Calendar of Events

An Evening With: Yo La Tengo, Monday, June 26, 8:00PM at the Bijou Theatre.

Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information/tickets: 865-522-0832, https://knoxbijou.org/

 ECO TONE
COURTNEY EGAN FEATURING COLLABORATIONS WITH NATORI GREEN

OPENING RECEPTION & MEET THE ARTIST
FRIDAY, JUNE 16 • 5:30-7:30PM • CASH BAR

Eco Tone is a show of Courtney Egan's botanically-themed, projected artworks from 2020 to present, including new pieces made in collaboration with artist Natori Green. Egan’s installations deliver an experience that is both pleasing and disconcerting. The ethereal projections–converging on walls, floors and sculptural elements, and occasionally interactive–are inspired by the growing frequency of human exposure to nature via computers or television. Egan creates stunning yet “subtly impossible, hybrid tableaus” that envelop the viewer in a conversation between memory of the natural world and a new experience with a plant or flower. Egan explains the fundamental irony of the experience, stating, “We get closer and farther away from the natural world simultaneously when we experience it through a technological lens.”

Courtney Egan is a New Orleans-based digital media artist, photographer, and naturalist who blends botanical art with sculpture and digital technologies. www.courtneyegan.net

FREE & Open to the Public!

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.

Free and open to the public

Reception Friday, June 16, 2023, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Artist talk at 6:30 p.m.

In The Power of Water, Clinard focuses on the intensity and energy of waterfalls, waves and rivers. Her richly hued work is created by using watercolor in a loose and flowing manner and often on Yupo paper, which keeps the pigments on the surface and creates an intense, vivid result.

Lil Clinard is a landscape artist and watercolorist who has won three “Best of Show” awards in the Tennessee Artists’ Association Annual Juried Shows. Clinard is a signature member of the Tennessee Watercolor Society and Knoxville Watercolor Society, as well as a member of the American, National and Transparent watercolor societies. Visit her website for more information: www.WatercolorsByLil.com

Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Gallery hours: M-Th 10-3, Su 10-12:30. Information: 865-523-4176, www.tvuuc.org

Howdy! It's the 5th annual Dolly Art Show!

Join us Friday, June 2nd from 5:00-8:00 PM for opening night. Our wall will be filled with art by nearly 40 local and regional artists who love Dolly as much as we do. Awards will be announced at 7pm, and Dolly art will remain on display through the end of July.

Rala may limit capacity of in-person attendees for the safety of our audience in regards to maximum occupancy requirements.
We encourage you to attend virtually if you cannot attend in person, and follow us on Facebook/Instagram for updates as we get closer to the event.

You can stream the awards ceremony by joining our Instagram Live @shoprala, or by visiting our YouTube channel to catch the live stream later (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh_tM87RUMyb6DmkJU3MifQ)

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/628793335793173/

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

Join us for the First Friday Opening Reception of 'Paper Garden' featuring work by Gabrielle Barnhart & Kate Buuck — Friday, June 2nd from 5-8PM.

• Address: 123 W. Jackson Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902
• Exhibition on Display: June 2 - July 21, 2023
• Regular Gallery Hours: M-F | 10AM-5PM

A garden is a space in the earth formed for nourishment, beauty and wild delight. Inspired by the tender dedication of the gardener's hand, Paper Garden has become the terrain in which we explore, print, prune, paint, water and grow. The vibrant, flora-forward pieces of this show are artifacts from our own exploration and collaboration. Join us in this celebration of small moments.

Dogwood Arts, 123 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-637-4561, www.dogwoodarts.com

Dale Soblo will be the featured artist for the month of June, and will be honored at the Fun and Wine First Friday Reception on Friday, June 2 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM at the Plateau Creative Arts Center, 451 Lakeview Drive. The public is invited to come to this free event and enjoy a glass of wine or non-alcoholic beverage, visit with Dale and other artists, and view a wonderful variety of artwork. Light refreshments will also be served.

