Calendar of Events

There are a few rules:
• Must be a member of the Knoxville Writers’ Guild (If not, join here)
• Send an email to Bob and he will place you in an exciting order of presentation. Please include whether your reading is prose or poetry so he can mix up the order of readings.
• Read the best three minutes or your work or someone else's.
• All are welcome to attend and listen.

Thursday, July 11, 7-8 pm, at Addison's Bookstore, 126 S Gay Street
www.KnoxvilleWritersGuild.org

Help us welcome one of the greats, T.G. Sheppard, to the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center Friday, July 12, at 7:00 PM.

As usual, the doors open at 5:30 PM, and concessions will be available beginning at that time. The concessions kitchen offers select beer, popcorn, and soft drinks and Mr. Weenie's Hotdogs will be here as well. Both choices accept cash and cards.

Tickets can be purchased onsite, by phone, or online.

Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, 123 Cromwell Dr, Townsend, TN 37882. Hours: M-Sa 10-5, Su 12-5. Information: 865-448-0044, www.gsmheritagecenter.org

Thursday, July 11, 6:30 p.m. at Central Cinema, 1205 N Central Street

Pigeon Forge is nearly synonymous with Dolly Parton and her famous theme park in the mountains. Some may be surprised to learn that Dollywood has its roots in three theme parks on the same site: Rebel Railroad, Goldrush Junction, and Silver Dollar City. All three parks are linked with the iconic Klondike Kate and the 5-mile track of mountain railroad. But how did an Alaskan train find its way to East Tennessee? And what does the homecoming of another iconic train, Tweetsie, have anything to do with Pigeon Forge? Find out in this TAMIS screening that interweaves commercial footage and home movies along with newspaper research and ephemera from the McClung Collection. Free program.

Central Cinema, 1205 N Central St, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: info@centralcinemaknox.com, 865-951-2447, https://centralcinema865.com

Sunset on Central! Join us Saturday, August 24th at Yee Haw Brewing, Schulz Brau, Corner Lounge and Next Level Brewing for a big ol' party with some amazing bands. FOR FREE!

We like to call this a 'music discovery festival,' and we're confident you'll find at least a couple of new artists to fall in love with at the fest.

This amazing collection spans a lifetime, from his childhood drawings to his work as a muralist for the Tennessee Valley Authority. One of those large murals, over 40’ long, will be brought to the Art Center by TVA from Chattanooga for the show. His work ranges from delicate portraiture to vibrant abstraction, the latter of which he often used to depict downtown Knoxville. ORAC is honored to host this must-see show!

Opening is July 6, 1-4, with a gallery talk at 2:30.

Oak Ridge Art Center, 201 Badger Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Tu-F 9-5, Sa-M 1-4. Information: 865-482-1441, www.oakridgeartcenter.org

First Friday Reception: July 5th, 5:30 - 9 pm

Brenda Mills is a water-media painter and pastel artist with a BFA from the University of Tennessee. She has also studied under various other well known artists. Mills is a signature member of the Tennessee Watercolor Society, a member of the Knoxville Watercolor Society, the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club in New York, NY, the Southeast Pastel Society, the Art Market Gallery, Oak Ridge Art Center, and Art Group 21 in Knoxville. She has been juried into and won awards in many national and regional exhibitions. Although Brenda has lived in Tennessee her entire life and its beauty has influenced her art, she has also spent a lot of time in, on, and around the ocean and that has sparked ideas for much of her artwork. “I enjoy working on a series of paintings of images that have had a memorable impact on my life and I hope that people can imagine their own story in my work. I particularly love painting our ocean friends and believe very strongly in protecting our oceans.”

Johnny Glass began his glass career in Los Angeles, CA, where he was first introduced to glass at Santa Monica College. In 2008 he formed Glass by Glass LLC, and began traveling the west coast art show markets. In 2012, Johnny decided to expand his market and finish his BFA and returned to Knoxville, Tennessee, where he grew up. He then opened Glass by Glass’s east coast mobile hotshop. Johnny received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Majoring in Glass from Tennessee Technological University's Appalachian Center for Crafts in 2016, Graduating Cum Laude with his body of work “Self in Reflection”. Glass by Glass studios is a bi-coastal glassblowing Mobile Hotshop Extravaganza. Glass by Glass has made it their mission to bring a new awareness and interest back to the art of glass. Johnny has designed and constructed all his own studio equipment to be completely mobile. In addition to being a producer of fine handcrafted glass works of art that can be found at 20 plus museums and galleries around the nation. He is currently works in his home studio in Rockford TN, and will be giving live glassblowing demos for the entire month of October at the Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair, in Gatlinburg TN.

