Calendar of Events

They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler is the first retrospective exhibition of Carl and Pearl Butler, the iconic country music duo whose timeless lyrics and harmonious melodies left an indelible mark on country music. With a career spanning over four decades, Carl and Pearl Butler became celebrated figures in the world of country music. “Carl made scores of major-label records during the 1950s,” says Bradley E. Reeves, the exhibition’s guest curator and author of the new book Honky Tonkitis: On the Road with Carl Butler and Pearl. “These are some of the best bluegrass, gospel, and hard country records ever made, although none could be called a massive hit.” That honor would come in 1962, when Carl and Pearl recorded “Don’t Let Me Cross Over.” The song remains among the fastest ever to ascend to No. 1 on Billboard Hot Country Singles. Carl and Pearl’s unique “Knoxville sound,” along with heartfelt lyrics, earned them a dedicated fan base who supported them at performances across the United States and Canada through the 1970s. The exhibition offers visitors a rare glimpse into the lives of these music legends.

Key highlights of the exhibition include:
1. Rare Family Archives: Museum guests will have the opportunity to view the Allen “Junior” Butler Family Collection, which has been made publicly available for the first time and includes never-before-seen photographs, home movies, original instruments, and stage costumes that belonged to Carl and Pearl Butler. “I’m grateful to Allen Butler and his family for opening their home and archives to share with us,” says Reeves.
2. Musical Journey: Explore the duo's musical journey through a feature film, which transports visitors through various periods of their career and traces their unfiltered, raw singing style, one that derived from and advanced the “Knoxville sound.”
3. Behind-the-Scenes: Gain insight into the lives of Carl and Pearl Butler through never-before-seen family photographs and recently uncovered anecdotes from the family and fellow musicians, including Dolly Parton who viewed the Butlers as her “second parents.” “Despite their successes,” says Adam Alfrey, Assistant Director for Historical Services at Knox County Public Library, “Carl and Pearl faced personal and professional struggles, which are intimately documented through the family’s photographs.”
4. Interpretive Experience: Engage with the exhibition to understand how both Knoxville and Nashville played a role in the development of country music. Also, learn how chart-topping artists can quickly become all but forgotten, even in their hometown. “The Butlers somehow fell through the cracks,” reflects Reeves. “It’s my hope that this book and exhibition will contribute to a reappreciation of their great body of work.”
They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler promises to be a heartfelt educational experience for country music enthusiasts and fans of all ages. It serves as a testament to the enduring influence of Carl and Pearl Butler on the world of music.

At 5:00 pm, Friday, October 6, 2023, there will be an opening reception for They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler. The event will include a meet and greet with Carl and Pearl Butler’s family, a book signing by guest curator Bradley E. Reeves, and an exhibition of Appalachian musical pioneer paintings by artist Amy Campbell. At 7:00 pm, there will be a “Tribute to Carl and Pearl,” opened by a performance of the Paul Brewster and Friends Band, comprised of 14-year-old mandolin prodigy Wyatt Ellis and Grand Ole Opry performers Daniel Grindstaff, Kent Blanton, Stephen Burwell, and John Meador. A screening of 8mm home movies shot by the Butlers (watch for an appearance by 10-year-old Dolly Parton), as well as some of the Butlers’ rarest television appearances, will conclude the evening.

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/lights-camera

The Frothy Monkey is hosting the Tennessee Artist’s Association’s show of “American Modernism” from October through January at the Frothy Monkey, 419, S. Gay St. Knoxville, TN 37902.

More than ten TAA artists will be represented at the exhibit, and many will be on hand for a meet and greet on Friday, October 6th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

The Frothy Monkey is the perfect stop for coffee, conversation and community. The restaurant offers fresh baked goods, beer, wine & cocktails along with its coffee and tea selections. The Frothy Monkey seeks to provide a safe and welcoming environment that can nourish guests and build community relationships.

For more information, contact twiegenstein@gmail.com

The opening reception will be from 6-8pm on October 6th. This show is a collaborative exhibition of (family friendly) creepy, eerie, spine-tingling, and all around haunted art pieces from various local artists.

Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/4BKeJE4Gt

No Tricks; just treats as we kick off the Halloween season with the first ever "Haunted Art Show" curated by Esther Sitver. Come one come all to this family friendly event!

