Calendar of Events

Opening Friday, February 7 from 6-8

Awaken Coffee will host an opening reception for Gulya Elhan

Gulya is a Knoxville-based artist specializing in dot painting and geometric patterns. Originally from Azerbaijan, Gulya transforms the timeless symbolism of mandalas into breathtaking expressions of unity and connection. A self-taught painter with a passion for detail, her art reflects the intricate patterns and relationships found in life and nature. Gulya’s most notable accomplishment is creating The Sun, the largest handmade dot-painted acrylic mandala in the world. This extraordinary piece, which took 960 hours to complete, is displayed in LunaVerse Knoxville and is currently under review for a Guinness World Record.

Please join us for some amazing art 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/

Join us First Friday, February 7th, 6-8 PM, for the opening of Love Letters, a vibrant new collection by Mike C. Berry. Known for his bold, expressive style, Berry's latest work explores love and connection through dynamic color and movement.

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

Celebrate with us!

FRIDAY, FEB. 7 @ BECK - The Indelible Appalachians
5:30PM
Dinner, Documentary & Discussion in partnership with UTK
RSVP at https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=2RNYUX1x3UWeypqhnAnW-doMsPbB2jpLgxTPHLA9EBJUQzJQTlo0TUNIOFA3NjlBMDRUV0g0QllUWCQlQCN0PWcu

Sat Feb 8, 15, 22, 10 AM - 2 PM @ Beck
Tell Your Story - Record Your Oral History

Feb 13 - Nat'l Assoc of Real Estate Brokers
Panel Discussion & snacks at 5:30 PM

Feb 18 at 6 PM at Beck
Hip Hop Forum = Can We Kick It?

Feb 24 at 6:30 PM at Bijou - Leaving Legacy - Living Legacy
Black History Month Feature Program

Feb 26, 5:30 PM at Beck
The Black Church - Sacred Legacy

Feb 27, 10 AM - AARP Black Veterans Scam Jam
Panel discussion with Lunch

For More Information Call Us Today at 865-524-8461 or Visit http://www.beckcenter.net

Wicked - Movie Night - Watch Wicked on the event lawn.
Feb 5th | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM EST

Tennessee Basketball Watch Party - Come grab a bite and a drink at Kern's Food Hall while watching the Tennessee Ba...
Feb 5th | 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM EST

Live Music - BEN STEPHENS
Feb 7th | 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM EST

SALSA/BACHATA in the taproom 9pm-1am
Feb 7th - 8th
Feb 14th - 15th
Feb 21st - 22nd

Live Music - DANIMAL PINSON
Feb 8th | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM EST

Live Music - COURTNEY HOLDER
Feb 14th | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM EST

Live Music - COLE GRAHAM & THE WHISKEY RIVER
COLE GRAHAM & THE WHISKEY RIVER 7-9pm
Feb 15th & 22nd

Live Music - MILKSHAKE FATTY
Feb 21st | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Live Music - LE GATO
Feb 22nd | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Kerns Food Hall, 2201 Kern’s Rising Way, Knoxville, TN 37920
https://kernsfoodhall.com/events/

Maryville College’s Blackberry Farm Gallery

A solo show, Omens & Auspices, features recent works by artist and Maryville College faculty member Sarah Bernstein. The show opens Feb 3 and will run through Feb 28, 2025.

A closing reception will be held on Feb 28, 2025, from 6-8pm that is free and open to the public.

For more information about the artist go to www.sarahbernstein.info

Gallery open daily. Maryville College 502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN

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
A solo show, Under The Branches, featuring recent work by artist Jered Sprecher (Knoxville, TN) opens Tuesday, January 28 and will run through Saturday, March 29, 2025. Curator: Brian R. Jobe.

An opening reception will be held on Friday, January 31, 2025 from 5:00—8:00 pm (artist in attendance). There will be an artist talk given by Sprecher beforehand on January 31 from 3:30—4:30pm.

