Calendar of Events

Monday, November 27, 2023

Awaken Coffee: Michelle Barillaro Exhibition

  • November 1, 2023 — November 30, 2023

Category: Culinary arts, food, Exhibitions, visual art and Free event

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/

Broadway Studios and Gallery: HARVEST with Jean Hess & Emily Taylor

  • October 27, 2023 — November 28, 2023

Category: Exhibitions, visual art and Free event

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/

UT Libraries: National Exhibit on Mental Health Care and Custody

  • October 23, 2023 — December 2, 2023

Category: Exhibitions, visual art, Free event, Health, wellness and History, heritage

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/

UT Humanities Center: Prints & Books by Eric Avery, MD

  • October 15, 2023 — January 30, 2024

Category: Exhibitions, visual art, Free event, History, heritage and Literature, spoken word, writing

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

TVUUC Gallery: COMMA Artist Group

  • October 13, 2023 — December 6, 2023

Category: Exhibitions, visual art and Free event

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

East Tennessee Historical Society: They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler

Category: Exhibitions, visual art, History, heritage, Kids, family and Music

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

Tennessee Artists Association: American Modernism

Category: Culinary arts, food, Exhibitions, visual art and Free event

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

Pellissippi State Strawberry Plains: All the Eggs in One Basket

  • October 2, 2023 — December 31, 2023

Category: Exhibitions, visual art, Fine Crafts, Free event and Health, wellness

Cherokee basketry and Southern Appalachian basket styles are on display now at Pellissippi State Community College’s Strawberry Plains Campus. The “All the Eggs in One Basket” exhibit curated by Art Professor Jeffrey Lockett is free and open to the public through the college’s Appalachian Heritage Project, which is housed in the Strawberry Plains Campus Library. Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Appalachian Heritage Project serves as a repository for regional literature, history and folklore and includes programming including exhibits, lectures and workshops. “Abundant river cane in the Southern Appalachians contributes to its widespread use in weaving and basketry,” Lockett said. “The known works of the 17th century Cherokee Indians introduced the unique combination of materials and weave patterns using this cane.”

In the 18th and 19th centuries, storage baskets were used for daily needs such as harvesting, transportation and food preparation, Lockett added. However, as mountain tourism and markets for mountain crafts grew into the 20th century, Cherokee basket makers responded by producing baskets for the tourist trade. Most baskets on display in the "All the Eggs in One Basket” exhibit were made by Jimmy Lawrence of Clinton, Tennessee. Lawrence, born in 1937 in Abington, Virginia, is a Virginia Tech-educated mechanical engineer with a lifelong fascination with Appalachian crafts. He and his wife, Gail, have a regionally known collection of Southern folk art, crafts and utilitarian ware at their home.

“Jimmy says his curiosity for Southern crafts together with his engineering background has allowed him to approach basketmaking and weaving as an artform as well as an achievement in engineering,” said Lockett, who named the exhibit in honor of the variety of Lawrence’s traditional egg baskets that are on display. "Jimmy takes traditional Appalachian styles as well as Cherokee weaving traditions and varies the materials to include slippery elm bark, native cane and white oak.” All works in the exhibit are from the collections of Lawrence or Lockett. The Strawberry Plains Campus Library is open 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday.

Pellissippi State | 865.694.6638 | marketing@pstcc.edu | www.pstcc.edu

The Maker Exchange: The Richness of Life by Beth Meadows and Mike Berry

  • September 30, 2023 — December 11, 2023

Category: Exhibitions, visual art and Free event

New Work by Beth Meadows and Mike Berry
at The Maker Exchange, 710 Clinch Avenue, Knoxville, TN
Opening Reception Thursday, October 5, 5-8 pm
Show runs September 30- December 10, 2023

The Richness of Life is a joint exhibition of new paintings and cutouts.

Gallery is open 24/7, however...
• Sometimes the Maker Exchange holds events in the gallery space. Call ahead to check for any events that would affect normal hours (865) 522-2800 ext. 7
• On the night of the opening, artists I will have smaller items for sale

https://bethmeadows.com/
http://www.mikecberry.com/
https://www.makerexchangeknox.com/

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts: National Juried Exhibition

Category: Exhibitions, visual art, Fine Crafts and Free event

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, https://www.arrowmont.org/visit/galleries/exhibition-schedule/

Pienkow Art Gallery: RETRoSPECT with UTK Printmaking Faculty & Staff

  • September 1, 2023 — February 23, 2024

Category: Exhibitions, visual art and Free event

RECEPTION: Friday September 8th, 5-7pm
https://art.utk.edu/printmaking-faculty-present-retrospect-exhibit/

“RETRoSPECT” surveys recent and past works by UT Printmaking faculty members Beauvais Lyons, Althea Murphy-Price and Koichi Yamamoto, as well as 2D Printmaking Technician Elysia Mann. Included in the exhibition are both traditional print processes, from engravings and intaglios, to screenprints and lithographs, as well as experimental uses of print media. The UT Printmaking program is consistent ranked among the top graduate programs in the United States. It has a long-standing exchange program with the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design in Wrocław, Poland. The exhibition is free and open to the public, and is a project of the Marek Maria Pienkowski Foundation. For more information on the UTK Printmaking Program, see: https://art.utk.edu/printmaking/

Pienkow Art Gallery, 7417 Kingston Pike Knoxville, TN 37919
Hours: Mon-Fri 8-5 and Sat 8-11

Free Movement Classes

  • January 1, 2023 — December 31, 2023

Category: Classes, workshops, Free event, Health, wellness and Virtual

Held via Zoom and open to everyone. These classes qualify for credit with Silver Sneakers, but membership is not required. The online schedule is:

Mon 9:15 AM - Flow Yoga (no floor work) and at 10 AM - Shibashi (18 gentle movements)

Tue 9 AM - Classic Exercise (requires hand weight, a small ball, and a resistance tube with handles), 9:45 AM Stability (a balance and leg strengthening class)

Thu 9:15 AM - Seated Yoga (mostly sitting down), 10 AM Classic Exercise, and 11 AM Stability

Contact Don Parsley, certified instructor, for more info or to be added to his zoom listing at spiritofthedragon01@gmail.com

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