Art Guild member and artist, Dale Soblo presents his beautiful water lilies collection for public viewing. Dale reflects on water lilies and his water color paintings, “Water lilies arise from the depths, transforming a lake or pond into a floating garden. Ever since my youth I have seen magic, mystery, and danger in the still waters where they grow. Water lilies are beautiful, mysterious, and beguiling all at once. Monet also had a fascination with water lilies as his 250 or so paintings of them attest. The paintings of Monet I studied to create this collection spanned a period from 1910-1919. These 32 watercolor paintings are my impressions of Monet’s water lilies. The composition, color, and value of my paintings as well as the expression of human emotions are derived from studying Monet’s works. In his work I began to see the many conflicts and emotions he must have experienced during this time as he lost a son and WW1 was at his doorstep. The titles of my individual paintings are derived from the current locations of Monet’s originals.”

Dale’s training in botanical art started as an undergraduate at Eastern Michigan University making detailed drawings of plant anatomy, plant morphology, and trees and woody shrubs. During this time he took a course in botanical illustration at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Dale went on to earn a BS in Biology from Eastern Michigan University (1986) and an MS in Botany from Clemson University (1989). His interest in nature led him to work as a horticulturist at the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, designing and managing nature preserves for The Nature Conservancy, and teaching at Washtenaw Community College, Clemson University, Midlands Technical College, and Spring Valley High. As a teacher he developed an arts-based curriculum for biology and environmental science classes that taught students to use drawing and watercolor painting as ways to carefully observe and record the natural world.

The paintings of Dale Soblo will be on display along with the members’ gallery artwork exhibit from June 2 through July 6.

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

Friday, June 2, from 6-8 Awaken Coffee will have live music by Melissa Hale and will host an opening reception for artist Melissa N. Everett.

Melissa’s show is titled “Southern Charm”

“Songwriting [Quilt-making] is my way of channeling my feelings and my thoughts. Not just mine, but the things I see, the people I care about. My head would explode if I didn’t get some of that stuff out.” Dolly Parton [Melissa Everett]

After listening to Dolly Parton’s America, the initial idea of this project, Southern Charm, has grown to be so much deeper and more meaningful. Learning about the way she has evolved as an artist and grown as an independent woman while staying tied to her beautiful, mountain childhood resonated with me. I want these things to be true for myself, as well. As I mature and unfold as a female artist, I’ve recently started looking back at my childhood in Waynesville, NC to rediscover my favorite things again; like Easter, pastels, ruffles, playing in the woods etc. A couple of similarities between Dolly and I stand out: home, comfort, inclusion and nostalgia. This show is about channeling your inner child, listening to your heart and setting aside what doesn’t work for you any longer to continue on through hope, love and joy.

Awaken Coffee, 125 W Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Open daily. Information: 865-951-0427, www.instagram.com/awaken_coffee or www.facebook.com/awakencoffeeoldcity/

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from June 2-30, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, June 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features live music inside the Emporium by Ben McLaughlin. 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.

Born in Philadelphia, PA, Deb Mazz Cikovic has been an artist and creator of original concepts in art since the late 1970s. She is currently best known for paintings in oils, ink, and acrylic pouring as well as one-of-a-kind epoxy work. She uses a multitude of techniques and materials to create paintings and epoxy pieces which hold different meanings for each individual’s mind’s eye. She has shown original works at Van Der Plas Gallery in New York City as well as with Virtual Artists in London. Most recently, her works have been displayed at the Vivant Gallery in Reno, NV.

Creating art is something I do every day. I get inspiration from music, photography, nature, and anything that surrounds me.

ybcreativesart.com
Instagram @ybcreatives

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-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543. Closed Monday, June 19, for the holiday.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from June 2-30, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, June 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features live music inside the Emporium by Ben McLaughlin. 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.

