Calendar of Events

Scratchboards and more fine art by Judy Lavoie
Also featuring scratchboards by some of her students.
website: https://judylavoieart.com

Opening reception Jan 14, 2-4 PM

Rarity Bay Art Gallery, Community Activity Center, 150 Rarity Bay Pkwy, Vonore, TN

The KSO invites you to join us at Bijou Theatre, 803 So. Gay St,, for a special tribute concert to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Sunday, January 14, 2024, at 3:00pm.

This event is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

Knoxville Symphony Orchestra: 865-291-3310, www.knoxvillesymphony.com

NIGHT WITH THE ARTS TRIBUTE
Sunday, January 14, 2024
6:00pm - 8:00pm

COX AUDITORIUM - UNIVERSITY OF TN
1408 Middle Drive, Knoxville TN 37996

A NIGHT WITH THE ARTS! The MLK Night with the Arts Original Stage performance along with performances by the "Of Ebony Embers" and MLK Holiday Tribute to create a night filled with multi-faceted artistic expression. It will be a magnificent Celebration of the Arts fit for a “King”! The presentation will include some of our areas most talented singers and performers. The MLK Holiday Choir will be featured and of course the inspiring and uplifting sound.
Get there early and get a great seat for this spectacular show. For more information please contact the Chair of the Night with the Arts Committee at NWA@MLKKnoxville.com

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

Jan 14 - details TBA

"Flow: Mastering a Brushstroke" contemplates the meditative dance through which the energetic flow of creativity is transmitted by poetic forms of ink and motion. Flow is the synthesis between action and awareness— a state by which all else falls away in favor of the fullest moment of subjective creativity.

CURATED BY ILANA LILIENTHAL AND KELLY FERGUSON
PRESENTING ARTWORKS BY SIGRID ARTMANN, GUO HAI-JIANG, AND ANTHONY HUANG

23 Emory Place, Knoxville, Tennessee 37917
https://lilienthalgallery.com/flow/

On Sunday, January 14th, the Smoky Mountain Blues Society and Bluetick Tavern will be pleased to present Stefan Hillesheim Band. Tickets cost $20 for SMBS members and $25 for the general public at door. Doors open at 4 pm and the performance will run from 5 pm – 8 pm. Bluetick Tavern has a wonderful selection of food, beer, and liquor available to purchase and is located on 128 W Broadway Ave, Maryville, TN 37801

STEFAN HILLESHEIM BIO:
Born Jan 17th, 1987 in Koblenz, Germany, Stefan is best known for his slide guitar playing, soulful vocals, and songwriting skills. Stefan Hillesheim studied classical guitar in Germany under Hubert Käppel – one of the most influential classical guitarists and teachers of his time. Stefan moved to Los Angeles, California at age 27 to attend Musicians Institute (GIT) where he was awarded “Most Improved Student” of the Year 2015. Soon after he started playing at renowned gospel churches and live music clubs across the country. His signature guitar tone and driving rhythm guitar skills make Stefan a high-demand session player. Stefan has worked with and is working with many notable artists, including Ellis Hall (former Tower of Power), Brent Carter (Average White Band), Tony Llorenz (former Albert King Band, former Stevie Ray Vaughan), Emerson Cardenas (former Santana), Bobby Kimball (former Toto), Frank Nitty (former 2Pac), James Fortune (gospel recording artist). In 2022 Stefan relocated to Chicago in pursuit of his love for the Blues. The Chicago Blues community welcomed Stefan with open arms – inviting him to perform at the Chicago Blues Festival shortly after his arrival. Currently, Stefan and his high-energy Blues trio perform at festivals and live music clubs in Chicago and other parts of the American Midwest. Stefan is best known for his slide guitar playing, soulful vocals, and dynamic live performances. Being considered an “old soul”, Stefan’s main inspirations are Elmore James, Howlin’ Wolf, and Albert King. Blues Radio stations & Programs play Stefan’s music and he has performed live on the air for WDCB 90.9FM and WNIJ 89.5FM.

BAND:
GUITAR/ VOCAL – STEFAN HILLESHEIM
KEYS – JOHN KATTKE
BASS – JAMES “JAYMO” WILLIAMS
DRUMS – DIONTE SKINNER

www.smokymountainblues.org

Join us on Saturday, January 13th for the Exhibition Reception of Gary White and Nyasha Madamombe. Curated by LaKesha Lee, Gary and Nyasha's Sculpture and Painting Exhibition will be on display at The Bottom from January 13th to January 31st. Learn more about both artists and their work at https://www.thebottomknox.com/events-1/sculptures-and-paintings-by-gary-white-and-nyasha-madamombe.

Gary White's work pays homage to the past while celebrating the present. Histories, lifeways, ancestors, folklore, and tribal traditions all influence his artwork. An interdisciplinary artist, Nyasha Madamombe combines tradition and technology to tell the untold story of the collective African experience. Moving between disciplines allows her to examine and spotlight issues related to collective memory, tradition, the spiritual, and the contemporary.

In person at the Comfort Inn in Oak Ridge, TN. We will have tracks in both Poetry and Fiction.

Poetry Leader Connie Jordan Green is the author of four books of poetry: Slow Children Playing and Regret Comes to Tea, from Finishing Line Press; Household Inventory, winner of the Brick Road Poetry Press 2013 Award; and most recently, Darwin’s Breath from Iris Press. Her poetry has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. She belongs to the Tennessee Mountain Writers (Board of Directors), Knoxville Writers’ Guild, Academy of American Poets, and the Authors Guild; she was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the East Tennessee Hall of Fame for Writers, and a Tribute to the Arts Award from the Arts Council of Oak Ridge. She and her husband Richard, a retired engineer, have three children and seven grandchildren.

