Calendar of Events

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from September 2 – October 1, 2022. A reception with the artists will take place on Friday, September 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM. Most of the works will be for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition by visiting in person or the online shop at www.knoxalliance.store.

A Decade of Recent Work
Inspiration for this new show emanates from a conversation around the ease of creating photographic images. Images are easy to capture and cost only the time it takes to view the image, snap the phone or point and shoot, review and save or delete. Even carefully constructed images can result in tens or maybe hundreds of pictures to later consider. In this exhibition of 50 images, Tom Owens and Marianne Woodside share many of their favorite photographs which represent a variety of photographic styles that create images to highlight subjects, establish mood, and offer alternate views of traditional subjects. The artists show images from global and local environments, including pre-pandemic and pandemic times, as well as solo photographic works and images they created in tandem during joint photo shoots. Owens and Woodside have collaborated and supported one another's photographic pursuits for over a decade.

Tom Owens began capturing still images in the late 1960s, and for the next 50 years he worked in film and video production, equipment sales, advertising, industrial training, public relations, and higher education management while always utilizing audiovisual technology in some form. He worked at the University of Tennessee for 32 years, eighteen of those as Director of the Video & Photography Center. While at UT, he worked with actor James Earl Jones, author Alex Haley, Peyton Manning, Pat Summitt, and the FBI profilers featured in the film Silence of the Lambs. He traveled to Ireland, London, Costa Rica, many major US cities, and every county in Tennessee. He filmed the Lady Vols at the White House Rose Garden after they won a national championship. While at UT he won many awards including from the New York Festivals, Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, and the International Television Association.

A still photograph puts a frame around a moment frozen in time. It sits still and allows and perhaps commands the viewer to look at something real. One definition of realism is a “rejection of visionary.” Yet photography done well is transcendent, “extending the limits of ordinary experience.” So, when done well it can become realism transcendent. Henri Cartier-Bresson, the French humanist photographer coined the term “the decisive moment.” In many of my photographs I’m looking for that moment. My still photography is influenced by a diversity of photographers, including Cartier-Bresson, Ansel Adams, Minor White, and Diane Arbus. www.tomowensphotography.com

Marianne Woodside is a professor emerita from the University of Tennessee where she integrated responsibilities of teaching, administration, research and writing in human services and counselor education. During the last ten years, she expanded her interest in photography and her ideas of artistic expression. Travel to Central America, South America, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Iceland have offered time to capture exotic photographs beyond her daily experiences, although she still finds intriguing subjects close to home. Her subjects include still life images within a natural context, landscapes, and flora and fauna. Woodside’s art has exhibited in McGhee Tyson’s Arts in the Airport, National Juried Exhibition and Knoxville Photo exhibitions at the Emporium, and the Oak Ridge Art Center. She has also shown her work locally at the Golden Roast Coffee Shop, Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Gallery, Westminster Presbyterian Art Gallery, Awaken Coffee Shop, and Maryville’s Asbury Place. She also spends time writing, playing the guitar, hiking, and traveling.

I believe in the magical qualities of photography. Technical knowledge and skills support the creation of lovely, interesting, and whimsical images. At times, the outcome is beyond the expectation of the artist. To create these exceptional photographic moments, I look for ways to combine colors, lights, shapes, and textures to evoke a viewer’s mood or emotion. It is in nature that I find many of my favorite subjects. www.mariannewoodsidephotography.com

Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. Hours: M-F 9-5 and Sat 10-1. Info: 865-523-7543, www.knoxalliance.com

Kirsten Murray and Kim Griffin, are the Art Guild’s featured member-artists for September. They will be honored at the Fun and Wine Reception on Friday, September 2, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., at the Plateau Creative Arts Center located at 451 Lakeview Drive in Fairfield Glade. Also on display will be a special member exhibit entitled Looking Down. Wearing masks is optional. Wine will be served. This event is free and open to the public.

