Calendar of Events

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at The Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from July 2-30, 2021. A free reception with the artists will take place on Friday, July 2, from 5:00-8:00 PM. Most of the works will be for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition by visiting in person or the online shop at www.knoxalliance.store. The opening reception features music by Elza Gate, a folk duo (Pat Parr and Bob Cushman) from Oak Ridge performing a wide variety of music, including traditional tunes from the Southern Mountains and British Isles, bluegrass, and country.

In this new exhibition, Vicki Love will feature four distinct arrangements of her functional leather pieces: shades of whites and creams celebrating the freshness of summer events; a collection of black which will traverse the spectrum from sophisticated to whimsical, as well as Victorian with a touch of Goth; ultra girlie to denim baby; and earth tones with emphasis on texture and movement.

My earliest and best memories revolve around my love for nature and its beauty. During childhood most of my free time was spent in the woods playing, fantasizing and meditating. These lasting impressions are reflected in my work today. Since 1977 I have exhibited in fine arts festivals. I spent the first eleven of those years pioneering the way I mold leather to create form and texture. I utilize an extensive technique in which the leather is wetted and heated to mold and then finished by gluing and sewing. This technique is used in my sculptural designs as well, allowing me to create three-dimensional pieces with the leather for my one-of-a-kind handbags. My handbags and garments are adorned with antler, horn, glass beads, vintage pieces, and semi-precious stones. I work exclusively with deerskin because in my experience, it is truly the best leather: soft to the touch yet one of the most durable. My desire is that my work makes people happy. I believe that in using one of my creations, the owner will have more joy and radiate this to those with whom they come in contact; the magic of the deep woods will continue.

www.Facebook.com/VickiLoveDesigns

The exhibitions are on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Please note, the Emporium will be closed on Monday, July 5. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.