Calendar of Events

Oak Ridge Playhouse kicks off their 82nd Season with the innovative and sultry Tony Award Winning Musical NINE!

Get ready for a theatrical experience that ignites the senses as NINE bursts onto the stage with all the vivacity of Italy in a whirlwind of passion and drama. Facing his 39th birthday, charismatic film director Guido Contini navigates the women in his life, while confronting the complexities of love, fame, and creativity. Maury Yeston's sensational and dynamic score transports us into a sophisticated world of glitz and glamour where Guido's dreams and reality intertwine, captivating audiences with emotional depth and an infectious energy. PG-13 Audiences

Oak Ridge Playhouse, 227 Broadway, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Information and tickets: 865-482-4877, https://www.orplayhouse.com/

July 18 - Aug. 11, 2024, details TBA

Join Tennessee Stage Company and Ijams Nature Center for the time-honored tradition of outdoor Shakespeare with Knoxville Shakespeare on the lawn at Ijams.

https://tennesseestage.com/

50–75% OFF Select Fine Furniture, Accessories, Gifts & Art
Come for the Sale, Stay for Coffee, Lobster, Flowers, and Ice Cream (Special Kick-Off Event on Fri. and Sat.)
Sale Starts Friday, July 12 and continues through August 17

July 12 - Friday Fun • 10am–2pm
Travelin‘ Tom‘s Coffee Truck

July 13 - Saturday Celebration • 11am–2pm
Lobster Dogs • Flourish Flower Truck • Happy Dog Creamery

https://www.greenvelope.com/card/qeoMEd4/0

Bennett, 5308 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Hours: M-Sa 10-5:30. Information: 865-584-6791, https://bennetthome.com/

Performed Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM; Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM; and Sundays at 3 PM.

Knoxville Children’s Theatre, in partnership with the Clayton Foundation will present the live musical “Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella: Youth Edition.” The musical is a one-hour adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s timeless tale designed specifically for young performers.

In a faraway kingdom, there lives a kind and beautiful girl named Cinderella. She is forced to work as a servant for her wicked stepmother and jealous stepsisters. Despite her hardships, Cinderella remains hopeful and kind-hearted. One magical night her fairy godmother transforms her into a dazzling princess and she attends the royal ball, capturing the heart of the charming Prince. Dive into this enchanting tale of magic, courage, and the power of dreams! The play is performed by seventeen talented young actors from ages 10 to 16.

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

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/

Exhibition: Paintings by Lucie Gilot
Gestural Portraits and Seasonal Drawings with her sons

Schilling Gallery at Westminster Presbyterian Church
6500 Northshore Dr
(865-584-3957)
www.wpcknox.org
Hours: Monday thru Thursday, 9 AM to 4 PM, Friday 9 AM to noon

"The Return of the Curse of the Mummy's Cat's Ghost" by Sean Monett

All throughout July, visit the Urban Bar and Corner Cafe to see new works by Sean Monett, a Knoxville-native illustrator who creates absurd and whimsical cartoons. This show includes drawings of mushrooms, cats, aliens, and more. All works are for sale via cash, which can be paid to your server.

www.seanmonett.com
Instagram.com @nonsensepoetrycomics

Urban Bar is open from 5pm to 2:30am, seven days a week. This venue allows smoking and is limited to those 21 years of age or older. 109 N Central St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Phone: (865) 546-2800 or www.urbanbarknoxville.com

Reception Friday, June 14, 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Artists’ talks at 6:30 pm.
Free and open to the public

“Indicia” is defined as indications, traces or evidence; something serving as a visible or tangible representation of a fact, quality or feeling. Mixed-media artists Emily Taylor and Jean Hess – long-time friends and colleagues -- make work about recollecting and reconsidering early memories, family history and chaotic life paths. They each gather and playfully experiment with found and natural materials along with traditional art media, aiming to surprise themselves and others.

Jean Hess’ work is in public collections including the Huntsville, Knoxville and Evansville museums of art as well as corporate and private collections. She writes about art, gives classes and opens her Knoxville studio and garden by appointment: www.jeanhess.com

Emily Taylor teaches studio art locally as an adjunct professor and in other workshop formats. She has shown her work locally, regionally and in group shows and private collections. Contact her to visit or come to an open studio in Bearden!
https://www.facebook.com/emilytaylorpaintings/
Instagram:@emilytaylor9515

Gallery hours: 9:30-4:30 Monday through Thursday, 9:00-1:00 Sunday
Art Exhibit at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37918

A two-person show, Outta Time, featuring recent works by artists Joshua Bienko (Knoxville, TN) and Lester Merriweather (Memphis, TN). Curator: Brian R. Jobe.