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

Friday, July 5, from 6-8 Awaken Coffee will host an opening reception for the painting group 3 Dames which includes Marcia Shelly, Cheryl Massey, and Linda Blair.

“Art comes from the best part of ourselves and is among the best common denominators we have of one another. Sharing it is a true joy and privilege.”

Please join us for some amazing art, light refreshments, and of course 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/

As part of a special First Friday Block Party sponsored by the Arts & Culture Alliance and City of Knoxville, the Alliance is pleased to open five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville on Friday, July 5, 2024. A free event featuring the artists both inside the Emporium and out will take place from 5:00-9:00 PM.

A vast array of colors in my mind – that’s what I see when I listen to music. I have synesthesia. Simply put, I see different colors based on the music I hear. There is a kinship between color and music – both can say what words cannot. I paint because there are no words to describe the way music makes me feel. I am a Pop Art artist painting in clear tonal contrasts with varying shapes and strong lines. After drawing a portrait, I add acrylic colors and mediums according to what I see and hear. The paintings come together like puzzle pieces as I focus on the shapes of the shadows and highlights. Painting has allowed me to address iconic events, cultural shifts, body confidence and the intimate lives of songwriters, delving deep into everything from the Women’s Rights movement and to the madness behind Pink Floyd’s founder Syd Barrett.

Kara Lockmiller is a regionally exhibiting artist living in Knoxville. Recent solo shows include rek Gallery in Atlanta, Art Market Gallery in Knoxville and John C. Hodges Library on the University of Tennessee campus. Lockmiller was chosen to join eight other artists worldwide in creating the first ever Banjo All-Star Premium Trading Cards. She has also participated in many art shows/festivals such as Dogwood Arts Festival, Knoxville; Artsclamation hosted by Peninsula Behavioral Health in Knoxville; and Artsplosure in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2020, Lockmiller garnered the virtual public vote at Dogwood Arts Festival. She also brought home Artist of the Year from the Fun With Friends community in 2021. Lockmiller regularly donates her work to charity auctions such as St. Joseph School, Friends of the Smokies, and Lakeshore Community Action Program. Before becoming a working artist, Lockmiller was an award-winning journalist at The Daily Times in Maryville. She was also a board member of the Society for Professional Journalists.

www.KLockmillerArt.com
www.facebook.com/KlockmillerArt
Instagram @KLockmillerArt

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. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Thursday, July 4 for the holiday. 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.

As part of a special First Friday Block Party sponsored by the Arts & Culture Alliance and City of Knoxville, the Alliance is pleased to open five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville on Friday, July 5, 2024. A free event featuring the artists both inside the Emporium and out will take place from 5:00-9:00 PM.

Victoria May is an artist who works in painting, mixed media, charcoal, and photography. Mark making, textures, vintage ephemera, and focused color are important elements in her artwork. In most primary works, she often incorporates found objects and recyclable materials to mixed media pieces that form an abstracted figurative language. May responds to the materials she has collected and enjoys creating atmospheric and textural scenes. She is also a visual art educator who loves to share the art making process with her students.

This exhibition includes pieces I have worked on for the last year; I have experimented with different ways of working in materials I had never previously done. I enjoy trying new textures and adding marks in the abstracts and collaged floral pieces, which eventually led me to incorporating more found and personally created images and photographs. The finished pieces are dreamy, fantastical landscapes, some of which remind me of my travels, while others have become their own invented worlds – a new fantasyland. Flowers emerging from these structures are still revealing their meaning, which could be love, friendship, and passion. In traditional art, flowers have represented religious or spiritual themes and represent the beauty of nature in general. By having these flowers emerge from the dwellings, they may represent a spiritual and visual imagery of rebirth and of sharing beauty back to the worlds in which they exist.

These works are a culmination of the progress so far of this artist finding her visual voice again. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did in making them.

Instagram @victoriamayartist

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. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Thursday, July 4 for the holiday. 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.

As part of a special First Friday Block Party sponsored by the Arts & Culture Alliance and City of Knoxville, the Alliance is pleased to open five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville on Friday, July 5, 2024. A free event featuring the artists both inside the Emporium and out will take place from 5:00-9:00 PM.

