Calendar of Events

We are excited to announce Fado Made by Jamie Chard Kowarick as our featured maker for the month of November! Jamie specializes in expertly hand crafted leather products that exude a timeless vintage charm, mixed with the perfect modern twist.

Please join us for the show opening from 6 to 8pm. Jamie's work will be on display November 3rd through the end of the month.

https://www.facebook.com/events/352784687149351/
https://shoprala.com/collections/fado-made

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

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from November 3-25, 2023, including the biennial Master Woodworkers Show, November 3-5. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, November 3, from 4:00-9:00 PM, followed by special weekend hours including Saturday, November 4, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday, November 5, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.

This new exhibition features a collection of wall hangings, scarves, pillows, jewelry, should bags and apparel, all of which are based on traditional quilt patterns reimagined in a contemporary way. Sewing techniques include Mexican smocking, satin stitching, sprigging, and applique to create pieces that are all one-of-a-kind.

I am a lifelong fiber/fabric artist whose clothing designs are vibrant contemporary reinventions/reinterpretations and/or reflections of patterns found in Rococo and Art Deco architecture, coupled with and incorporating references to Appalachian quilting patterns and stitching. I work typically with used/recycled denim for its suppleness, hidden charm, and strength. Denim has demonstrated a willingness to be transformed, both in appearance and texture, creating a beautiful finale between the way it was originally designed and the way it looks after I have reinvented its form into a jacket, a handbag, a skirt, and/or perhaps a dress or even throw pillow. Much like a painter or sculptor, my designs can be recognized in my finished clothing, as much of each piece is hand stitched with reflective attention to details, such as thread colors and weight, embellishments such as beads, unique buttons and closures, and most importantly, interesting patterns within patterns. Some of my creations incorporate antique material reinvented for contemporary use.

Tim Bridges studied at the University of Tennessee, Tennessee Technological University, and the School of Fashion Design of Boston. He worked as a visual merchandising coordinator for several major department stores and spent several years designing costumes and sets for theater productions in Florida and Tennessee. He also designed wedding dresses and formal party wear. Bridges now devotes his time and skills to creating wearable art and home accessories in his inimitable style. He is a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and recently participated in an exhibit at the Appalachian Regional Commission in Washington as well as exhibitions sponsored by the Guild at the Folk Art Center in Asheville.

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. Please note, the Emporium will be closed Wednesday-Friday, November 22-24. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at https://www.knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from November 3-25, 2023, including the biennial Master Woodworkers Show, November 3-5. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, November 3, from 4:00-9:00 PM, followed by special weekend hours including Saturday, November 4, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday, November 5, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.

This portfolio of work honors the family culture of Oaxaca, Mexico. During Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead), families visit the graves of their deceased loved ones and pray for them. People decorate graves and themselves with marigolds and flowers. They dress themselves in skull masks and skeletons to celebrate life, death, and rebirth. Spirits of ancestors are invited to coexist with their relatives in the earthly world. The spirits are enticed back through altars of their old belongings, personal sugar skulls, and the love of their family. Both the spiritual and celebratory nature of Dia de Muertos are explored in this portfolio. The photographer seeks to share the beauty of the celebration, and the light in the living as they entertain their ancestors.

Scott Carpenter is an amateur photographer and native of Greeneville, TN. He has traveled extensively throughout the world, photographing people and cultural moments. He loves to photograph because photography invites us to understand each other. Photography is a way to share the world as he sees it: in each serene moment there is beauty. In each face there is light. Carpenter’s photography discovers the soul of the person and illuminates their inner beauty.

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. Please note, the Emporium will be closed Wednesday-Friday, November 22-24. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at https://www.knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from November 3-25, 2023, including the biennial Master Woodworkers Show, November 3-5. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, November 3, from 4:00-9:00 PM, followed by special weekend hours including Saturday, November 4, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday, November 5, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.

This new exhibition features an assortment of beautiful and unique photographic perspectives of Knoxville, Nashville, and the Smoky Mountains by local photographer Phil Savage. Most images will be in panoramic format, created by combining almost a hundred single images in order to form one breathtaking and memorable work of art.

My statement is simple in concept but quite challenging in execution: I want to create beautiful and compelling images by always keeping in mind my personal goal of making the ordinary EXTRAORDINARY.

www.philsavagephotography.com and Instagram @philsavagephoto and Facebook: Phil Savage Photography

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. Please note, the Emporium will be closed Wednesday-Friday, November 22-24. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at https://www.knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from November 3-25, 2023, including the biennial Master Woodworkers Show, November 3-5. A free gathering with the artists will take place on Friday, November 3, from 4:00-9:00 PM, followed by special weekend hours including Saturday, November 4, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday, November 5, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.

