Calendar of Events

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from March 3 – April 1, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, March 3, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features live music inside the Emporium by Wendel Werner. 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 https://www.knoxalliance.store.

When driving down the road in the countryside in Tennessee, it is common to see abandoned beauties on the properties of people who never had the time to keep up with the maintenance of their vehicles. Often, the car will sit for years in the location where it last ran, waiting to be worked on with the potential to somehow wake up and drive happily down the road again. Quietly rusting away is both beautiful and depressing; automotive enthusiasts will be reduced to crying bittersweet tears at the sight of these rusting beauties.

Born and raised in Hackney, Ohio, Sheila Silvus Chesanow first started taking photographs with a Brownie Hawkeye camera as part of a 4H project. She continued to take "snap shots" of family and friends over the next several years. Always interested in art and photography, she took a college level black and white film course and learned to develop her own images. Her love of photography grew, and she studied black and white photography with Terry Lindquist at Fredonia State. During this time her work was exhibited in the gallery of the Stockton, New York, Library and was published in the Best of Photography Annual twice. She purchased her first digital camera in 2015 and began to transfer the knowledge of film photography to digital. In the last few years, she has studied photography at Lee University with Tom Kilpatrick. Chesanow has received numerous awards both locally and nationally, and her photos have been published in books and magazines. She has exhibited in Arts in the Airport, Mayors’ Shows, and at the Emporium Center in Knoxville; the Mayfield Gallery at the E.G. Fisher Public Library, Fullers’ Frame Shop and The Art Center in Athens; Gallery on Main in Sweetwater; Richard Low Evans Gallery in Blue Ridge, GA; and the Cato Institute in Washington, DC. Her work is also in private collections in Japan, Alabama, Arizona, California, Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, and Washington, DC. Chesanow focuses on nature and fine art photography which is reflected in her work.

https://www.sheilachesanowphotography.com

The exhibitions will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Friday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (except Fri Mar 17), and Saturday 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from March 3 – April 1, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, March 3, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features live music inside the Emporium by Wendel Werner. 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 https://www.knoxalliance.store.

During this year-long project, I more fully merged my art with the frames in which it is displayed. Previously I created paper-based art on a wooden base and then enclosed the base with wood strips to create a shadow box, a precise technique. I began to wonder if I could also cast my frames from paper to integrate them more fully with the art. Because of the large amount of pulp needed, I use my paper making stamp mill to work with raw plant materials for the frames. The different plant materials in conjunction with how they were processed and dried are responsible for the color, texture, shrinkage, and distortion of the individual frames. Some of the art therefore is cast as part of the frame and then decorated, while other works are inserted into the frames in the form of collages. My subject matter has many influences and is generally whimsical and macabre.

Bruce Bunting is a retired automotive engineer and self-taught artist. He has always been interested in art as a viewer and a maker; as well, he is an avid do-it-yourselfer. When he retired and began devoting more time to art, he settled on papermaking because it represents a juxtaposition of equipment, materials, chemistry and art. While normally quite expensive to become a fully equipped papermaker, he built and adapted all his equipment at relatively low cost. He continually seeks to collaborate with other artists.

https://www.brucebuntingart.com

The exhibitions will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Friday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (except Fri Mar 17), and Saturday 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from March 3 – April 1, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, March 3, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features live music inside the Emporium by Wendel Werner. 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 https://www.knoxalliance.store.

This new exhibition features contemporary and modern painting using different techniques of letting the movement of paints create every piece. All works are presented on gesso wood panels with acrylic paint and finished with resin to enhance the colors.

Farhad Naimy trained first professionally as an engineer and later brought his passion for architecture, design and creative use of space to his custom-built, multimillion-dollar homes that now span across the landscape in San Francisco and other cities throughout the Pacific Northwest. His love of the Eastern Tennessee mountains and his family brought him back to Knoxville where he pulls from his international experiences of a lifetime to create art. Naimy is captivated with fluid art because of his deep connection to nature and color. In both there are infinite variety, and like love, infinite expressions. With his paintings themselves, viewers feel them more than are able to explain them. No matter how many techniques he masters or how many visions he creates, there is always an element of chance, change and surprise in Naimy’s work. The chemistry in life and in art is unexplainable but experienced through our senses.