A preview reception will be held on Friday, June 7, 2024 from 5:00—8:00 pm. Additionally, there will be an artists’ reception on Friday, July 19, 2024 from 5:00—8:00 pm (artists in attendance). There will be an artist talk by Bienko and Merriweather beforehand on July 19 at 3:30pm.

Joshua Bienko (b. 1978, NY) received his MFA from the Lamar Dodd School of Art at the University of Georgia in 2008, and his BFA from the University of Buffalo in 2000. He has exhibited at NADA (NY), Dallas Contemporary (TX), Artpace (TX), Labor Ebertplatz (Köln), Vox Populi (PA), Big Medium (TX), OUTERSPACE (Facebook) and the Guggenheim Museum (in collaboration with YouTube Play Biennial). Most recently he has shown in New York, Portland, Baltimore, Brooklyn and Pittsburgh. He has also curated shows in Brooklyn, Queens, Seattle, and Gainesville and is one of the founding members of the artist-run space Ortega y Gasset Projects in Gowanus, and C for Courtside in Knoxville. He is a 2009 Tanne Foundation recipient, and a Hambidge Residency and V.C.C.A Fellow. Bienko is an Associate Professor in the School of Art at the University of Tennessee, where he teaches Drawing and Painting. “Who’s the G.O.A.T.? Jordan! Or maybe J.M.W. Turner. Yeah, Either Jordan or Turner.”

Lester Julian Merriweather (b. 1978) is a Memphis-based visual artist. He attended the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture. He holds an MFA from Memphis College of Art and a BA from Jackson State University. Merriweather has exhibited extensively throughout the U.S. at various venues such as the Studio Museum (New York, NY), CAM (St. Louis, MO), TOPS Gallery, Crosstown Arts, and Powerhouse (Memphis, TN), Diverseworks (Houston, TX), Stella Jones Gallery (New Orleans, LA), and Atlanta Contemporary (Atlanta, GA). He has also exhibited internationally at the Zacheta National Gallery (Warsaw, Poland). Merriweather served as the first Curatorial Director of the Jones Gallery & the Martha & Robert Fogelman Galleries of Contemporary Art at the University of Memphis from 2010-2016. He worked on the Board of Directors for Number, Inc. independent journal where he created the Art of the South exhibition series. He is a founding member of the ArtsMemphis Artist Advisory Council and the artsAccelerator Grant Panel. He served as the Curatorial Consultant for the PPF Contemporary Art Collection (Memphis, TN). He is Emeritus for the Advisory Panel of TONE Memphis. Merriweather is participating in Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage. Originating at The Frist Art Museum (Nashville, TN), the exhibition travels to The Museum of Fine Arts (Houston, TX) and The Phillips Collection (Washington, D.C.).

Tri-Star Arts at Candoro Marble Building, 4450 Candora Drive, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Tu-Sa 11-5. Information: https://tristararts.org/visit

This show is located within the unique architectural space of a narrow wooden stairwell.

A preview reception will be held on Friday, June 7, 2024 from 5:00—8:00 pm. Additionally, there will be another reception on Friday, July 19, 2024 from 5:00—8:00 pm (artist in attendance).

Michael Giles is a Venezuelan-American artist working primarily in painting and drawing. He has exhibited nationally including SITE: Brooklyn (Brooklyn, NY), Core New Art Space (Denver, CO), Channel To Channel (Nashville, TN), William King Museum (Abingdon, VA), Crosstown Arts (Memphis, TN), Walters State Community College, Carson Newman University, and Fluorescent Gallery (Knoxville, TN). Born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, at the age of five he immigrated with his family to Baltimore, OH. He studied as part of the Reciprocal Exchange Program at Edith Cowan University (Perth, Australia, 1996) and received a BFA from The Ohio State University in 2000, and an MFA from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2007. He is currently an Associate Professor of Art at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN. He lives and works in Knoxville, TN, with his wife and son and various furry animals.

Tri-Star Arts at Candoro Marble Building, 4450 Candora Drive, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Tu-Sa 11-5. Information: https://tristararts.org/visit