Daughter Land is an experiment in chaos and control: Summer Small’s acrylic and oil paintings are a double exposure forged from a deep well of folklore and traditional craft juxtaposed against her experience of growing up as daughter of modern Appalachia. She depicts the strange as it is familiar, and the familiar as it is mysterious and ephemeral.

Summer Small is a self-taught visual artist who has spent her life exploring and evolving her emotional and aesthetic vision and developing the technical skills to execute that vision in diverse media, always inspired by her upbringing and community in Southern Appalachia. She is a founding participant in the Dogwood Arts Chalk Walk, where she has received numerous First Place and Grand Prize awards over the past fifteen years. She has pursued a series of apprenticeships in a variety of media, and after high school, she served as the Gallery Manager for Pretentious Glass Co.

Early in 2021, Summer began her career as a freelance artist and muralist. She sells her original work and fine art prints at juried markets across the Southeast and has executed numerous large-scale public art projects for community organizations and commercial clients. She works closely with Dogwood Arts on live mural painting and chalk art projects. Her work can be found in numerous local and regional publications, including The Scout Guide Knoxville. In February of 2023, she held her first solo exhibition, Highway Flowers, at RED Gallery in Knoxville. In the near future, Small has plans for several large public art projects, a residency at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, and many regional art markets.

Instagram @SummerSmallStudio

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-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543. Closed Monday, June 19, for the holiday.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from June 2-30, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, June 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features live music inside the Emporium by Ben McLaughlin. 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.

Diana Ferguson, also known as DiFergi, is an internationally recognized and awarded visual artist. She graduated from college with a degree in art at the age of 40 and has been creating art ever since. She taught art for eight years in the public school system before going full time as a studio artist. She has shown on multiple continents, has had her work published in national publications, and is currently an active advocate for the arts in East Tennessee. Primarily a painter using acrylics, she sometimes is also drawn to collage and mixed mediums. Boundaries are discouraged in her work, and reality has no prominence. Her work seeks to entertain, question and create its own narratives.

Faces, thoughts, narratives and emotion are what ‘talk’ to me. I want a story or a feeling to cover my canvas. Power and spirit, color and texture, visual energy and magical wonder are all interwoven into my paintings. Reality has very little to do with the intention of my final image.

www.difergi.com and Instagram @difergiart

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-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543. Closed Monday, June 19, for the holiday.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from June 2-30, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, June 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features live music inside the Emporium by Ben McLaughlin. 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.

Arboretum Obscura came about over the course of several years and miles of hikes throughout a variety of locations in the Appalachian Mountains. Trees that grew in seemingly impossible terrains, trees that had grown incredibly haphazardly, trees that seemed to overcome extreme disfiguration and mutation, they all intrigued me. As the years went by it became a type of game to see just how many strange and unique trees I could find during a hike. Documenting these treasures through photography began quite naturally. Over time, it evolved into this project of intriguing images from the many interesting trees that I have discovered. Sometimes, however, my imagination runs a little wild. What do you see in the trees?

Barbara Bolton Cornett, originally from London, KY, now resides in Knoxville with her husband, corgi, and two cats. Being a native of the Appalachian Mountain Region, she has a love of nature, wildlife, and the great outdoors. She is also an avid traveler and loves exploring the world and its many fascinating places. A large part of her photographic inspiration comes from her travels and time spent in nature, and documenting her journeys and explorations through her photography is something she truly enjoys. Her photographic journey was initially inspired by her beloved aunt who had taught her as a child to manually operate a film camera. As a child she would go around capturing images of blossoming redbud trees, blooming flowers, and the like. Many years went by before her inspiration was reignited when her daughter entered the world of competitive cheerleading. Capturing the best images possible with challenging setting and lighting circumstances became her own personal competition. A handful of years later after relocating to Knoxville, her husband and daughter bought her a new Nikon DSLR camera for her birthday. Barbara registered for and completed several photography classes in the UT Non-Credit Program and earned her Photography Certificate in 2021.

contemplativevisionsphotography.com

The Hardin Valley Project is a new exhibition of photographs showing the development of Hardin Valley over the last three years, captured on 35mm black and white film. Emily Greenquist received her BFA in Photography from Brigham Young University - Idaho in 2011. She has lived and photographed all over the country and has been settled in Knoxville since 2019. She is a full-time mother to three girls.

