Calendar of Events

37th annual Front Page Follies, July 18, 2015, 6:00 p.m., Knoxville Convention Center, presented by the Front Page Foundation. Honoree is John Adams, senior sports columnist, Knoxville News Sentinel. The dinner and live musical show will roast state and local newsmakers. Proceeds will fund journalism scholarships at the University of Tennessee and Pellissippi State Community College.
Tickets can be reserved at www.FrontPageFoundation.org. Individual tickets,$125; tables of 10, $1,250. A portion of each ticket is tax deductible.Visit www.frontpagefoundation.org or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FrontPageFoundation.

Grand Opening & Open House at Dragonfly Aerial Arts Studio
July 18th, 7pm to 10pm
4504 Fennel, Knoxville, TN 37912
We've moved and we will be hosting our Grand Opening on July 18th. The night will be filled with student and instructor performances, an open house to show off our new facilities, refreshments, and a toast.
Come see what all we have to offer!
July 18th, 7pm to 10pm
http://www.dragonflyaerialartsstudio.com/
Dragonfly Aerial Arts Studio, 4504 Fennel Road, Knoxville, TN 37912

Jewelry Television (JTV) will premiere their new summer JTV Experience at their headquarters in Knoxville. This week-long event combines JTV’s Jewel School Customer Appreciation Workshop and the Gem Lovers’ Conference.

The Jewel School Customer Appreciation Workshop (July 19-21) opens the world of jewelry making to attending customers from across the nation. Professional jewelry artists will lead classes in techniques such as soldering metals, wire wrapping, art clay metal smithing, glass bead making, and bench jeweler techniques. The workshop originated from the on-air show Jewel School and caters to all skill levels. There will be a behind the scenes show experience on Monday, July 20, for customers to participate in the Jewel School audience.

To commence the Gem Lovers’ Conference this year, JTV is introducing a new Jewelry Showcase on Wednesday, July 22. The showcase will feature jewelry lines unique to the network, such as Bella Luce®, Moda Al MassimoTM, Splendido OroTM, StratifyTM, Southwest StyleTM, Vanna KTM, Genusis PearlTM and more. Additional brands such as BELLARRI and Lisa Nik will be available for purchase. The event will conclude with an evening fashion show and dinner to celebrate JTV’s jewelry and jewelry brands. The Gem Lovers’ Conference allows Jewelry Television to join forces with internationally- renowned gemstone experts to educate customers, enthusiasts and designers about precious gemstones and jewelry. The Gem Lovers’ Conference continues to draw attendees from across the U.S., the Virgin Islands and more than six different countries. “This conference gives our customers an opportunity to learn from the best in the business,” said JTV’s Timothy B. Matthews, JTV’s President and CEO, Esq., JD, FGA, DGA, GG. “It also gives us a wonderful opportunity to enjoy time with our JTV family of customers.” Attendees will gain valuable insights, with exposure to approximately 41 world-renowned gemstone experts. Classes will be conducted by industry leaders including Doug Hucker, CEO of the American Gem Trade Association; James Riley, CEO of Gem-A; Antoinette Matlins, author and former Gemology Editor of National Jeweler magazine; Craig Lynch, owner of esteemed jewelry appraisal firm Ouellet & Lynch; and Bryan Lees, Collector’s Edge Minerals, Inc. Gem Lovers’ Conference classes and lectures will be held on Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24.

For conference information and registration visit www.jtv.com/jsi

Event Link: http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/events/plant-and-garden-photography-07-19-2015/

Summary: As part of programming related to our current special exhibition, Through the Lens: Botanical Photography of Alan S. Heilman, join us at McClung Museum to learn the basics of plant and garden photography with UT Gardens Director, Dr. Sue Hamilton. Dr. Sue will provide tips on using your digital camera or smart phone to take images in this demonstration in the Museum Auditorium. Free and open to the public.

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9AM-5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-974-2144, http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu

THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN BLUES SOCIETY proudly presents its line-up for its ever popular “BLUES CRUISE” for the summer of 2015. For five consecutive years, the SMBS has presented monthly warm-weather Sunday afternoon/early evening concerts on the Star of Knoxville Riverboat. These 3 hour musical journeys on the Tennessee River are featuring some of the best local and regional Blues Musicians. The schedule for this year brings a wonderful cross section of Blues stylings and danceable favorites. The bands and dates for 2015 cruises:

July 19, 5-8 PM: Slow Blind Hill - https://www.facebook.com/events/207158045981849, www.slowblindhill.com
Aug 16, 5-8 PM: Al Coffee and da Grind, https://www.facebook.com/AlCoffeeDaGrind/
Sept. 20, 3-6 PM: Jenna and Her Cool Friends, https://www.facebook.com/coolfriendsblues/, www.jennaandhercoolfriends.com
Oct. 18, 3-6 PM: The Romeo Kings, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Roger-Hay-The-Romeo-Kings/149845911796328/, http://www.reverbnation.com/theromeokings

Cruises depart at 300 Neyland Drive, next to Calhouns downtown Knoxville. Tickets are available at the Tennessee Riverboat Company where you will also board the authentic paddle-wheeler, or by calling 865-525-7827 and online at http://tnriverboat.com/event/blues-cruise/. Advance purchase and Smoky Mountain Blues Society membership tickets receive a discount. SMBS advance purchase $13 - Public advance: $16. SMBS day of: $16 - Public day of : $19. Info: 865-288-0672, sfkrempasky@gmail.com, www.smokymountainblues.org

July 04, 2015 ANIMAL PROGRAM: Ijams Creature Feature
July 04, 2015 ANIMAL PROGRAM: Ijams Creature Feature
July 04, 2015 ANIMAL PROGRAM: Ijams Creature Feature
July 11, 2015 ANIMAL PROGRAM: Ijams Creature Feature
July 11, 2015 ANIMAL PROGRAM: Ijams Creature Feature
July 11, 2015 ANIMAL PROGRAM: Ijams Creature Feature
July 18, 2015 PUBLIC PROGRAM: Wagging Walk
July 18, 2015 ANIMAL PROGRAM: Ijams Creature Feature
July 18, 2015 ANIMAL PROGRAM: Ijams Creature Feature
July 18, 2015 ANIMAL PROGRAM: Ijams Creature Feature
July 19, 2015 IJAMS CREATIVE SERIES: Family Drum Circle
July 25, 2015 ANIMAL PROGRAM: Ijams Creature Feature
July 25, 2015 ANIMAL PROGRAM: Ijams Creature Feature
July 25, 2015 ANIMAL PROGRAM: Ijams Creature Feature

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Call for Visitor Center hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Monday, July 20, Noonday Organ and Piano by Charles Parham and Richard Sidey

Please join us and stay for lunch.

St. John's Cathedral: 413 Cumberland Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902, (865) 525-7347, www.stjohnscathedral.org

Plants and Animals of Tennessee

Join us for a morning out as our museum educator leads engaging gallery tours for parents and caregivers and their young ones. Crying and wiggly babies welcome! The free event requires registration online. Registration opens a month in advance and closes the day before the tour. Each month has a different theme; check our Events page for more details: http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/events

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9AM-5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-974-2144, http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present a new exhibition by Susan V. Adams and Barb Johnson entitled “ORGANIC AND MECHANIC”. The exhibition features mixed media works by two artists who have been friends since they both moved to Knoxville in the late 80s. Susan V. Adams developed her work while exhibiting in local shows and her gallery, and Barb Johnson has been connected to the art world through her background in art education and teaching. “ORGANIC AND MECHANIC” will be displayed in the Balcony gallery of the Emporium Center. A public reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on Friday, July 3, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features a Jazz Jam Session hosted by Vance Thompson & Friends from 7:00-8:45 PM in the Black Box Theatre. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be available and chocolate fondue will be provided by the Melting Pot of Knoxville.

Susan V. Adams loves to create. She is a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, has exhibited in galleries and shows throughout Knoxville, and has done commissions for several private collections. The focus of her art is botanicals of the East Tennessee and the Appalachian regions. For this show, she has also forayed into farmer’s markets for vegetables and berries, hence the reference to “organic” in the exhibition’s title. Adams photographs, collects and researches botanicals and draws inspiration from antique botanical art.

Barb Johnson finds art as a staple in her everyday life, translating scenes and subjects into works of art. For many years she taught art in a Knoxville high school, which proved her full-time priority. Today, creating art is a full-time passion, and she offers private art lessons in her West Knoxville studio. The word “mechanic” in the exhibition’s title refers to Johnson’s series of acrylic paintings of the large Mendelson Warehouse in Dayton, Ohio, where old mechanical objects were displayed and sold. Every shelf in the warehouse provided opportunities for painting compositions. The “Mendelson” series has won several awards in area juried art shows, and one work is currently in Knoxville’s Arts in the Airport exhibition. For more information on Barb Johnson, please visit www.barbjohnsonart.com.