Rala: Regional and Local Artisans, 112 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Mon-Thu & Sat 11-6, Fri 11-8, Sun 11-5. Information: 865-525-7888, https://shoprala.com or www.instagram.com/ShopRala

First Friday Reception: October 6th, 5:30 – 9:00 pm, with complimentary refreshments and music

Lisa Kurtz has a master’s degree in ceramics. She throws on the wheel and hand builds and combines both methods to create her wares. An award-winning ceramic artist, Lisa has taught ceramics, drawing and art history to college students. She has taught clay to adults at many local pottery studios in East Tennessee and in Kentucky. Currently, Lisa teaches functional pottery at the Oak Ridge Art Center. In 2015, she was awarded a grant to be a Master Artist in Tennessee Crafts’ Master Artist Apprentice Program. Her clay work has been featured and shown in galleries and juried fine arts and craft shows across the country and is in many private collections. Lisa’s pieces highlight the malleable qualities of clay. To highlight spontaneity in her work, she likes to experiment with many different types of atmospheric firing including wood, soda, pit firing and electric firing. Her functional work is all microwave and dishwasher safe.
website: www.lisakurtzhighlandpottery.weebly.com
Instagram: @lisakurtzhighlandpottery

Carol Quinn, an artist since the 1980s, exhibiting in the Southeast and New York City, draws inspiration from East Tennessee's natural beauty and explores the psychological processes behind it. A member of Knoxville's Art Market Gallery since 2018, she showcases her evolving art style. With a background in Human Ecology, she transitioned from watercolors to dynamic mixed media creations, focusing on abstract designs. Carole's work reflects a journey of self-discovery, driven by a passion for exploring color and texture. https://www.instagram.com/carolquinnartist

Art Market Gallery, 422 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Tu-Sa 11-6, Su 1-6. Information: 865-525-5265, www.artmarketgallery.net, www.Facebook.com/ArtMarketGallery

Internationally Renowned Artist, Anna Razumovskaya, is visiting from Canada on Friday, October 6, from 5-7 pm and Saturday, October 7, 3-6 pm. We hope to see you there!

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

Friday, October 6th! 6pm-9pm

Mighty Mud Gallery is featuring the collaborative exhibition 'This Never Happened' by local horse girls Kyle Cottier + Vanessa Hartman. Kyle is currently working to receive his Masters in Sculpture at UT and Vanessa is a Studio Technician and Instructor at Mighty Mud.

Kyle Cottier (http://kylecottier.com) + Vanessa Hartman (https://www.vanessamhartman.com).

"This Never Happened" is an collaborative abstract exploration of our boundless capacity to shape the world around us. Materiality takes a backseat as the exhibition delves into the realms of process, experimentation, and the enigmatic interplay of nostalgia and forgetfulness. Kyle and Vanessa infuse play into the nuances of language, navigating the labyrinth of lost and found, and unveiling the intricate tapestry of nature's nurturing embrace. Amidst dreamlike visions of wild horses and joyous celebrations of hay, personal myths emerge from the shadows, ready to roam freely. In the realm where rules are defined by the horse, we discover that within nothing and something lies the genesis of everything.

@mightymudstudio
126 Jennings Ave, Knoxville, TN 37917

Opens First Friday, Oct. 6, 5:00-9:00

The 12 BSG artists present “Shiny Decay Ennui Dingbat” paintings, photography, mixed media and more (in the front gallery). Also, the BSG studio artists present works around the theme “Anxiety” (in the back gallery) .

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/

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from October 6-28, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, October 6, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features a showcase of original performances.

This new exhibition features a selection of artistic styles ranging from abstract to realistic as chosen by juror Kimberly Winkle. The Art Guild of Tellico Village (AGTV) is fascinated by the kaleidoscope of beauty and emotion that a close community of artists can create. They observe the same world, yet record images, movement, and meaning uniquely. This exhibition considers the myriad of results possible when interpretation meets the eye of the beholder.

We are artists moved by mountains, flowers, oceans, animals, light, and dark. We are activated by emotion, reverence, curiosity, and play. We have something to say, which might be serious, sarcastic, joyful, mad, or challenging. We may express ourselves in black and white or fluorescent color, in two dimensions or three. But what’s inside must come out, and art is the vehicle. Every artist hopes to find a match: the fellow viewer who regards a work of art and says, “Yes, I feel that too”. We hope you find your match.

The Art Guild of Tellico Village has over 200 members, embracing all mediums of visual art. Our purpose is to support and encourage creativity, appreciation, and community through artistic educational activities including presentations, classes, workshops, and exhibits.

www.tellicoartguild.com | www.facebook.com/artguildtv

The exhibitions will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at www.knoxalliance.store. 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 October 6-28, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, October 6, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features a showcase of original performances.

Roberta Smashey is a stained glass artist creating both nature-themed and abstract works using the glass foiling technique developed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. By utilizing hand-made glass sheets of various colors and textures, she produces dynamic depictions of the beauty found in nature. The variations in artisanal glass give a unique feeling of depth and movement with this challenging medium. Using the Tiffany technique coupled with the beauty of glass and a lifelong study of wildlife, Smashey seeks to evoke appreciation of our natural world in all who view her creations. Whenever possible, she adds antique glass repurposed from old church windows and often incorporates at least one feature made from the older glass.