Instagram @fluidartbyfarhad

The exhibitions will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Friday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (except Fri Mar 17), and Saturday 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from March 3 – April 1, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, March 3, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features live music inside the Emporium by Wendel Werner. 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 https://www.knoxalliance.store.

This new exhibition features a curated collection of quilts from members of Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild and showcases modern elements such as bold colors and prints, high contrast and graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, expansive negative space, and alternate grid work.

This Knoxville branch of the Modern Quilt Guild has a mission to support and encourage the growth and development of modern quilting through art, education, and community. The Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild is for residents in and around Knoxville who have an interest in modern design and quilting. The Guild provides members with a community where modern quilters can meet, share ideas and create in an environment that encourages creativity and acceptance. One of the original founders of the Modern Quilt Guild, Alissa Haight-Carlton, organized the first modern quilt guild meeting in January 2010. The Guild meets monthly and welcomes new members.

Instagram @knoxmqg | https://www.Knoxvillemqg.com

The exhibitions will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Friday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (except Fri Mar 17), and Saturday 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from March 3 – April 1, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, March 3, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features live music inside the Emporium by Wendel Werner. 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 https://www.knoxalliance.store.

This exhibition offers a window into a little-known part of Tennessee history. Founded in 1908 by Thaddeus Evergood, Circus Orbis was a regional circus based in Jacksboro, Tennessee that performed in the American South and Midwest for more than 20 years. Curated by Beauvais Lyons, the exhibition includes a selection of lithographs, printed ephemera (including pop-up books and a paper puppet theatre), as well as facsimiles of painted banners. To provide a historic context for the circus, the exhibition includes a series of historic photographs made by Adam Hartstone-Rose from the 1920s and a sampling of circus music. Circus Orbis was well known for several female performers, including Augustina “The Bearded Lady,” and Lysippe, “The Amazon Queen,” both of whom challenged common representations of women from this era. Circus Orbis gave its final performance on Friday July 26, 1929, when the “Splendorium,” the Circus Orbis “Show Palace,” was destroyed in a fire during an afternoon performance at the Paducah, Kentucky fairgrounds. With the crash of the stock market three months later, Evergood was not able to find investors to help him to reestablish the circus. It remains as a unique part of Tennessee history.

Circus Orbis - See to Believe is curated by Beauvais Lyons, who is both Director of the Hokes Archives, as well as a Chancellor’s Professor of Art at the University of Tennessee. Lyons has organized more than 80 exhibitions that have travelled across the United States as well as abroad. The Hokes Archives includes collections of archaeology, medical arts, folk art, zoology, and circus history. Works from the Hokes Archives have been placed in the collections of the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, the Library of Congress, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

https://art.utk.edu/printmaking/lyons

The exhibitions will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Friday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (except Fri Mar 17), and Saturday 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

The show opening will be on Friday, March 3rd from 6-8pm.

Rala is pleased to present Esther Sitver as our featured artist for March. Her "Art Shoe" is a show of, well, shoes! -- And also handbags and other leather goods, all hand-painted by Esther.

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. She is a graduate of Ringling College of Art + Design’s Illustration BFA Class of 2020, and is a working local artist.

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

A Colossal Experience, Millions of Years in the Making

Prepare for a Jurassic exploration at Zoo Knoxville! March 1 through September 4, a pack of prehistoric creatures will be stationed throughout the park. Bring your young paleontologists and discover hidden truths about the era "terrible lizards" walked the earth. https://www.wildlyfun.com/

Zoo Knoxville, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Open 9 AM - 4 PM everyday. Information: 865-637-5331, www.zooknoxville.org

Tue-Thu 10 AM – 4 PM throughout March

At Fountain City Art Center. Our patrons share their love of creativity by sharing extra art supplies all through the month of March. Cost of items is by donation! Get a great deal and contribute to the art center with your donation. Our treasures await! 213 Hotel Road, Knoxville, TN 37918.