“ORGANIC AND MECHANIC” is on display July 3-31, 2015 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Additional special hours are posted at www.theemporiumcenter.com/visit.html. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit the Web site at www.knoxalliance.com.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present a new group exhibition by the Artists of 17th Street Studios titled “Amalgam Volume 3”. 17th Street Studios is located at the corner of 17th Street and Highland Avenue in Redeemer Church of Knoxville, and at any given time, houses painters, sculptors, illustrators, drawers, and graphic artists. This is their third annual group exhibition, which features original work by eleven local artists: Ashley Dawn Addair, April Bachtel, Jalana Cooper, Michael Giles, Jon Hendricks, Michelle Jephcott, Carri Jobe, Sarah McFalls, Janet McMullen, Beth Meadows and Tony Sobota. “Amalgam Volume 3” will be displayed at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from July 3-31, 2015. An opening reception will take place on Friday, July 3, from 5:00-9:00 PM and features a Jazz Jam Session hosted by Vance Thompson and Friends from 7:00-8:45 PM in the Black Box Theatre. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be available and chocolate fondue will be provided by the Melting Pot of Knoxville.

The artists and designers who make up the 17th Street Studios each have a unique background and a specific creative inclination. Their differing goals as artists result in bodies of work that notably contrast from one another. Yet, as these professionals inhabit the same space, a conversation is sparked, similarities are discovered, and a fusion of ideas begins to take shape. The mission of 17th Street Studios is to host artists in Knoxville by providing studio spaces and a working community. These studios serve as workshops for artists to develop their art practice and fulfill their calling. For more information, please visit http://17thstreetstudios.gutensite.com.

“Amalgam Volume 3” will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Additional special hours are posted at www.theemporiumcenter.com/visit.html. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit the Web site at www.knoxalliance.com.

Reception, Friday July 3, 5-9PM

The Land Report Collective deals with landscape in fundamental ways and as a foundational reference point. Brown considers the politics of mountaintop removal in his construction of objects and installations. Jobe crafts meeting places for public interaction through the delineation of pathways and works with stacked brick and wood. Jones responds to desert environments with model scale sculpture and stop-motion animation. Kikut incorporates a lifelong interest in the horizon line in a new series of paintings with flat Midwestern landscapes as his muse. Shadwell views landforms from a non-traditional lens creating mountains out of matchbooks and photo-realistically drawing facets of garbage bags and diapers to appear as monumental.

Jason S. Brown
Brian R. Jobe
David L. Jones
Patrick Kikut
Shelby Shadwell

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! UT Downtown Gallery, 106 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Wednesday-Friday: 11AM - 6PM, Saturday: 10AM - 3PM. Information: 865-673-0802, http://web.utk.edu/~downtown

“CUBA: TRANSITION, DREAMS, AND TRANSFORMATION”
Knoxville’s Hispanic Organization, HoLa Hora Latina, will present a dramatic display of photographs of Cuba during the month of July. A special reception for the three photographers, who are experienced Cuban travelers and leaders of the Hispanic community in Knoxville, is scheduled for the evening of Friday, July 3rd 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM in the Casa HoLa suite #112 of the Emporium Center. The photo exhibit will be open to the public at the Casa HoLa suite during normal business hours through the end of July. There is no admission charge to attend the opening reception or to visit the photo exhibit during July.

The photos of Cuba are unusual because they visually reveal how Cubans are dreaming and also how visitors might be dreaming of Cuba. The collection of photographs shows the results of intensive visits to Cuba. With the changing diplomatic relations, Cuba has come into the limelight and media coverage has been intense since travel to Cuba by American is now a realistic dream of change.

The photographers of this special exhibit include:
Maria B. Clark, PhD, Associate Professor of Spanish language and literatures at Carson-Newman University. She visited Cuba in 1992 and 2014 to participate in international literary conferences. While hailing from Germany, she is well traveled in Latin America because of her research interests and love for Hispanic peoples and cultures. The selected photos from her recent trip focus on some iconic places as well as everyday public spaces of Havana in transformation, as thriving tourism creates new crossroads and dreams for its inhabitants.

Astrid Galindo, a local artist, was in Cuba during the difficult time after the Soviet Union collapsed and after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Cuban people were stoical and creative and suffered with fortitude. Artistic creativity was latent during that period that she called "The Bicycles Period” because riding bicycles was almost the only means of transportation and, as demonstrated in her photographs, was an art form.

Rosa Mar is currently the Executive Director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and an active leader in the Hispanic Community. She is a member of the class of 2012 Leadership Knoxville, a recipient of the YWCA awards for women’s achievement, and a board member of the HoLa Hora Latina. Her trip to Cuba was part of a program sponsored by the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce and gave her special insight, as well as photo opportunities, into the Cuban culture.

HoLa Hora Latina, 100 S. Gay Street, Suite 112, Knoxville, TN 37902. Gallery hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Information: 865-335-3358, www.holafestival.org