Station is Tennessee's first full-service food truck park! We are a family-friendly, dog-friendly neighborhood hangout featuring a daily rotation of the city’s best food trucks and craft beverages. Welcome to Knoxville’s most unique outdoor dining experience!

Wednesday & Thursday 5-9p
Friday & Saturday 11a-10p
Sunday 11a-9p

900 N. Central Street | Knoxville, TN
https://www.knoxfoodpark.com/
https://www.facebook.com/knoxfoodpark/