Calendar of Events

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, February 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Ella Pinchok and Friends.

All of us have an inner voice. For artists, that voice constantly whispers “create”, and one of the best ways to ignite the creative spark is through collaboration. In this spirit of camaraderie and creativity, three artists come together as “Three Dames” to exhibit their work: Linda Blair, Cheryl Massey (Cherdo) and Marcia Shelly (Maru) showcase their talents across various media, including watercolor, acrylic, pastel, and ink.

Dame Linda Blair shares this about their unique partnership, “We created Three Dames a few years ago to enjoy the advantages of exhibiting collectively. We each lean towards watermedia, which naturally allows our work to be a cohesive display.”

Dame Cheryl Massey (Cherdo) is a self-taught artist driven by an unwavering passion for art, creativity, and a dedicated commitment to lifelong learning. Whether actively engaged in creating art, exploring diverse artistic mediums, or drawing inspiration from a myriad of sources, her love for creativity establishes a profound connection with the artistic world. Identifying as a lifelong enthusiast of paint, pencil, and pastels, she proudly describes herself as a perpetual cheerleader for creativity. https://www.studiocherdo.com

Dame Marcia Shelly, recognized by the signature “Maru”, specializes in vibrant colorful paintings that have captured the attention of admirers throughout the U.S. and internationally. She sees art as a wonderful puzzle, finding the key to balance, color, depth and composition and making them fit together. https://www.maruarts.net

The Three Dames have exhibited throughout East Tennessee, including at the Emporium Center, Fountain City Art Center, Tomato Head restaurants, Awaken Coffee, Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, Plateau Creative Arts Center (Crossville) and Good Samaritan of Crossville.

The exhibitions will be on display February 7 – March 1, 2025 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Friday, 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM; and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. 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.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, February 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Ella Pinchok and Friends.

Aad Berlijn's inspiration comes from memories, experiences, and observations of everyday reality, which he zooms in on until an internalized image emerges. The drawings encourage fantasy and association.

Aad Berlijn (1948) lives alternately in Amsterdam and Knoxville. He has created paintings and drawings for over 40 years. In Amsterdam, Berlijn enjoys the social life and paints in his studio. In the quieter American city of Knoxville, he focuses on sketches and drawings. A storyteller at heart, he draws inspiration from the art world and his personal experiences, which results in accessible works of art with clear painting principles. His paintings often feature depth and a blend of abstract and figurative elements. His work is included in the collections of the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands.

http://www.aadberlijn.coltd.nl/
https://apuntogallery.com/kunst-categorie/kunstenaars/aad-berlijn/

The exhibitions will be on display February 7 – March 1, 2025 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Friday, 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM; and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. 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.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, February 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Ella Pinchok and Friends.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present a new exhibition featuring work by some of its member artists who work in collage. Exhibiting artists include Debbie Alley, Jamie Dakin, Barbara Enloe, Natalie McLaurin, Sara Blair McNally, Ellery Nief, Luis Santiago, Ranee Taylor, and Marilyn Avery Turner.

Read more about the artists at https://www.knoxalliance.com/collage-collective.

The exhibitions will be on display February 7 – March 1, 2025 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Friday, 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM; and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. 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.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, February 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Ella Pinchok and Friends.

The Arts & Culture Alliance’s 19th annual National Juried Exhibition features selected works from 36 artists throughout the region. The National Juried Exhibition was developed to provide a forum for artists to compete on a regional scale and display their highest quality work. The exhibition encompasses all styles and genres from both emerging and established artists working in a variety of media such as wood, photography, oil, glass, fiber, paper and more. Over $1,800 in cash awards will be announced at a brief awards ceremony at 5:30 PM on February 7 with remarks from the juror, Jessica Wohl.

Exhibiting artists include:
+ Skip Rohde of Mars Hill, NC
+ Susan Parrish of Raleigh, NC
+ Ann Harwell of Wendell, NC
+ Megan Wolfkill of Cincinnati, OH
+ Brian Melton of Jamestown, TN
+ Adam J. Trabold of Johnson City, TN
+ Michelle Lindsey of Kingston, TN
+ Melinda Adams, Carmen Alcocer, Nick DeFord, Shannon Ferguson, Casey Field, Gordon Fowler, Lynne Marinelli Ghenov, Hannah Jordan, Gared Luquet, Jose Nunez, Amber Purdy, Lennie Robertson, Carla Sanchez, Amanda Scott, Hanna Seggerman, Jess Socia, Kurt Weiss, Chase Williamson and Vicki Grossman Wyrick of Knoxville, TN
+ Tina M. Brunetti and Laurel Hughes of Loudon, TN
+ Yvonne Dalschen, Erica Ashley Entrop and Robert Grassel of Oak Ridge, TN
+ Charlotte Rollman of Sevierville, TN
+ Marty McConnaughey of Sharps Chapel, TN
+ Charlotte Brindley of Talbott, TN
+ Laurie Lynn Szilvagyi of Vonore, TN
+ Laurie Drake of Sterling, VA

About the juror: Jessica Wohl is Associate Professor and Chair of Art, Art History and Visual Studies at Sewanee. Jessica Wohl received her BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute, and her MFA from the University of Georgia. Her work has been exhibited in nationally and internationally and is collected by the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, the Sprint-Nextel Corporation, H&R Block World Headquarters, and numerous private collectors. www.jessicawohl.com

The exhibitions will be on display February 7 – March 1, 2025 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Friday, 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM; and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. 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.

