KNOXVILLE - During the month of June, the Japan International Artists Society will be exhibiting at The University of Tennessee Ewing Gallery, The Architecture Reading Room, and in the UT Downtown Gallery.  On view will be 324 works of art by 305 Society members who create in various media ranging from traditional Japanese calligraphy and ceramics to contemporary landscapes and abstraction. For most of these Japanese artists, this will be the first time their art has been exhibited in the United States.  A goal of the Japan International Artist Society is to increase cultural awareness and understanding through international exhibitions of art. Throughout their 25 year history, member exhibitions have been held in museums in many countries, including Cuba, Spain, China, Canada, France, and Russia .
Thirty of the Society members will visit Knoxville for the opening reception on Knoxville’s First Friday, June 5, from 5-9 PM, to meet with the local community. Two Society members - ceramic artist ICHINOSE Sadato and master calligrapher TAKADA Bokuzan - will treat visitors to demonstrations of both traditional Japanese calligraphy and Japanese pottery throwing techniques. Refreshments will be served, admission is free, and a complimentary shuttle bus will travel between the Ewing Gallery on the UT campus and the Downtown Gallery, on South Gay Street, for the duration of the evening.

The exhibition will be on view until July 2.  Hours at both locations will be Wednesday-Friday, 11-6; Saturday, 10-3; and Sunday, 1-4.
The Ewing Gallery is located at 1715 Volunteer Boulevard and the UT Downtown Gallery is located at 106 South Gay Street.  There is no charge for admission. For those interested in creating their own calligraphy, a workshop conducted by Mr. Takuda will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 PM in the Art and Architecture Building on Friday the 5th before the exhibition’s opening and reception.  There will be no fee and supplies will be furnished.  Please call the Ewing Gallery at 974-3200 to reserve your spot, as the number of participants will be limited.  For more information, please visit www.ewing-gallery.org

KNOXVILLE – The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present "Eclectia", a new exhibition of works by Charlie Daniel and Jon Gustin.  The show will be exhibited in the balcony space of the Emporium Center for Arts & Culture in downtown Knoxville from September 5-26, 2008.  An opening reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on September 5 from 5:00-9:00 PM.  The Arts & Culture Alliance and its members will also honor Knoxville City Council, Knox County Commission, and newly elected Tennessee Arts Commission Chairwoman, Donna Chase, at the Emporium with a special moment of recognition at 6:00 PM.

KNOXVILLE, TN—The Knoxville Museum of Art's Alive After Five series of live music performances presents the "Summertime Blues Fest," featuring three bands - Li'l Dave Thompson, Lost & Found, and the Terraplane Drifters - on Friday, August 29, from 5:30-9:30 pm.

Born and raised Mississippi, Dave Thompson's exposure to music came early and has always been a way of life. His father, the late Sam Thompson played with Paul "Wine" Jones, Eddie Cusic, James "Son" Thomas and others. A brilliant guitarist, reminiscent in style to Albert King, he first made his mark backing up Roosevelt "Booba" Barnes, Junior Kimbrough and R. L. Burnside. Later with his own band, he also garnered W. C. Handy Blues Award nominations for Best New Artist and Best Contemporary Blues Album. His current CD "Got to Get Over You" captures his smooth, soulful vocal stylings and has received critical acclaim.

Lost & Found is a 7-member Blues and R & B band comprised of experienced musicians from the Greater Knoxville area. Male and female lead vocalists, Joel Burris and Lindsay George, are backed by Chico Crawford on keyboards, Jason Hutchens on saxophone, Michael (the other) Jordan on guitar and vocals, David Yocum on bass and vocals, and Kevin Redding on drums.

The Terraplane Drifters are "Blue" Barry Faust on vocals, lead and slide guitar, and harmonica, and Rodd Barckoff on rhythm and fingerpicking guitar. "Blue" Barry is known as one of Knoxville's best harmonica players, and he is a superbly talented guitarist as well. This laid back duo plays acoustic Delta and Piedmont blues, and they have been known to stir a little Santana and Buffalo Springfield seamlessly into the mix.

For more information about Li'l Dave Thompson, visit www.lildavethompson.com.  

Admission to this special Alive After Five is $10 for non-members, and $6 for museum members and students. After 8:00 pm, admission is reduced to $6 and $4. Alive After Five is sponsored by Amica Insurance, Knoxville News Sentinel, Cherokee Distributing Company, East Tennessee Public Television, and WDVX 89.9FM. For more information about the Alive After Five series, please contact Michael Gill at (865) 934-2039.        

KNOXVILLE, TN—The Knoxville Museum of Art's Alive After Five series of live music performances presents the R. B. Morris Band with Y'uns on Friday, August 8, from 5:30-9:30 pm.

 

Singer/songwriter/poet/playwright R. B. Morris is a Knoxville native son who has traveled far and wide and returned to his roots, garnering national acclaim and support from the likes of Lucinda Williams, John Prine, and Steve Earle along the way. He has been described as a cross between an urban Woodie Guthrie and a rural Tom Waits, with his music encompassing blues, country, old-time gospel, and rock 'n' roll. His band features Hector Qirko on guitar, Jim Williams on bass, and Alonzo Lewis on drums.