Fiction leader Darnell Arnoult is author of the novel Sufficient Grace, as well as three poetry collections What Travels With Us, Galaxie Wagon, and the forthcoming Incantations. Her shorter works have appeared in a variety of journals and anthologies. She holds an MA from NCSU and an MFA from University of Memphis and she offers a constellation of workshops and services for writers and writing communities. She is the recipient of the SIBA Poetry Book of the Year Prize, Weatherford Award, Chaffin Award, and Hobson Award in Arts and Letters. She lives with her family in Mebane, NC.

Registration fee: $150 (Includes coffee and tea before the morning sessions, and lunch Saturday)
Registration Deadline: December 29, 2023
Hotel Rate: $84 + tax
Call Comfort Inn Oak Ridge at 865-481-8200, mention TMW/January Jumpstart or use our online booking link.
https://tmwi.org/january-jumpstart-xxiv/

The McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture is excited to announce the special exhibition, Coming into View: Oil Paintings from the Permanent Collection. The exhibition will feature several artworks never before displayed to the public alongside pieces that have been the focus of recent research.

Aligned with the museum’s newly implemented strategic plan, this exhibition underscores the significance of the museum’s ongoing collaboration with students, the university, and external partners. Coming into View explores three key themes—student research, collaboration, and coursework—providing an insider’s perspective on the research efforts conducted behind the scenes on the museum’s permanent collection.

Featuring both beloved “fan favorites” and previously unseen works, the exhibition spotlights paintings central to coursework, internships, and student research projects at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Beyond a mere display of art, Coming into View demonstrates the integral role of students, faculty, and the campus community in deepening the museum’s understanding of its collections.

The exhibition also provides a peek behind the metaphorical museum curtain into the importance of conservation of the museum’s permanent collection. Learn more about the exhibition and stay up to date with exhibition-related programming by visiting https://tiny.utk.edu/ComingIntoView.

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Information: 865-974-2144. Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday 12–4 p.m. https://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu

THE LION IN WINTER
Fri. Jan 12th 2024, 7:30 pm
Sat. Jan 13th 2024, 7:30 pm
Sun. Jan 14th 2024, 3:00 pm
Thu. Jan 18th 2024, 7:30 pm
Fri. Jan 19th 2024, 7:30 pm
Sat. Jan 20th 2024, 7:30 pm
Sun. Jan 21st 2024, 3:00 pm
Thu. Jan 25th 2024, 7:30 pm
Fri. Jan 26th 2024, 7:30 pm
Sat. Jan 27th 2024, 7:30 pm
Sun. Jan 28th 2024, 3:00 pm

Sibling rivalry, adultery, and dungeons – The Lion in Winter, by James Goldman, is a modern-day classic. Comedic in tone, dramatic in action – the play tells the story of the Plantagenet family, who are locked in a free-for-all of competing ambitions to inherit a kingdom. The queen, and wealthiest woman in the world, Eleanor of Aquitaine, has been kept in prison since raising an army against her husband, King Henry II. Let out only for holidays, the play centers around the inner conflicts of the royal family as they fight over both a kingdom and King Henry’s paramour during the Christmas of 1183. As Eleanor says, “Every family has its ups and downs,” and this royal family is no exception.

Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 800 S. Central Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information & tickets: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com

Knoxville Children’s Theatre will present “Junie B. Jones is not a Crook,” a hilarious and heartfelt tale based on the best-selling book series by Barbara Park. The play will be performed January 12th – January 28th, Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM; Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM; and Sundays at 3 PM.

Something terrible happened to Junie B. Jones at school today! Someone stole her new furry mittens! So, when Junie B. finds a wonderful pen of many colors, she should be allowed to keep it, right? Because finders’ keepers, losers’ weepers. And guess what? There’s a new boy in kindergarten, and he is the handsomest. The only thing is… both Grace and Lucille want him to be their boyfriend. Maybe he will like Junie B. when he sees her wonderful pen! It’s okay to keep it, right? Junie B. Jones is not a crook . . . or is she?

The play is performed by seven talented young actors, from ages 10 to 15. KCT veteran Rosalie Linnabary plays Junie B. Jones. Other seasoned KCT performers include Maggie Ingle playing the characters of Jim/The Mitten Thief/Grandpa Frank Miller – and Madisyn Beckman playing the characters of Lucille/Grouchy Typing Lady. Joining them are Emily Rowe as Grace/Pink Fluffy Girl and Shepherd Shafer as Ricardo/Principal/Lucille’s Grandpa. Making their KCT debuts will be Barnes Shafer as Handsome Warren/Live Fireman and Olivia Vanover as Mrs./Mother.

The show is directed by KCT guest director Chris Freeman who previously directed KCT’s Magic Treehouse: Pirates Past Noon. Tiger Ladaa will provide the scenic design with assistance from Tabi Maanum and Addy Kate Thomas. The lighting design is provided by Carter Case. The costume design is provided by Amelia Bumpus with assistance from Chloe Beeler. The properties are designed by Lyric Westerfield-Dyer and Caroline Simmons. The play’s stage manager is Hattie Perry and Michelle Phelps is the assistant stage manager. KCT is East Tennessee’s leading producer of plays for children and families.

Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com

1/12 • Family Owl Prowl
1/13 • Winter Birding
1/13 • Winter Tree ID: Beginner Workshop
1/13 • Tracks & Scat! Animal Signs in Winter
1/14 • Self-Care Sunday Yoga with Hope Irwin

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Visitor Center open daily 10-6; grounds and trails open daily from 8 AM - dusk. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

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