Cara Rose is a ceramic artist working in a small home studio as Adobe Rose Works in Oak Ridge. Her pieces are a dance between function and whimsy. She often creates using a pottery wheel and hand builds and alters pots after they are formed. Her pottery is often highly decorated, utilizing underglazes and colored slips for sgraffito and mishima embellishment. She also uses newsprint underglaze transfers and has experimented with water etching in some of her work. Originally from Chicago, Rose has lived in East Tennessee long enough to be a native. She has a B.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.S. from the University of Tennessee. After years in Information Technology, she retired from the Y-12 National Security Complex as a technical writer/editor. She has also played organ at church for more than 35 years. Rose is a juried (and board) member of Foothills Craft Guild, Oak Ridge Art Center, Mountain Potters Network, and Locally Grown Gallery in Oak Ridge. Her work is also available in the Knoxville Museum of Art Gift Shop.

Variations on a Theme is a collection of my most recent stoneware and porcelain work, some of which may still be warm when the exhibition opens! The hanging plates/platters are food and dishwasher safe as well as decorative. I hope that my love for clay seeps through my fingers and lives in my pots for you to appreciate.

www.adoberoseworks.com
www.facebook.com/adoberoseworks
Instagram @cara.c.rose

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. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Thursday, July 4 for the holiday. 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.

As part of a special First Friday Block Party sponsored by the Arts & Culture Alliance and City of Knoxville, the Alliance is pleased to open five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville on Friday, July 5, 2024. A free event featuring the artists both inside the Emporium and out will take place from 5:00-9:00 PM.

This new, juried exhibition celebrates Tennessee Artist’s Association 52nd anniversary as the area’s oldest member-supported arts organization. Tennessee Artists Association (TAA) is a volunteer organization created by artists for artists of all levels and abilities. The purpose is threefold: to provide for fellowship and encouragement by associating with other artists; to assist in the development of art skills through monthly meetings, programs, workshops and classes; to develop a market by collaborating in shows of our artwork in exhibits throughout Tennessee. They will announce numerous cash and other awards at the opening at 6:00 PM.

TAA began in 1972 and continues to meet monthly at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Knoxville. These meetings are free and open to anyone and include practical art demonstrations, discussions, and opportunities for individual artists to get involved in learning, community and shows.

www.tnartists.org
Instagram @tn_artists
www.facebook.com/TNArtistsAssociation

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. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Thursday, July 4 for the holiday. 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.

As part of a special First Friday Block Party sponsored by the Arts & Culture Alliance and City of Knoxville, the Alliance is pleased to open five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville on Friday, July 5, 2024. A free event featuring the artists both inside the Emporium and out will take place from 5:00-9:00 PM.

The Arts & Culture Alliance presents the 12th annual Knoxville Photo juried exhibition featuring selected works from 39 artists throughout the region. The exhibition encompasses photographs depicting all subjects and genres, including streetscapes, cityscapes, landscapes, environmental portraiture, portraits, abstracts, and more. Michelle Burdine served as juror for the exhibition and viewed more than 361 images to select the exhibition. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art from Ohio State University and a Master of Humanities from Wright State University. She is currently Assistant Professor of Art at Centre College in Danville, KY.

The following artists’ works will be shown:
+ Valentino Constantinou of Pasadena, CA
+ Bonnie Cooper of Asheville, NC
+ Sam Hill of Matthews, NC
+ Mandy Wilson of Charleston, TN
+ Marc Ward of Dandridge, TN
+ Colleen J. Hefferen of Gatlinburg, TN
+ Adam J. Trabold of Johnson City, TN
+ Melinda Adams, Sandra Ange, David Boruff, Michelle Carr, Barbara Bolton Cornett, David W. Denton, Stefan Dopatka, Katharine Emlen, Taryn Ferro, Marianne Gansley, Elena Ganusova, Gary Heatherly, Andreas Koschan, David G. Liles, Ezra Purdy, Julie L. Rabun, Sean Sparbanie, Clay Thurston, Kurt Weiss, Owen H. Weston, Katie Wood, Tonya Wade Wunder, and Steve Zigler of Knoxville, TN
+ David Hardin and Dan Podsobinski of Loudon, TN
+ Yvonne Dalschen and Kelli Thompson of Oak Ridge, TN
+ Julie Oglesby and Nicholas Russell of Seymour, TN
+ Amanda Long of Signal Mountain, TN
+ David Gilliam of Walland, TN
+ James Meldrum of Beloit, WI

Over $1,000 in cash awards will be announced at the opening at 5:30 PM. For information on past Knoxville Photo exhibitions, please visit https://www.knoxalliance.com/knoxville-photo.

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. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Thursday, July 4 for the holiday. 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.