The exhibitions will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at www.knoxalliance.store. 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 October 6-28, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, October 6, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features a showcase of original performances.

The current world we live in is a fast paced, scrolling world. We move through it and most of the time do not take in the details. There are benefits to moving through the world deliberately. When we take the time to see, we notice the things that connect us like architecture, places and objects, as well as those things that make us unique like language and culture. I use my needle and thread like a drawing implement, tracing and outlining places I’ve seen while traveling as a content, single woman. Needle craft and sewing have historically been considered “women’s work” and utilitarian, yet in this series, my experiences as a woman, and my stitching are elevated to fine art.

In this new exhibition, Kelly Sullivan displays stitched collages composed of fabrics she has dyed, found fabrics, vintage fabrics, handstitching and machine stitching, cyanotype and photo transfers that depict her travels through the world. In her screenprints, she uses collaged materials and stitching along with typical screenprinting processes to depict the same theme. This body of work is expressive through the choice of line quality, texture and color and mirror the life she sees on her travels.

Kelly Sullivan graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in printmaking but considers herself a mixed media artist. She has lived in South Florida, Atlanta, GA, Syracuse, NY and currently resides in Knoxville. She always finds a community where she can make art, learn new processes and teach what she is most passionate about. Sullivan worked at Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts for two and a half years. Her work has shown at the Bascom in NC, Central Collective in Knoxville and at Arrowmont in Gatlinburg. She is currently the Arts Specialist, Sr. at Knoxville Arts Center (KAC) where she creates community arts programming. She teaches a wide variety of art classes at KAC, Arrowmont, Cancer Support Community of East Tennessee and Mighty Mud. She has been an active member of the Mayor’s Maker City Council.

Instagram @ksullivan1971

The exhibitions will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at www.knoxalliance.store. 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 October 6-28, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, October 6, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features a showcase of original performances.

This exhibition features selected archival pigment prints of original works Lynda Evans has created over the last 20 years. She works primarily in the genre of Figurative Realism, in a photo-realistic style; oil paintings on canvas, or charcoal, multimedia or photography on paper, are crafted in a very detailed, life-like portrait.

REMEMBRANCE is my personal “why”. Why do I paint and draw? Why the human body? Why figures in water? Why am I now drawing and painting horses and other animals? I paint to remember who I really am, to articulate the nature of humanity and the nature within all of life. I paint to connect with all that is interconnected by that divine, energetic, flow that creates us all. I believe we are spiritual beings in physical form. This is not about the story of flesh, in all its heroism, search for meaning, hopes, fears, addictions, and movement into ultimate disintegration. It is about the illusion of flesh, and the possibility of the heights to which the human spirit may rise. REMEMBRANCE is about the flash of understanding that happens when we recall we are not separate, but one. It is about our Divinity. REMEMBRANCE is also a call to action… a reminder to keep something alive.

Lynda Evans was born in Knoxville where she received an undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee with a triple major in fine art, art education, and human services, also earning a Master of Theology from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts. In the late-1990’s, she spent a decade in independent study and mentoring with internationally renowned artists and teachers. In the last 15 years, equine subjects have dominated her figurative work, as she desires to give voice to the soul of the horse. Evans resides in Knoxville after living in Santa Fe, New Mexico for many years. For information about purchasing or commissioning an original art work, contact roberts@bennetthome.com.

lyndaevansstudio.com

The exhibitions will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at www.knoxalliance.store. 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 October 6-28, 2023. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, October 6, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features a showcase of original performances.

The Arts & Culture Alliance presents an exhibit of painting, photography, ceramics, textiles, printmaking, and more by 17 of the individual artists who are recipients of an FY24 Ann and Steve Bailey Opportunity Grant. Artists in the exhibition include: John Allen, Debbie Alley, Ilina Arsova, Carra Artis, Michelle Barillaro, Tim Bridges, Shannon Davis Brock, Rebecca Buglio, Melissa Everett, Karen Ferency, Kathleen Janke, Cheryl Massey, Ty Murray, Jeremy Myles, Luis Santiago, Jessie Van der Laan, and Houston Vandergriff. Read more about the exhibiting artists at www.knoxalliance.com/work-by-current-bailey-opportunity-grantees.

In addition, the First Friday reception features performances by artists who are also Bailey Opportunity grantees.

A part of the Arts & Heritage Fund, the Bailey Opportunity Grants provide financial and technical support to individual artists and small, professionally-oriented arts and culture organizations. The grants are designed to spur continued artistic and administrative growth in innovative, entrepreneurial artists and organizations at any stage in their development. Throughout the next eight months, the 19 individual artists will utilize their collective funds for local, regional, and national workshops, studio time, technical equipment, and more.

The exhibitions will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at www.knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.