This collection of complex, abstract works by Jan Burleson, Carl Gombert, Carrie Pendergrass, and Kelly Spell is a celebration of color and shape. The various media—printmaking with unique process applications, quilting with modern design, oil painting with a relation to collage, and mixed media—combine in a spontaneous union of pattern and repetition that generates vibrant visual energy. With subtle and direct references to pop culture and world events, each artist constructs layers of meaning and representation in their work and creates a sense of place. Taken as a whole, the exhibition seeks balance and order in a broader chaos while also honoring tradition and history.

Jan Burleson’s work has been shown regionally with the Arts & Culture Alliance and Dogwood Arts exhibitions, in Chattanooga’s Association for Visual Arts exhibitions and CHA ART SPACE, in East Tennessee State University Slocumb Gallery’s Positive-Negative national exhibitions, and at the Arts Center in Athens. Instagram @jan_burleson_ and www.janburleson.com.

Carl Gombert has exhibited in more than 300 exhibitions across the US and abroad and his work is in numerous museum and university collections. Since 1993 he has taught painting, drawing, and art history at Maryville College in Tennessee. https://gombertart.com and Instagram @carlgombert

Carrie Pendergrass has worked in both the non-profit/public and private/commercial sector as a visual arts teacher, freelance artist and small business owner, gallery director & curator. She exhibits her work locally and regionally, and continues to teach. She was the recipient of an
Arts Build Artists Work Grant for her curatorial art project, CHA ART SPACE, an exhibition space at the Chattanooga Regional Airport, which debuted in 2021. Instagram @sewntothesea and @cha_art_space and www.sewntothesea.com.

Kelly Spell’s award-winning quilts have been featured in numerous publications, shows, and museums around the world. Kelly’s artistic practice involves a variety of techniques—some are cutting edge and others are rooted in the time-honored tradition of American quiltmaking.
www.kellyspell.com and Instagram @kellyspell.

Read more about the artists at https://www.knoxalliance.com/synthesize

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. Please note, the Emporium will be closed Wednesday-Friday, November 22-24. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at https://www.knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543

Michelle Barillaro’s striking abstracts will be displayed! Michelle finds personal pleasure in abstracts because they allow the viewer to see something in them related to their own experiences and dreams. She primarily paints on wood panels with oil & cold wax medium. The addition of cold wax lends itself to different techniques for texturing, layering, and subtracting paint- conceal and reveal- to build a history within the painting.

First Friday reception on November 3. Please join us for some fantastic art, light refreshments, and great coffee!

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 Gallery is open on the First Friday of every month from 5-9pm as part of Downtown Knoxville’s First Friday Art Walk
FRIDAY, November 3, 5 - 9PM
FRIDAY, December 1, 5 - 9PM

The JORGELUCEROSTUDYCOLLECTION is a modest art library and ephemera archive assembled by Mexican-American artist and educator Jorge Lucero during his various teaching appointments across the American midwest. Most of the time the STUDYCOLLECTION is housed at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and it is open to the public once a week when classes are in session. Browsing, study, quiet reading, sitting, and open discussion is encouraged during a visit to the STUDYCOLLECTION.

The STUDYCOLLECTION is non-circulating. It is the primary mission of the STUDYCOLLECTION to be a forum for conviviality, especially over these unique items within this particular place and time, therefore its holdings are rarely lent individually. In 2017, the STUDYCOLLECTION was borrowed in its entirety by the University of North Texas for the duration of their Spring semester. The University of Tennessee is only the second institution or person to perform this gesture.

THEJORGELUCEROSTUDYCOLLECTION holds no special events other than the singular event of being open during its designated time each week. Visitors to the STUDYCOLLECTION have made reasonable suggestions about specific public events that could potentially increase the number of visitors and the visibility of the STUDYCOLLECTION (e.g. public readings, organized discussions, screenings or listening events, etc.). Although these suggestions are appreciated and understood as coinciding with other models of how similar spaces are normally participated in, the mission of the STUDYCOLLECTION is not necessarily to be consumed en masse or to provide purposeful entertainment of any sort. The staff of the STUDYCOLLECTION is perfectly at ease with nothing (or the appearance of nothing) happening during the open times of the STUDYCOLLECTION.

Lucero’s exhibition is presented by the UT Downtown Gallery in collaboration with the Tennessee Art Educators Association annual conference. Funding is generously provided by the Arts & Culture Alliance, Knox County, the Department of the Treasury, Tennessee Art Educators Association, the East Tennessee STEM Hub, and UTK co-sponsors from the Center for Enhancing Education in Mathematics and Sciences and the Department of Theory & Practice in Teacher Education.

