Calendar of Events

WICKED includes 16 performances from Jan. 10-21, 2024. The Broadway sensation WICKED looks at what happened in the Land of Oz ... but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin, who is smart, fiery, misunderstood and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships ... until the world decides to call one “good” and the other one “wicked.”

Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information/tickets: 865-684-1200, www.tennesseetheatre.com

2024 MLK CELEBRATION EVENTS

The MLK Commission is the largest consortium of MLK events in East Tennessee and we are especially grateful for the support that we receive annually from our friends and partners as well as the entire community. Without question, it is this tremendous support that has allowed our observance to be recognized as one of the nation’s best King commemorations. Please join with us! Events include:

Interfaith Prayer Service
Leadership Educational Symposium
Thomas "Tank" Strickland Leadership Awards Luncheon
Community Forum
Juneteenth Celebration
MLK Youth Symposium
Jack and Jill Oratorical Contest
Night With the Arts Tribute
Memorial Tribute Service
Teacher In-Service Training

https://www.mlkknoxville.com/2024-mlk-events/

Knoxville Poetry Slam is a $5 monthly live poetry open mic presented by Lane Shuler and Jonathan “Courageous” Clark, who travel the country performing as I.N.K. Spoken Word.

Third-Party Event Notice: this screening or performance is presented by an outside organization using Central Cinema as a venue for hire. Questions regarding content, ticketing and other event-specific information should be directed to the organizers.

https://centralcinema865.com/production/kps/

The Sundress Academy for the Arts is excited to present “Humanimal: Between Human Beings and Animals,” a workshop led by Si-Min Chong on January 10th, 2024, from 6:00-7:30 PM. This event will be held over Zoom. Participants can access the event at tiny.utk.edu/sundress (password: safta).

In this online class, we will read works examining the ways animals, trees, mushrooms, the living beings around us make a home (art), gather food (sustenance), and experiment with ways of being and play. The class will begin with a close reading from writers exploring this theme, followed by writing prompts. We will take inspiration from our kin and experiment with methods such as free-writing, phonetic translations of birdsong, writing next to a tree/plant, or a body/glass of water, and more. In the spirit of conjuring and collaborating with our kin, we will write or make work by way of prose poetry or lyrical prose, sketches, concrete poetry, or simply, marks on a page. This class is open to writers of all genres who are curious about writing alongside other humanimals.

Si-Min Chong (Min) grew up in the industrial west of Singapore, where the air smells of cacao. She makes work about vessels: women, trees, and snakes. Based in Providence, Rhode Island, she holds an MFA in Literary Arts from Brown University. https://www.facebook.com/events/1779698199110089

The WDVX Blue Plate Special is a live performance radio show held at noon at Visit Knoxville (301 S. Gay Street) every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with your host Red Hickey… and on Saturday with host Sean McCollough. On Fridays WDVX takes the Blue Plate Special to Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria (200 E Jackson Ave) for “The Big Plate”. Make yourself at home as part of the WDVX family at this this daily free concert series. From blues to bluegrass, country to Celtic, folk to funk, rockabilly to hillbilly, local to international, it’s all part of the live music experience on The WDVX Blue Plate Special.

All seats are free, and visitors may come and go as they please.

Info: 865-544-1029, http://www.wdvx.com

Details TBA

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

A series of stitched portraits of famous women by artist Marcia Goldenstein.

“Women artists throughout history often had to make difficult decisions and sacrifices to disregard conventional, societal expectations in order to forge professional careers as painters, sculptors and photographers. Women activists use their voices, their art, their poetry and more to help make positive changes in the world. Representing them in “stitches” is my metaphor for a laugh at the criticism they often encountered, but also ironically uses a form that is historically considered “women’s work”. For this project I was able to combine the traditional craft of embroidery with my professional experience in painting and drawing. I find, not so surprisingly, that the activities demand the same formal, compositional and observational qualities. Building an image with thread is the same as with any mark-making material. I chose “stitches” to depict and honor a few of these extraordinary women artists and activists through what is generally considered a domestic art form—something they eschewed in their own lives.” -Marcia Goldenstein

EXHIBITION-RELATED PROGRAMS:
A Discussion with the Artist | Thursday, February 8 | 6-8pm

ABOUT MARCIA GOLDENSTEIN— Marcia Goldenstein received her B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees in Painting and Drawing from the University of Nebraska. She taught at the University of Tennessee School of Art for 36 years. She has been a visiting artist at the National Academy of Fine Arts, Bratislava, Slovakia; Sichuan University, Chengdu; Beihang University, Beijing; University of Texas, San Antonio; Arizona State University; University of Indianapolis; Tudor Hall, UK; College of the Ozarks; Knoxville Museum of Art; Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts, Wroclav, Poland and many other schools and museums. She has an international exhibition record and is represented in numerous public and private collections in the US, Europe, and China.

