Calendar of Events

The Professional Photographers of East Tennessee (PPETN) are excited to announce PHOTO EXPO: Lens and Light, a juried exhibition showcasing the creative works of regional photographers at the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA). The exhibit will run from October 25 to December 15, 2024, in the Kramer Gallery, featuring more than 30 juried photographic prints by PPETN members.

“PHOTO EXPO: Lens and Light presents a unique opportunity for our members to showcase their talents in a prestigious venue,” said Jack Retterer. “We are thrilled to collaborate with the Knoxville Museum of Art, which shares our commitment to fostering creativity and enriching the community.”

Works for the show were chosen by an independent juror and distinguished Knoxville artist, Dr. Carl Gombert, Professor Emeritus, Maryville College, ensuring a diverse and high-caliber display of photographic artistry. Dr. Gombert has a BFA in Drawing from the University of Akron, an MFA in Painting from Kent State University, and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts from Texas Tech University. He has exhibited widely and his work is in numerous public and corporate collections. Since 1993 has taught painting, drawing and art history at Maryville College in Tennessee.

Dr. Gombert’s commented on the PHOTO EXPO ... "... I am thankful for the opportunity to participate in a small way in bringing forth this show. ... All of the work submitted for this exhibition is of a very high quality, and I congratulate every one of the artists who created and submitted work to this show.”

An Artists’ Reception will take place at the KMA on Sunday, November 3, 2024, at 2 PM, where visitors can meet the photographers and enjoy a closer look at the featured works. Awards for Best of Show, 1st Place, and Artistic Distinction will be presented, celebrating outstanding contributions to the visual arts. Select works will be available for purchase throughout the exhibit. The reception is free and open to the public.

The Professional Photographers of East Tennessee is a collective of talented photographers dedicated to advancing the art and profession of photography. Through education, networking, and collaboration, PPETN supports photographers of all levels in the pursuit of excellence. Learn more at ppetn.com.

The museum is located in downtown Knoxville at 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive and is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit www.knoxart.org

Fall Heritage Days at the Museum of Appalachia October 24, 25, 31, and November 1,
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Families are invited to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of Southern Appalachian traditions & pioneer demonstrations of the fall harvest season.
Dozens of demonstrations and activities for people of all ages!

Tickets at: https://wwwmuseumofappalachiaorg.ticketleap.com/fall-heritage-days-2024/

Museum of Appalachia, 2819 Andersonville Hwy, Clinton, TN 37716. Information: 865-494-7680, www.museumofappalachia.org

BY LILIANA PADILLA
THE LAB THEATRE

College students come together for a DIY self-defense workshop after a sorority sister is assaulted. A sharp, witty, funny, and ferocious play that explores how “not to be a victim,” and how to use your body as a weapon. The classes become a channel for rage, trauma, confusion, anxiety and desire. The play explores the way sexual assault steals your sense of belonging, and how these women might get that back.

Clarence Brown Theatre, 1714 Andy Holt Ave on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information/tickets: 865-974-5161, www.clarencebrowntheatre.com

Join Ijams for the kick-off to Hallo-Week with Ijams After Dark this Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 7:30-9 PM! You'll meet one of Ijams’ nocturnal animal ambassadors before taking a fun-filled, guided night hike on the trails to witness and identify the myriad of moths and other critters attracted to black light stations.

Celebrate the fun of fall at the second annual Hallo-Week at Ijams, a host of festive programs for all ages! Embrace fall with events like pumpkin carving, scary story-telling, a bat program, caving, and more!

Oct. 27 (10 AM) Creative Series: Halloween Dreamcatcher
Make a fun and festive dreamcatcher with The Chicken Librarian.

Oct. 27 (10 AM) Family Pumpkin Carving at Mead's Quarry
Grab your family and friends for an afternoon of pumpkin carving or painting and Halloween-inspired party games at Mead's Quarry.

Oct. 27 (3 PM) Caving Trip
Get ready for an afternoon of underground exploration in Ijams’ cave system.

Oct. 29 (7 PM) Ijams Sunset Series: A Night of Scary Stories with the Smoky Mountain Storytellers Association
Enjoy an evening of scary, silly, and haunted tales told by members of the Smoky Mountain Storytellers Association as part of the Ijams Sunset Series.

Oct. 30 (7 PM) All About Bats
Bat and moths have been intricately linked in our culture, and especially in evolutionary history. Join an Ijams naturalist to learn how to identify various bat species as they fly overhead, and witness the moths and other critters attracted to our blacklight stations.

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

Juror Anna Fariello selected the artworks for this exhibition, and we are excited to share these 71 remarkable craft artworks, ranging from traditional forms to cutting-edge conceptual pieces, representing artists from Memphis to Johnson City.

An artist reception will be held on Friday, December 13th, where member artists, art collectors & craft enthusiasts from across the state are invited to celebrate the exemplary craft created by 63 Tennessee artists.

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

With the arrival of fall, Muse Knoxville is excited to welcome families to a season of fun and learning with a lineup of engaging, fall-inspired programs and events throughout October. From hands-on activities to educational experiences, there’s something for every child to enjoy this season at Muse.