Kirsten Murray’s lifelong career was in global logistics. In 2015, she retired in Fairfield Glade. Kirsten has always had a creative side and often had a fiber art project in her hands, as time permitted. Fast forward 35 years, her desire to focus on her art was rekindled. Several people contributed to Kirsten’s expanding skill set in the last few years. A friend of hers introduced her to the ancient Japanese braiding art of Kumihimo. This inspired her to learn about beads and beading techniques. This led to taking classes at the William Holland School for Lapidary Arts. Renowned professional bead artist Sherry Serafini introduced Kirsten to bead embroidery during some of her workshops and completely unleashed Kirsten’s inner beading beast in 2018. As she leaned more, Kirsten developed her own unique and easily identified stye and artistry.
Kirsten’s unique and easily identifiable stye and artistry has been recognized by patrons in many successful sales venues and art shows. She has won many awards for her wearable art creations, including Best in Show, 1st Place and Honorable Mention.

Kim Griffin is a native Texan who moved to Tennessee in 2012 with her husband of 42 years. Kim has participated in art shows across Tennessee and Texas, and loves the interaction with customers. Her work has been featured on the cover of two magazines, Art Doll quarterly, and Haute Handbags, and she has written several articles for each publication. Kim’s interested include beadwork, painting, Tambour Embroidery, travel, and gardening.

www.facebook.com/ArtGuildatFFG

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

A collection of ceramic works about the comfort of childhood nostalgia by Amanda Humphreys. The show kicked off last week on First Friday, September 2nd. Amanda will be the featured artist at Mighty Mud Gallery the entire month of September, so there will be plenty of time to go check it out!

Mighty Mud, 126 and 127 Jennings Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Hours: Tu-F 11-6, Sat 9-5. Open studio time on Thu 6-9. Information: 865-595-1900, www.mightymudclay.com

September 2nd First Friday 5:00-9:00 p.m.

Reflexploration: a reflection of our recent explorations. New works by 12 artists and a silent auction of 2 collaborative works by BSG artists. Chloe Melton, Vincent Drake, Lauren Kelley, Brandon Woods, Mandy Lynn Carris, Jeremy Logan, Jessica Gregory, Sam Stapleton, Pat O’Neil, Nancy Rowland-Engle, Anne Freels, Larry Blount. Paintings, Plants, Mixed Media, Sculpture and more!

Broadway Studios and Gallery, 1127 Broadway St, Knoxville, TN 37917. Hours: By appointment, or when the "open" sign is illuminated. Information: 865-556-8676, www.BroadwayStudiosAndGallery.com and www.facebook.com/broadwaystudiosandgallery/

We are excited to announce Robert Felker as our artist for the month of September! His show Matriarchs features collaged paintings of iconic women in music, as a part of his Patron Saints of Rock series. Please join us for the show opening from 6 to 8pm on Sep 2.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, we prefer that masks be worn inside the store. Thank you for helping us stay safe!

Robert Felker is a painter and collage artist looking for the magic in everyday life. Whether it's the tranquil lake at sunset, or the abandoned country store, he wants to honor and capture the beauty he sees in the world. He earned his BFA from School of Visual Arts (1991) and today, lives in Tennessee with his wife, two kids and their backyard chickens. https://www.robertfelker.com/
@robertfelker_art

Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/5n88Q0kGP
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

We have new classes and workshops posted for the month of August leading into September. Be sure to check out all that we have to offer this month. Summertime darkroom trips are a great way to beat the heat!

August 31st Class (Learning Series - The Camera) 6PM-8PM - The Camera will teach you all about analog shooting. Topics covered will be: selecting a camera, camera functions, operating in that mysterious "Manual" mode, metering your subject, lens selection, and more.

September 6th Class (Learning Series - The Negative) 6PM-8PM - The Negative will take you inside The Darkroom where you will learn to load and process your film.

September 7th Class (Learning Series - The Print) 6PM-8PM - The Print will take you inside The Darkroom where you will learn the basics of enlarger use, burning and dodging and developing finished prints. For this class, you must bring your developed film and B&W photo paper. We suggest buying film and paper locally from F32 near West Town Mall.