I have not lived here long, but even in my short four years living in Hardin Valley, I have seen a lot of change. I remember running to the store in the middle of lockdown and noticing one of the empty farmhouses had completely disappeared. I was astonished. It was beautiful. Why was it torn down? But I knew; we all know. The land it sits on is more valuable than the house. All that was left was yellow straw covering naked earth where a house sat for 100 years. Also in the frame, a “turn only” arrow in the road suggests the valley is going in a different direction.

Since 2019, Knox County has gained more than 18,000 people, and there is westward movement within the county, so Hardin Valley has exploded. As a photographer, I felt the call to document these old houses before they were erased and replaced with subdivisions. I then took it a step further and documented the change itself, sometimes revisiting the same locations several times. I started with the still-standing empty farmhouses, then captured the farmland that was cleared, hills being excavated, subdivisions being built up, and property being posted for sale. As I photographed this project, I often thought about the emotional balancing act between the sadness of change and the need for development.

Instagram @emilyldgreenquist

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-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543. Closed Monday, June 19, for the holiday.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from June 2-30, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, June 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features live music inside the Emporium by Ben McLaughlin. 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.

Chaos & Void includes new paintings by Vincent Drake and new photography by Greg Schweiger.

Vincent Drake was born in 1976 in Udon Thani, Thailand to a Thai mother and American father and spent his formative years in a working-class neighborhood in southeast Los Angeles. He attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and the San Francisco Art Institute where he studied Fine Art Painting. Drake's art can be seen as an exploration of society's struggle with the individual and our human nature. His work has been exhibited throughout the U.S. and Canada. He currently resides in Knoxville.

I'm inspired by the absurdity of modern American society: the irrational ideals we're convinced to accept, the relentless marketing and propaganda, the tribalism, disgust, perverted romanticism and violence that has become characteristic of us. In my art I'm unconcerned with beauty or idealization. I'm interested in investigating our culture's influence on our identities and the confusion, panic, and suffering that results. My subjects are people: sometimes we as individuals, sometimes us as a group. They are part mechanical construction, part hallucination; both comical and uncomfortable; suffering, confused, and trapped by their emptiness and proselytized ambitions.

vincentdrake.com or Instagram: @artistvincentdrake

Greg Schweiger was raised the youngest of five siblings on a small farm in eastern Kansas. After attending Northland College on the south shore of Lake Superior, he landed in Knoxville, Tennessee in the summer of 1999. Photography has always been a natural pastime to capture his love of the outdoors. It also has been a creative outlet of his through a series of graphic design and IT related work. Recently he has expanded his photography and creativity in the direction of abstract expressionism.

At its simplest, photography is the recording of light and shadow at a single point in time. The moments we choose to capture and the way they are presented allow us to express our relationships with the world. In my abstract work, I explore photography as a tool that does not document the external world, but rather expresses something more essential. I explore color, form, motion and void to form unique patterns, landscapes, or spaces. Using a handheld light, I manipulate the reflective and refractive properties of glass objects, paper, and other materials to capture abstract colors, shapes and shadows along with motion and defects. This is done through multiple exposures in-camera, meaning the image processing happens within the digital camera itself. I only use computer imaging software to prepare files for print, not in the creative process. By using the essential aspects of light, shadow and motion, I remove the external world as my subject and explore new photographic frontiers. My hope is to inspire the viewer into thought and discovery.

gschweigerphoto.art or Instagram: @gschweiger

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-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543. Closed Monday, June 19, for the holiday.