Reception on Saturday, Feb. 15
Details TBA
Showing all media and styles!
https://tnartists.org/

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

States of Becoming examines the dynamic forces of relocation, resettling, and assimilation that shape the artistic practices of a group of contemporary African diaspora artists in the United States. The exhibition is inspired by curator Fitsum Shebeshe’s 2016 move from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Baltimore, and subsequent firsthand experience with cultural assimilation. States of Becoming is a traveling exhibition curated by Fitsum Shebeshe and produced by Independent Curators International (ICI), New York.

States of Becoming Opening Reception
Friday, January 31, 2025, 6:00-9:00 pm
Members Only Hour, 6:00-7:00 pm
Gallery Talk with Curator Fitsum Shebeshe, 6:15 pm
Reception Opens to Non-Members, 7:00 pm
Musical Performance by Artist Miatta Kawinzi, 8:00 pm
Food by Tarik’s North African + Cash Bar + Specialty Beverage
https://knoxart.org/event/states-of-becoming-opening-reception/

For additional information and updates, follow the Knoxville Museum of Art on social media:
Facebook: Knoxville Museum of Art, Instagram: @knoxvillemuseumofart, X: @knoxart

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.

MAIN GALLERY
Jered Sprecher — Jan. 28 - Mar. 29, 2025 / reception Jan. 31, 2025

PROJECT SPACE
Melissa Everett — Jan. 28 - Mar. 29, 2025 / reception Jan. 31, 2025

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

The McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, announces a new exhibition, “Homelands: Connecting to Mounds Through Native Art,” opening to the public on January 25, 2025. The project sets a new standard for collaborative exhibition practices at the McClung and represents the museum's most significant renovation in more than 20 years.

"‘Homelands’ is a defining moment for the McClung Museum. It’s the largest project we’ve undertaken in over two decades, but its impact goes far beyond its scale,” said Claudio Gómez, Jefferson Chapman Executive Director of the museum. “This exhibition has challenged us to rethink how we collaborate, bringing in new perspectives and allowing us to honor Native voices in ways that are both respectful and forward-thinking.”

“Homelands” showcases contemporary art by 17 Native artists to emphasize the enduring ties between Native Nations and Knox County. As a result of the exhibition, the museum has acquired 22 new works for its permanent collection.

https://news.utk.edu/2025/01/07/mcclung-museum-to-open-exhibition-centering-native-voices-and-contemporary-art/

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Tu-Sa 9-5, Sun 12-4. Information: 865-974-2144, https://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/

Reception | Thursday, January 23, 5-7pm with awards at 6pm
Begun in 1947 by C. Kermit Ewing, founder of The University of Tennessee School of Art, the annual student exhibition has become one of the oldest competitions in the country and one of the highlights of the Ewing Gallery’s exhibition season. This competition has been an outlet for UT’s talented students for 78 years.
This year’s exhibition was juried by William Downs.

https://ewing-gallery.utk.edu/78th-annual-student-art-competition/

Ewing Gallery, 1715 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: M-F 10-5, Sun 1-4. Information: 865-974-3200, www.ewing-gallery.utk.edu

Market Square, Saturday (10 AM – 2 PM)

The Winter Farmers Market is an open-air, producer-only farmers market managed by Nourish Knoxville and held on Saturdays, December – March in the heart of downtown Knoxville. Everything at the Winter Farmers Market is grown, raised, and/or made by our vendors within a 150-mile radius of Knoxville, TN. Products vary by season and include fresh fruits & vegetables, eggs, honey, pasture-raised meats, edible & ornamental plants, cut flowers, bread & baked goods, jams & jellies, coffee, artisan crafts, and more! We offer SNAP & SNAP Doubling services each market day and Nourish Kids – a free kids activity – on the 2nd Saturday of each month.

Parking: Free parking is available in the Market Square, Locust Street, Langley, and State Street parking garages. Short-term parking meters around Market Square are also available at an hourly rate as well.

https://www.nourishknoxville.org/winter-market/

Patsy White's exhibit celebrates Knoxville’s vibrant arts scene through her stunning acrylic-on-canvas portraits and figurative works. The subjects of her paintings include a remarkable lineup of Knoxville’s prominent artists, musicians, and cultural figures, each carefully rendered to honor their contributions to the community.
This exclusive reception offers media attendees the unique opportunity to preview the exhibit and engage directly with Patsy White to explore the inspirations and stories behind her artwork.

The exhibit includes portraits of the following notable Knoxville figures:
• Kelsey Bentley – French horn, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (@kelshbentley)
• Suzanne Cada & Liza Zenni – Arts and Culture Alliance (@artsandculturealliance)
• Chih-Long Hu – Master pianist, University of Tennessee
• Evelyn Jack – Vocalist (@evelynjack681)
• Cynthia Markert – Visual artist/painter (@cynthiamarkert)
• Brian K. McQuain – Photographer (@briankmcquain)
• Nick Moran – Tattoo artist (@nickjmoran)
• Dana Plasencia Nies – Filmmaker (@dplasencia @think_draft)
• Charlie Pogue – Visual artist/painter
• Aaron White – Stylist, fashion director, runway producer (@theaaronwhiteproject)

Patsy Ferrell White is a self-taught fine art painter based in Knoxville, TN. Her unique process—freehand without digital aids or tracing—imbues her works with authenticity and emotion. Each painting reflects her passion for portraiture and her commitment to exploring personal and social themes. Patsy’s work has earned recognition in regional and international shows, including being a finalist in the Art Elevated competition in Manhattan, NYC. Her art has been featured in Artist Closeup, an international art magazine. Learn more about Patsy Ferrell White at ferrellwhitecreative.com or follow her on Instagram at @ferrellwhitecreative.

This exhibit will be available for viewing by Bijou Theatre patrons during its run.

Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-522-0832, https://knoxbijou.org/

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