A PEEK AT WHAT’S IN STORE:
• FALLing for STEAM inspired weekly programming takeover - Oct. 8-20

• Murder Mystery at Muse - Oct.18 | 7pm - 10pm | 21+
Solve clues, enjoy delicious appetizers, and sip cocktails as you uncover the culprit in this thrilling 21+ event. A night of suspense, science, and intrigue awaits!

• Family Science Fair - Oct. 26 | 9:30am - 11:30am
We invite families to work together to design a science project and create those aha! moments.

• Sensory Trick or Treat Night - Oct. 31 |5pm-7pm
In partnership with the Autism Society of East Tennessee and Artisan Street Market, we aim to provide a FREE, safe, inclusive, and sensory-friendly Halloween celebration for families.

The Muse Knoxville, 516 N. Beaman Street, Knoxville, TN 37914. Information: 865-594-1494, www.themuseknoxville.org

Art Exhibit at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church
Free and open to the public
When: Reception Friday, October 11, 2024, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Artist talks at 6:30 p.m.

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

The Three Dames
In the spirit of camaraderie and creativity, Linda Blair, Marcia Shelly and Cheryl Massey come together to exhibit their work. Blair said, “We each lean toward water media, which naturally allows our work to be a cohesive display.” They have exhibited throughout East Tennessee in venues including the Emporium, Plateau Art Gallery (Crossville), Tomato Head restaurants, Awaken Coffee, and Good Samaritan of Crossville.


Greg Howser
Greg Howser is attracted to the exquisiteness of creatures. His work serves as surrogates created from experiences growing up as a Southerner. He creates Märchen narratives about people, places and legends based on local, regional and personal lore. The subjects are anthropomorphic animals or the human form layered with symbolically rich objects commonly found in fairytales. Howser teaches at East Tennessee State University and Northeast State Community College. He is a board member of the Art Depot of Abingdon, Virginia and has exhibited throughout the United States. He has worked in private collections as well as public, international collections.

An exhibition celebrating Southern Appalachian artists and authors. Opening reception will take place on First Friday Oct 4th, 6-9pm.

The First Friday event will also host 8 open artist studios, poetry readings by Chelsie Nunn and Jazmin Witherspoon, and live printing with Relay Ridge merch. The exhibition will be up October 4th - November 8th, 2024, on view during public events or by appointment.

Relay Ridge, 4124 McKinley St, Knoxville. https://relayridge.org/ and https://www.instagram.com/relay_ridge/

No Tricks; just treats as we kick off the Halloween season with the second annual "Haunted Art Show" curated by Esther Sitver. Join us if you dare for a collaborative exhibition of creepy, eerie, spine-tingling, and all around haunted art pieces from multiple local artists. Come one come all to this family friendly event!

Opens October 4th 6pm-8pm

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

Historic Downtown Clinton, along with Pearl City Holdings, is hosting a one-of-a-kind indoor Christmas pop up market every Thursday-Saturday in October, November, and December.
At 341 Market Street
https://www.historicdowntownclinton.org/about

The Oak Ridge Art Center's Open Show is a juried mixed-media exhibition open to all artists. It is intended to showcase exceptional work produced throughout our region. Over $4,000 in awards are available. The 2024 juror will be David Underwood, Professor of Art and Director of Exhibitions at Carson­ Newman University.

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

Friday evening, September 27th will mark the 26th consecutive year that Maple Lane Farms will open its Corn Maze and other “agritainment” activities that include tractor-pulled hayrides (daytime and nighttime), pumpkin picking, inflatables for the kids, music, corn hole, food vendors, face painting, photo ops, sunflower fields, and other wholesome family fun to the public!

The Maze is located at 1126 Maple Lane in Greenback, just 14 miles south of Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport. The Maze is open weekends from September 27 through October 31. The Haunted Maze begins on weekends starting Friday night Oct 18. Opening hours are the following:

Friday 6pm to 10pm
Saturday 10am to 10pm
Sunday Noon to 6pm, Haunted Noon – 10pm
Haunted Maze Opens nightly, October 18-20, 25-27, 30, 31
Additional Features include: Barn Store Collectibles including Fall/Halloween Decorations, Straw Bales, Cornstalks
Variety of Food and Beverage Vendors
Evening campfires in the Maze Fairway near our Covered Party Tents
Private Parties via Tent Reservation with Fire Pit
Music
Face Painting, Old Time Photo Booth
Numerous Photo Ops, including the Sunflower Fields

Maple Lane Maze is an “authentic agritainment” venue operating since 1999. The farm’s offering continues to be an organic destination for families who love outside adventures mixed with the peacefulness of simply being together sitting around the fire pit and making memories. Many guests have described the farm as a “a fall tradition”. Yes, it is a place seeped deep in tradition. We hope you will join us to start your fall traditions here at Maple Lane Maze. Visit the farm’s website at www.TNMapleLaneFarms.com, Call 865-856-3511 or www.Facebook.com/tnmaplelanefarms/ www.Instagram.com/MapleLaneMaze/