Location: The UT Downtown Gallery, 106 S. Gay Street
Times: W-F: 11am - 6pm, Sat: 10am - 3pm
For more information: ewing@utk.edu | https://downtown.utk.edu

Reception on Fri Nov 3, 5-9 PM with artists
Artists also present Sat Nov 4, 1-6 PM. Other gallery hours by appointment: jeanhess@bellsouth.net or ebtaylorhulse@gmail.com

Jean Hess and Emily Taylor demonstrate a committed willingness to experiment, play and take risks in order to enchant and surprise you. Their visual vocabularies are highly personal yet show mutual sympathy: Using at-hand materials: Natural, recycled, damaged, re-worked; Imagery from nature; Floating and layering; Hesitations and back-tracks, erasures and re-thinking. These artist friends each follow threads and throughlines that, over time, demonstrate evidence of continuity and connection.

Jean Hess’ work can be seen in the Knoxville Museum of Art permanent collection and installed in the Knoxville Convention Center, and available at the KMA gift shop. Her studio in Fountain City is open by appointment: jeanhess@bellsouth.net. You will see a wider range of work including 3D box constructions, hanging mobiles of antique trinkets and jewelry, stitched tapestries of vintage and found fabrics, paintings and collages. Her on-line presence: www.jeanhess.com and http://kolajmagazine.com/artistdirectory/jean-hess

Emily Taylor’s studio is located in Bearden. She welcomes you on publicized Open Studio days [together with studio mates] or other times by appointment. Please join the mailing list. You can contact Emily at ebtaylorhulse@gmail.com. Paintings, drawings, constructions, installations, as well as small objects, prints and commissions. Her on-line presence: https://www.facebook.com/emilytaylorpaintings/ and Instagram @emilytaylor9515

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/

A national exhibition examining the nation’s past responses to mental health and current approaches to care will be on display at UT Libraries this fall. The National Library of Medicine’s Care and Custody: Past Responses to Mental Health exhibit will be in the Jack E. Reese Galleria on the first floor of Hodges Library.

The traveling exhibit provides a historical overview of how mental health policies have evolved from custodial forms of treatment such as commitments to asylums and mass incarcerations to more inclusive approaches aimed at protecting the rights of those with mental health conditions. The exhibit also highlights how physicians, advocates, families, and government agencies have contributed to shaping mental health policies.

UT Libraries’ goal for hosting the traveling exhibition is to spark conversations surrounding mental health and effective coping strategies among UT students, faculty, staff, and community members.

A book display featuring related reads on mental health will be viewable on the second floor of Hodges Library.

UT Libraries was selected as a location for the traveling exhibition through the efforts of librarians Melanie Dixson, Niki Cobb, Calantha Tillotson, and Paris Whalon.

https://volumes.lib.utk.edu/news/ut-libraries-to-host-national-exhibit-on-mental-health-care-and-custody/

This event is available to the public at the UT Printmaking Showcase Gallery. The Printmaking Showcase Gallery is located in the UTK Art and Architecture Building, in the second-floor hallway outside of the Printmaking Lab (Room 241).

It will feature selected prints and books by medical doctor and visual artist Eric Avery MD as he explores issues such as social responses to diseases (specifically HIV and Emerging Infectious Diseases), death, and sexual health. As part of one of his exhibitions, Avery set up an HIV clinic at the Fogg Museum of Art at Harvard University. His work has been shown internationally, and is in the collections of the National Gallery of Art (Washington, DC), the ARTS Medica Collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (Philadelphia, PA), and the Cushing/Whitney Medical Library at Yale University (New Haven, CT), among many others. His website is: https://www.ericaveryartist.com/

These events are free to attend and open to students, faculty, and the public.
https://www.facebook.com/events/332368039150381

Art Exhibit at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, Free and open to the public
When: Reception Friday, October 13, 2023, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Artists’ talk at 6:30 p.m.

The COMMA (Come, Make Art) Artist Group was founded in 2004 by Gay Nell Gray and Cheri Jorgenson as a plein air group that met weekly during the summer at UT Gardens. It grew to be a year-round endeavor of gallery and artist studio visits, creating artwork in other locations, and exhibiting as a group. This nature-inspired exhibition includes diverse media and processes.

The members are award-winning former and current art educators. Included here are Gay Nell Gray, Judy Jorden, Cheri Jorgensen, Shelley Mangold, Martha Robbins, Caitlin Seidler, Valerie Sigmon, Carol Vinson, and Suzanne Wedekind.

Gallery hours: 10-3 Monday through Thursday, 10-12:30 Sunday
Where: Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church Gallery, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37918

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