September 15th Workshop (Cyanotype) 6PM-8PM - In this workshop, you will learn to make a unique one-of-a-kind handmade print by coating various papers with Cyanotype chemicals and developing them in the sun. Bring found objects, plant materials or print digital negatives on acetate. Paper will be provided for the workshop, but feel free to bring your own if you'd like to experiment. You'll need to register for this class at least 2-days in advance so we can get the materials ready for you to use!

September 23rd Workshop (Lumen Printing) 6PM-8PM - Lumen printing is an early photographic process developed in the 19th century. Using sunlight as developer and (mostly) organic objects as subjects, a lumen print makes a creative impression of our physical world. Come learn the fun Lumen process and discover how to apply it in your design and creative process. You will be making prints within minutes in this exciting workshop as you learn to expose and develop your works.

http://www.theknoxvillecommunitydarkroom.org/workshops

A solo exhibition of works in a variety of media by C-N alum and former C-N Adjunct Instructor of Art

Opening reception and celebration of the renovated and renamed gallery: Tue Aug 30, 3-5 PM

The Michael Alvis Art Gallery (formerly known as the Omega Gallery) at Carson-Newman University, Warren Art Building, corner of Branner & Ken Sparks Way, Jefferson City, TN 37760. Gallery hours: M-F 8-4. Information: 865-471-4985, www.cn.edu

Sisavanh Phouthavong Houghton will be displaying her paintings and installation work

Sisavanh Phouthavong Houghton is a Lao American mixed media visual artist born in Vientiane, Laos. Her artworks have been exhibited nationally at venues including Gadsden Museum of Art, Minnesota Museum of American Art, Asian Arts Initiative, Hunter Museum of American Art, Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, Huntsville Museum of Art, The Reece Museum, and upcoming exhibitions at Knoxville Museum of Art. As a refugee and immigrant from the post-Vietnam War era, these experiences are the driving force behind her body of work. Her work has been featured in The New Art Examiner, The Wall Street International, Houston Voyager, ShoutoutHTX, Click_Bait, Create Magazine, Studio Visit Magazine, The Tennessean, The Pinch Journal Publication, Voices of America, and The Next Door Neighbor. She has been a guest on Art Fight Podcast, The Art of Outreach, and Drawing South. Permanent collections include Hunter Museum of American Art, American Embassy, Paramaribo, Suriname; Legacies of War Office, Washington, D.C.; Tennessee State Museum; and Pinnacle Bank Headquarter, Nashville, TN. Houghton earned her BFA from the University of Kansas and MFA at Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, IL. She was nominated for the Joan Mitchell Foundation Arts Award 2020, a 2019 Artfields' Painting Award, and the 2017 Tennessee Arts Individual Artist Fellowship recipient. Sisavanh lives and works at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and a Professor of Painting at Middle Tennessee State University. Houghton has won a MTSU’s Teacher of the Year Award and her research has been funded numerous times by the Tennessee Arts Commission and the generous support of MTSU grants. She has lead community art projects with non-profit organizations such as SEAD (South East Asian Diaspora), Legacies of War, The Frist Art Museum, Oasis Center, and CRIT, Center for Refugees+Immigrants of Tennessee. She is represented by Tinney Contemporary gallery in Nashville, and more information can be found on her website: https://www.sisavanhphouthavong.com.

Hardin Valley Campus of Pellissippi State: 10915 Hardin Valley Road, Knoxville, TN 37932. Bagwell Center Gallery hours: M-F 9-5. Information: 865-694-6405, www.pstcc.edu/arts

August 26–December 11, 2022

For the first time in its exhibition history, the McClung Museum is celebrating the deeply rooted traditions and colorful spirit of the Day of the Dead. The Spirit of Día de los Muertos (The Spirit of Day of the Dead) is the museum's first community collaboration exhibit created with guidance from Latino/a/x community members. The exhibition will open to the public on August 26 and be on view through December 11, 2022.

