Calendar of Events

Ijams welcomes Donna Moore's Night Blooming Cereus showcase to the Hallway Gallery this month.

Moore says her work is often an exploration of reality distorted by time and memory. For this series, she used a flatbed scanner and an enlarger as her camera, and made cyanotypes and lumen prints using the sun and the passage of time to create original prints. Don't miss it!

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Visitor Center open daily 10-6. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

2/15 • Paint with a Turkey Vulture and American Kestrel
2/16 • Reset, Renew, Rejuvenate: Yoga Workshop and Sauna Session
2/21 • Woodcock Walk - Guided Birding Program
2/22 • Ijams Junior Naturalist
2/22 • Reading the Landscape: Geology
2/22 • Woodcock Walk - Guided Birding Program
2/23 • Take Action! Annual Ijams Seed and Plant Swap
2/28 • Woodcock Walk - Guided Birding Program

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

The Smithsonian’s National Collection of Fishes X-rays represent more than 70 percent of the world’s fish specimens and is the largest and most diverse collection of its kind in the world. Although the X-rays featured in the national collection were made for research purposes, the strikingly elegant images demonstrate the natural union of science and art and are a visual retelling of the evolution of fish. X-Ray Vision: Fish Inside Out, an exhibition from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), showcases these dramatic prints exposing the inner workings of the fish.

The exhibition features 32 black-and-white digital prints of different species of fish. Arranged in evolutionary sequence, these X-rays give a tour through the long stream of fish evolution. The X-rays have allowed Smithsonian and other scientists to study the skeleton of a fish without altering the specimen, making it easier for scientists to build a comprehensive picture of fish diversity.

The exhibition also includes specimens from the collections of the McClung Museum, the Etnier Ichthyological Collection, and the Vertebrate Osteology Collection to highlight research happening with fish specimens at the University of Tennessee.

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/

By Neil Simon

Corie, a free-spirited optimist, and Paul, a reserved attorney, couldn’t be more different. Corie’s spontaneity clashes with Paul’s practicality, leading to a series of hilarious misunderstandings and endearing reconciliations as the newlyweds embark upon married life in their quirky, cozy new apartment. As their relationship evolves, the couple not only faces the challenges of wedlock, but also a grueling flight of stairs and an eccentric upstairs neighbor who adds an extra dash of hilarity. Love sparkles in Neil Simon’s delightful romp, reminding us that true love can endure even the quirkiest of circumstances – and be incredibly fun.

PG-13 AUDIENCES
https://www.orplayhouse.com/

BY JEROME LAWRENCE AND ROBERT E. LEE

Feel the heat of the courtroom in the sizzling American classic 'Inherit the Wind', an explosive drama inspired by the most important trial of the 20th Century, the Scopes Monkey Trial, on its 100th anniversary. As a media circus descends on a small Tennessee town, two of the nation’s most powerful lawyers go head-to-head in the ultimate battle of wits, wills, and the political and religious divide that could be ripped directly from today’s headlines. In a fresh production boldly reimagined for today, the fast-paced drama explores religion, intellectual freedom and the relationship between social norms and law.

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

As part of the Clarence Brown Theatre’s production of Inherit the Wind, the Hokes Archives presents the Association for Creative Zoology, a fictive creationist organization from the 1920s. Included are lithographs and taxidermy that present unusual hybrid animals, and a QR code with a short video presentation about Reverend James Randolph Denton, claimed to be the founder of the Association. The display also depicts the Taurus crockettensis, a bull-raccoon that inhabited Tennessee before the Great Global Flood. The project has been presented previously at the Scopes Trial Festival held in Dayton, Tennessee, and at the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The exhibit was created by Beauvais Lyons, a Chancellor’s Professor of Art and Divisional Dean for Arts and Humanities in UT’s College of Arts and Sciences known or his works of academic parody.

Event dates: Tue-Fri Feb 11-14, 12-5 PM
Tue-Fri Feb 18-21, 12-5 PM
Tue-Thu Feb 25-27, 12-5 PM

Event Location: Clarence Brown Theatre, lobby, 1714 Andy Holt Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916
Beauvais Lyons: blyons@utk.edu, 865-974-4342 or https://calendar.utk.edu/event/the-association-for-creative-zoology

First Friday Reception: February 7th, 5:30 - 9 pm

Valentine themed art will be featured during the month of February! The opening features complimentary refreshments and music.

The Art Market Gallery is a juried cooperative of over 50 East Tennessee artists dedicated to providing a vibrant marketplace for original art and fine crafts.

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

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

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