Jered Sprecher is an artist who makes paintings, drawings, and installations that abstract the landscape to explore the precarious relationship between nature and technology. His work wrestles with the beauty and complexity of the environment and how we as humans interact with the world around us both directly and mediated through technology. He received his BA from Concordia University and his MFA from The University of Iowa. Sprecher has exhibited at The Drawing Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Des Moines Art Center, Hunter Museum, Asheville Art Museum, and Espai d'art Contemporani de Castelló. He has had solo exhibitions at Jeff Bailey Gallery, New York; Gallery 16, San Francisco; Steven Zevitas Gallery, Boston; Kinkead Contemporary, Los Angeles; Whitespace, Atlanta; Ferrara Showman, New Orleans; and the Knoxville Museum of Art. He is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Bailey Opportunity Grant, and a Tennessee Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship. Sprecher has been awarded residencies at the Marie Walsh Sharpe Foundation, the Chinati Foundation, The American Academy in Rome, and the Irish Museum of Modern Art. He is a Professor at the School of Art at the University of Tennessee. He lives and works in Knoxville, Tennessee.

PROJECT SPACE
My Art Is Fine, My Art Is Craft by Melissa Everett (Knoxville, TN) opens Tuesday, January 28 and will run through Saturday, March 29, 2025. This show is located within the unique architectural space of a narrow wooden stairwell. An opening reception will be held on Friday, January 31, 2025 from 5:00—8:00 pm (artist in attendance).

Melissa Everett is a self-taught quilter, textile artist, and caregiver living in Knoxville, TN. She received her BS from the University of Tennessee in Therapeutic Recreation in 2005. The philosophies of play permeate her process and journey as an artist. Her work is energized by textures, simple lines and shapes created by the human hand, rooted in tradition but continually pushing for freedom – and embracing imperfection. She creates surface pattern designs on natural fibers by utilizing fiber-reactive dyes, textile pigments and the traditions of quilt making. Each dyed, painted or printed textile, a unique piece of art, is often cut and deconstructed to be reconciled into a new work. Everett’s work has been exhibited in national and local shows including QuiltCon, Houston International Quilt Festival, McGhee Tyson’s Art in the Airport. She has also been published in QuiltFolk and Quilt Now magazines. Melissa was born and raised in the mountains of Waynesville, NC where craft, improvising and resourcefulness were a way of life for mountain folk; these values carry through her work and connect her to her ancestors.

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

Artwork created over twenty years at The State Botanical Garden of Tennessee in Knoxville
January 20 - March 2, 2025 • Tomato Head @ 12 Market Square
Greet the Artist: Tuesday, January 28, 2025 from 4:30-5:30pm

Tomato Head Market Square hours are: M-R 11am-9pm; F 11am-10pm, Sat 10:30-10pm, Sun 10:30am-9pm

Artist Statement: Since co-founding COMMA Art Group in 2004, I have been going weekly each summer for "plein air" art creation at the University of Tennessee Gardens. Our group has had art shows over the years at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, the Phoenix Building, Fountain City Art Center and Ijams Nature Center, as well as exhibiting individually. We celebrated our 20th anniversary this past summer. This retrospective is a sample of work created over the years. Typically, each year I would choose a theme for that summer’s work, which might include media, techniques and subject matter. UT Gardens offers a wide variety of subjects and has changed over the years, so it’s always an adventure to see what each summer offers.

Bio: Cheri Jorgenson has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Alabama and a Masters of Science in Art Education from the University of Tennessee. She originally was a graphic designer, working for the Knoxville International Energy Exposition, Tennessee Valley Authority, and in her own design firm, among others. She was an art educator for Knox County Schools for 20 years, and retired from the L&N STEM Academy in 2020. She was the 2012 Tennessee Art Educator of the Year, the 2020 Tennessee National Art Honor Society Sponsor of the Year, and was the 2021 National Sponsor. In 2004, she co-founded COMMA, a plein air group that meets weekly at UT Gardens, with shows in The Phoenix Building, Fountain City Art Center, Ijams Nature Center and TVUUC Gallery. She also shows her work in local competitions and shows. Ms. Jorgenson lives in South Knoxville with her husband in a very old farmhouse surrounded by natural habitat captured in another series.

Tomato Head, 12 Market Square (865-637-4067) in Knoxville. https://thetomatohead.com/

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/