(865) 357-2787 or https://fountaincityartcenter.com/

Silas Reynolds is a self-taught artist from Morristown, TN, known for his bold and vibrant abstract paintings. He currently resides in Knoxville, TN, where he continues to create his energetic works of art. As a second-generation artist, Silas had a passion for creativity from a very young age and began drawing as a child. It wasn't until his mid-twenties that Silas commenced painting, and he quickly became captivated by the freedom of abstract expressionism, which allowed him to express himself in a unique way. He uses bold colors and shapes over multiple layers to create depth and texture, using acrylic and spray paint as his primary mediums. He draws inspiration from nature, fashion, and design and is influenced by artists such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Alex Brewer. Silas believes that art is open to interpretation and encourages viewers to explore their own personal meanings and connections within his pieces.

Silas will be opening his show in our Guest Gallery this Saturday from 2 to 5pm. Come see his incredible work and hear his story of his work.

Hours: Friday through Sunday 11am to 5pm

Pivot Point Gallery, 15 Emory Place, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-248-0050, www.pivotpointgallery.com

Art Exhibit at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, Free and open to the public
Reception Fri Feb 17, 6-7:30 PM with artists' talks at 6:30 PM

Lisa Kurtz
I have made wall pieces out of clay since way back in graduate school. Before I made pottery, I painted, so I often think of these wall pieces as clay canvases or clay landscapes with texture. I also like to add mixed media to some of my wall pieces, such as driftwood, shells, and other found objects. All my clay wall art is wired on the back or mounted on wood and wired so that it hangs easily - just like a painting would. I also love to make clay wall pouches, which can hold water and be used as wall vases for flowers. I have worked with clay for over 40 years and fell in love with the fluid and impressionable characteristics of this wonderful medium in college. Rocks and water have always inspired me. I love the streams running through the mountains, and I also love the ocean. I am fascinated by the effect that water has on the earth and the calming effect water has on people. The textures and colors in water, sand, sea birds, shells, rocks, and marine creatures inform my work and my glazes. I mix up all my own glazes and am often tweaking them to highlight the textures that I put on my pieces. My goal is to infuse my work with the peaceful feelings that water worn rocks, landscape, and waves give to me and share those feelings with others through my art.

Kate McCullough
I began painting in watercolor about 20 years ago after a 35-year hiatus from art. Initially my studies at Villa Marie College and SUNY College at Buffalo included general design, art history and oil and acrylic painting. When I returned to painting, I decided that watercolor was a medium that I would like to explore. I immediately fell in love with it and I have not looked back. I started with courses with Marcia Goldenstein and Whitney Leland at UT and then moved on to workshops at Arrowmont with Don Lake and Sue Archer, Kanuga with Linda Baker and Don Andrews, Cheap Joe’s with Linda Kemp, three workshops with John Salminen and a couple with Paul Jackson. I presently teach a watercolor class at the Fountain City Art Center. I am the former president of the Knoxville Watercolor Society, a member of the Art Market Gallery in downtown Knoxville, a signature member of the Tennessee Watercolor Society.

Gallery hours: Mon-Thu 9:30-4:30, Sun 9-1.
Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church Gallery, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37918

Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37918. Hours: Tue-Thu 10 AM - 4 PM. Information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityartcenter.com

Rala is pleased to present local artist Annie Rochelle as our featured artist for the months of February and March! Her show "People, Plants, and Other Myths" continues her exploration of the intersection of culture and the environment. Please join us for the show opening on Friday, February 3rd from 6 to 8pm.

Annie Rochelle is a practicing artist working and living in her hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee. Her artistic interests are divided: between draftsmanship and experimental abstraction; the challenging marriage of Old Masters’ techniques and traditional subject matter with contemporary aesthetics and social sensibilities. Her new interest in botanical forms have opened a new investigation into the relationships among human, artificial, and natural aesthetics. Annie Rochelle is also a two-time 1st place winner of Rala's Annual Dolly Art Contest.

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