 

Y'uns is a goodtime acoustic band that blends jugband music with elements of folk, swing, country, and blues. The band is comprised of Steve Horton (vocals, guitar, kazoo), Danny Gammon (vocals, fiddle, mandolin, kazoo), J. P. Reddick (vocals, guitar, kazoo), Stan Turner (bass), and J. Miller (percussion). They play just about everything from Muddy Waters to Roger Miller to The Beatles, replete with kazoos, whistles, sirens, and yodeling.

 

For more information about R. B. Morris and Y'uns, visit www.rbmorris.com and www.myspace.com/yunsband .

 

Admission to this performance of Alive After Five is $8 for non-members, and $4 for museum members and students. After 8:00 pm, admission is reduced to $4 and $2. Alive After Five is sponsored by Amica Insurance, Knoxville News Sentinel, Cherokee Distributing Company, East Tennessee Public Television, and WDVX 89.9FM.

 

KNOXVILLE - Last December, Knoxville Zoo staff and her many friends mourned the passing of BiBi gorilla.  BiBi suffered an from infection and was unable to recover.  Yet, thanks to artist Cindy Billingsley, BiBi will continue to be remembered through a special collector's painting.

Artist Cindy Billingsley painted the portrait of BiBi just two weeks prior to her passing and has donated it for Knoxville Zoo to share with those who treasured visiting BiBi in Gorilla Valley.  Billingsley, a fine arts painter and sculptor, said "I was fascinated by BiBi who was right up against the glass the day I was researching art ideas at Knoxville Zoo.  After I heard of BiBi's passing, I knew this gave me the opportunity to share my experience of watching and painting BiBi.  I recognized the gorilla I had painted had meant so much to the zoo keepers and guests, and I am happy to share this portrait with them all."

The numbered prints with Billingsley's signature are available for purchase at the ZooShop for only $60.  The print is not matted and comes in a protective acid free sleeve.  Proceeds from Billingsley's portrait are being donated to Knoxville Zoo as well.  To view the portrait, visitwww.cindybillingsley.com.

"We are pleased to offer such a beautiful image of BiBi for our guests," said Lisa New, animal collections director at Knoxville Zoo.  "So many of our guests and staff loved BiBi and we want them to have the opportunity to continue their admiration for her, even though she is no longer with us.  We can't say thank you enough to Mrs. Billingsley for sharing her talent and art with us."

Gatlinburg, Tenn. – Art lovers won't want to miss Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts' second and final summer art auction to be held this Thursday, July 31, from 6-9 p.m.

The evening will kick off with a silent auction at 6:00 p.m. and culminate with the live auction from 7:00-9:00. Items for bid will include pottery, woodturnings, sculpture, glass, jewelry, paintings and more. Nationally renowned Arrowmont instructors, local artists, Arrowmont resident artists and students donate the work. Complimentary appetizers and beverages will be served.

All money raised will benefit the school's educational assistance programs that award scholarships to deserving students as well as fund the work-study and studio assistantship positions that are an integral part of the school's operation.

The auction will be held in the Auditorium of the main building on Arrowmont's campus, located at 556 Parkway in Gatlinburg. Parking is free. For more information, please call 865-436-5860. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is a non-profit, internationally recognized visual arts complex that evolved from the Pi Beta Phi Settlement School established in 1912, and is dedicated to its mission of "enriching lives through art."

KNOXVILLE –The Knoxville Museum of Art showcases works of the Morristown Art Association through September 15, 2008. The exhibit features works from members of the Morristown Art Association (MAA) of East Tennessee. The selected works represent a variety of techniques and media, ranging from watercolor to metal sculpture. The MAA was organized in 1968 by a group of artists interested in the furtherance of visual arts in the community. The goal of the organization is to promote and encourage the appreciation, understanding and practice of art. Members volunteer their time teaching workshops for the association, as well as volunteering in community art projects. They enter their work in area shows and exhibits, work with the Rose Center to teach classes and donate their work for area non-profit agency fundraising events. Membership is open to all artists and individuals having an interest in and an appreciation of the visual arts. Visitors are welcomed and encouraged to join the organization and participate in MAA events.