With displays in Spanish and English, The Spirit of Día de los Muertos highlights the rich history of the Mexican celebration that remembers loved ones passed. The exhibition opens with a traditional ofrenda (or altar) installation displaying an array of materials dedicated to deceased friends or family members. Familiar sights include colorful cempazúchitl (marigolds), ofrendas (altars) with food offerings, papel picados (decorative banners), and smartly dressed calaveras (skeletons).

https://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/2022/08/03/mcclung-museum-collaborates-with-community-to-present-fall-2022-exhibition-celebrating-day-of-the-dead/

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

Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37918. Hours: Tu 9:30-3:30, W-R 9:30-4:30 or by appointment. Information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityartcenter.com

Come play music with us on August 18th! If you play guitar or ukulele, consider joining the fun! Participation in the KCG ensemble is open to the public, and all skill levels are welcome. The Knoxville Classical Guitar Ensemble will meet weekly at 7 PM at the Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Road, in Knoxville.

For more information, contact Andy LeGrand at info@knoxvilleclassicalguitar.com

Information: 865-686-2067, https://knoxvilleclassicalguitar.com

Free and open to the public
Reception Friday, August 19, 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Artists’ talks at 6:30 pm.
Gallery hours: 10-3, Monday and 10-4, Tuesday through Thursday

Terri Swaggerty began a career in Art at Expo 82 as a sidewalk portrait artist. She then became a self-employed photo retouch artist, specializing in photo restoration and photo enhancement utilizing airbrush, pencil and dye work, and oils for hand coloring. As a member of the Tennessee Professional Photographers association, she received many First-Place awards in photo retouching and received the Artisan Degree in 1997. She also received First Place awards in national PPA competition. Beginning in 1998 she transitioned to a photography career. In 1999, competing as a photographer, she received TPPA First Place honors in Portrait and received First Place in Wedding the following year. Her wedding photography business, Terri Swaggerty Portraiture, flourished in Knoxville for 15 years. Terri now works part time for Little Log Wedding Chapel in Gatlinburg. Terri began taking oil painting workshops in 2014. and is now a member of the Art Market Gallery in both photography and painting. She has previously shown at TVUUC, Tomato Head, Artemis Gallery in Apalachicola Florida, Post Modern Spirits, and Crafty Bastard Brewery.

For me the process of creating Art, whether through a lens or with a paint brush, is where soul meets body. I am always looking for and discovering Art in the changing environments of daily life. Finding it is so exciting! ~ Terri Swaggerty


Kenneth M. Moffett is retired from a career in architecture, having been design director at the Knoxville/Nashville firm Bullock Smith Architecture and Planning since joining in the formation of the firm in 1984. The firm has received numerous design awards with projects nationwide and abroad. Moffett has also worked as an artist throughout his life. His works in watercolor and acrylics on canvas have been widely exhibited, including at TVUUC. In recent years he has become involved in writing about architecture and urbanism, having a book on foundational issues published in 2017 with two further books published earlier this year by ORO Editions, publishers of architecture, art, and design. As an amateur musician he is a long-standing member of the Tennessee Wind Symphony and a member of the Knoxville Music Study Club. Moffett is presently co-chair of the TVUUC Art Gallery Committee.

These works are selected from the many I produced during a year of travel and study abroad in 1969-’70, under the auspices of the Lloyd Warren Fellowship (“Paris Prize”). Works on paper in pencil, ink, or watercolor, they represent varied approaches to capturing qualities of the architectural, urbanistic, or cultural subject matter, ranging from realistic rendition to mannered sketch techniques. These and others were produced “en plein air” in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Greece, Turkey, Morocco, Norway, and England, and they initiated a long tradition of sketching on trips abroad. Unearthed from the flat files, this is their first gallery showing. Some of the works in Venice are featured in my new book Urban Lessons of the Venetian Squares.

Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Information: 865-523-4176, www.tvuuc.org