In 2021, she was awarded a Tennessee Arts Commission Fellowship. In 2016, she was named Outstanding Alumna at the University of Nebraska Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts. She has also received numerous awards for her paintings. She is currently Professor Emerita of Painting and Drawing at the University of Tennessee School of Art. marciagoldenstein.com

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.

During January and February of 2024, the gallery will present two bodies of work that reflect on contemporary and historical occurrences and race relations by New Orleans printmaker, Katrina Andry. The Promise of the Rainbow Never Came is a mixed-media installation that considers the dehumanization African people endured during the Middle Passage, the second leg of enslavement and forced migration of people brought in bondage to the Americas between the late 1400 – 1800s. Andry’s Colonial Colorism Influences in the Black Community – Past and Present series presents large, colorful woodblock prints that explore ethnicity, social hierarchy, Black experiences and quality of life, and society’s perception of race relations and social standards.

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

Regular Gallery Hours: M-F | 9AM-5PM
Openings January 5 and February 2, 5-8 PM

About the Artist: Desiderio Manresa Bodipo, artistically known as Mene Manresa, was born on the island of Annobon (Equatorial Guinea). From an early age, he studied drawing, painting, and ceramics at the Hispano Guinean Cultural Center in Malabo. Manresa is inspired by everyday factors of his environment, and he interposes them into an abstract and modern-realistic world. His work is unique with vivid colors that impact viewers at first sight and help them navigate his world of imaginary composition.

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

Mid-Mod Mind: Pastels, oils & acrylics by Rhonda Moody and Earth & Elegance: Inspired Adornment in Leather, Fiber, Pearl & Stone by Laura Gasparini

Opening First Friday, Jan 5th 5:00-9:00.

Broadway Studios and Gallery, 1127 Broadway St, Knoxville, TN 37917. Hours: Follow us on facebook and instagram for open hours. By appointment, or when the "open" sign is illuminated. Information: 865-556-8676, www.BroadwayStudiosAndGallery.com and www.facebook.com/broadwaystudiosandgallery/

A First Friday opening reception for the exhibit is planned from 5:30 pm - 9 pm, January 5th, with complimentary refreshments and music.

Curt Imerman’s intricate pencil drawings will be featured during the month of January! Curt considers himself to be a self-taught artist. He started with pencil and paper drawings at an early age. Curt’s interest in drawing lead to a career as a Mechanical Designer for a major US crane manufacturer. While designing cranes, his God given talent was called upon to prepare conceptual drawings of various crane designs and components. In the early 70s Curt began his hobby of drawing barns using pen and ink. His early drawings of barns were produced using a quill-point pen, and ink from a bottle. Now, Curt uses a fine tipped mechanical ink pen. Curt also uses colored pencils to highlight and enhance the subject matter of his drawings. He also produces artwork drawn using just colored pencils. Curt’s main focus is drawing weathered barns he finds while traveling in the Midwest, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Curt has nearly 150 pen and ink drawings of barns in a hardbound journal. He has titled the journal “Palaces on the Prairies”. Curt’s goal is to publish a book containing his collection of those old barns, plus many other barn drawings he has completed. Curt says that, “Barns are disappearing from our country’s landscape at an ever-increasing rate. My journal is my way of memorializing and sharing my fascination of old, weathered barns with others.” Curt is constantly looking for ways to improve is artwork through different mediums, style, and subject matter.

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

We are excited to announce local artist Brian Pittman as our featured artist for the month of January! Brian, aka "The Cathedral Guy", creates highly detailed work that is recognizable throughout Knoxville. An architect by trade, he designs each cathedral, castle, floor plan, and rose window from his imagination. Please join us at Rala in the Old City for the show's opening ceremony from 6 to 8pm on January 5th. Brian's work will be on display for the month of January.

https://www.facebook.com/events/909304970859163
Shop: https://shoprala.com/collections/brian-pittman-original-art

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