Writer’s Block LIVE, Knoxville’s Premier ‘Listening Room’ Concert Series featuring Independent Performing Songwriters, is proud to present Award Winning Guitarist/Singer Songwriter, Caroline Aiken, in concert, Wednesday, August 6th, 6:30pm at the Knoxville Museum of Art. Tickets are $8 at the door. A cash bar will open at 5:30pm and attendees are welcome to socialize in the great hall prior to the concert. Doors to the auditorium will open at 6pm. For additional information, go to www.WritersBlockOnline.com or visit the Writer’s Block MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/writersblockonline to hear clips of upcoming artists. The embodiment of an independent musician, Caroline Aiken does it all; acting as her own manager, booking, publicity and travel agent, in addition to production. Her performances, direct and sincere, are known for emanating a high level of infectious energy, and those that have heard her perform live, leave wanting more. Never one to be boxed in by industry classifications, her genre’ spans many styles, from rock/blues/folk/country, piano ballads to finger style guitar picking, all accompanied by her rich and soulful voice. With a career spanning 36 years, her resume’ reads like a who’s who of industry giants, elite venues and prestigious honors. She has recorded and or, shared stages with The Indigo Girls, Bonnie Raitt, Mother’s Finest, The B52s, Martin Sexton, Dave Mason, Vassar Clements, Martha Reeves, Derek Trucks and many, many more. She is a requested performer at well known venues such as, the GA Music Hall of Fame, the infamous Kerrville Music Festival (where she has been a Main Stage performer since ‘95); Seattle’s Bumbershoot (since ‘96); NY’s Falcon Ridge; Eddie’s Attic and more, both nationally and internationally. She was personally invited to perform at the Troubadour in LA by the National Songwriter’s Association and Hard Rock Cafe honored Caroline’s career by placing a display box containing her memorabilia in the Atlanta location. Well known for her musicianship, Aiken’s finger picking style garnered an invitation to Stuttgart Germany Guitar Seminar, which gives her the honor of being the first woman invited to teach at this event.

The Knoxville Museum of Art invites children and parents to celebrate summer at Family Fun Day on Saturday, July 26 from 11am to 3pm.   All events at Family Fun Day are free thanks to the generous sponsorship of Anderson News, LLC, First Tennessee Bank and Regal Entertainment Group/Regal Foundation. Children of all ages have the opportunity to create art at one of the many art-making booths inspired by the current exhibits.  Families can tap their feet to one of the many musical and entertainment acts that are performing all day, as well as listen to the gallery talks given by the docent guides.  Artist and Middle School Art Instructor Michael Weininger will demonstrate the art of mixed-media collage while artist and educator Heather Brack will demonstrate mixed-media painting.  Spinning wool will be demonstrated by Carmen Bonnell. Children can find inspiration in the Higher Ground exhibit and paint in the style of Beauford Delaney.  Quilters from the Smoky Mountain Quilt Guild of Tennessee will provide materials and direction for kids to make ornaments out of fabric in the style of the museum's Gee's Bend quilt exhibition. The Hominy Mamas as well as the LoneTones will be entertaining throughout the day with face painting by Faces Gone Wild.  Refreshments will be for sale.

KNOXVILLE, TN—The Knoxville Museum of Art's Alive After Five series of live music performances presents The Streamliners with the Johnson Swingtet on Friday, July 18, from 5:30-9:30 pm. Based in Knoxville, The Streamliners are a 16-piece band – 3 trumpets, 5 saxophones, 3 trombones, bass, guitar, piano, drums and vocalist Kayley Burton – that plays high-energy swing and jazz in the style of Count Basie and Duke Ellington, with a little Louis Jordan and Louis Prima mixed in for extra fun! Composed of some of the area's best professional musicians and the top of the class from The University of Tennessee's venerated jazz program, The Streamliners are a joy to behold, whether one is a swing dancer or a chair-warming listener.   Opening the show is an acoustic quartet, also from Knoxville. Inspired by the jazz music of 1930'-50's, the Johnson Swingtet draws its muse from the great jazz artists of the past, especially the great Gypsy jazz guitarist, Django Reinhardt, to create one hot swing revue. Admission to this performance of Alive After Five is $9 for non-members, and $5 for museum members and students. Alive After Five is sponsored by Amica Insurance, Knoxville News Sentinel, Cherokee Distributing Company, East Tennessee Public Television, and WDVX 89.9FM. For more information about the Alive After Five series, please contact Michael Gill at (865) 934-2039.

July 7, 2008 (Knoxville, TN) – The Knoxville Museum of Art announces Chris Molinski as the new associate curator for education, adult programs. Molinski is a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago, and has served the past few years as director and curator at the Art Gallery of Knoxville. He is the founding publisher of a Quarterly Journal of Art and Culture based in Knoxville, and an active member of Knoxville's Downtown Arts District. As both an artist and arts organizer Molinski has participated in exhibits and events at the XV Biennal de Paris, Documenta 12, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.  As a curator, his exhibits have included the work of many internationally renowned artists such as Gordon Matta-Clark, Rineke Dijkstra, Max Neuhaus, and the artist group Superflex. Issue One of the Quarterly Journal is due this summer, featuring work by Cai Guo-Qiang, Olafur Eliasson, the 24hr Nuclear War, and many others. In his new position, Molinski will be responsible for overseeing the docent program, organizing educational events aimed at college-age and adult audiences, developing new strategies for gallery interpretation including electronic media, and assisting with the museum's Collectors Circle. The Knoxville Museum of Art The Knoxville Museum of Art serves East Tennessee with outstanding exhibitions and educational programs. The museum is located in downtown Knoxville at 1050 World's Fair Park and is open to the public Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 10 am – 5 pm, Friday 10 am – 8 pm, and Sunday 1 pm–5 pm.  Parking is free.  Admission is free now through December 31, 2008. For more information contact Angela Thomas at 865.934.2034 or visit www.knoxart.org.