Art Museum Touring.com (Link...) welcomes the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (Link...) to our site.

Table by Ted Lott: from Arrowmont's the Artists-in-Residence Annual Exhibition in the Atrium and Foyer Gallery through May 17.

Located in Gatlinburg, it is a cultural center to the region, Arrowmont’s one and two week workshops taught by top professionals in their field, attract students from across the United States and abroad. Visit the Arrowmont page on Art Museum Touring.com to see a list of their other current and upcoming exhibitions.

Support your local galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

Nobody else will, either.

In related news, Tom Waits is coming to town, and there are several reports of Elvis sightings on Market Square.

Got tired of waiting for some of the recent "blockbusters" to appear on Amazon/Tivo Unbox and stopped by the Blockbuster store...

here's another example of what a downtown movie theater could offer. but instead, we get this ..

Opening night at Three Flights Up this last Friday was cool. I met a lot of people and had a great time showing my artwork, and watching and listening to people as they examined the pieces at this show. It's so nice to be able to get feedback on my work. I was surprised at how many people knew my work was Fractals. And the highlight of the night was a young lady named Charlie, who asked if my work had been hanging at World Grotto a few years ago, because I had my first show there, and she remembered my work. That made my night.

The Knoxville Museum of Art exhibition Video Art/3 Visions closes May 4. It presents three independent video works that demonstrate the range of expressive and technical possibilities within this thriving art medium. (Link...)

In Going Places Sitting Down (2004), Hiraki Sawa

Jenny Perlin, Peter Sarkisian, and Hiraki Sawa are acknowledged masters of electronic media who approach their materials in distinctly different ways with dramatically different results. Perlin focuses on the effects of sound and editing, Sarkisian on the physical effect of video footage projected onto three-dimensional forms, and Sawa on subtle, poetic imagery linked to childhood and domestic environments. Video Art/3 Visions represents the first time Perlin’s and Sarkisian’s work has been shown in Tennessee.

It is an intriguing show. Hurry and see it before it closes.

Support your local galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

The Frank H. McClung Museum, University of Tennessee joined Art Museum Touring.com today (Link...). Their upcoming exhibition, starting May 17, is "Ancient Bronzes of the Asian Grasslands"

They join the Fayetteville Museum of Art from Fayetteville, NC who joined yesterday. (Link...)

The Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opens its "2008 Members Exhibit" The opening reception on Friday, May 2, from 5-9pm, is free and open to the public, and complimentary hors d'oeuvres will be served. A First Friday event.

Support your local galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

First Friday info around here has been impossible to find. Web sites for the different galleries sometimes aren't updated, even the web site for First Friday by the market square district has zero information, it hasn't been updated in over a year. Being an artist, it's frustrating not to be able to find out who even participates, aside from a few places on Market Square.

So, I took it upon myself to do something. This is the first public announcement of a brand new web site that I've built and launched. Link...

Eventually, it'll have a place for local artists to be listed, as well as the different galleries and businesses that participate.

If there's a business that participates that I don't have listed, please use the contact form Link... and drop me a note with the name, so I can add it. I've googled until I can't see straight, trying to find out who else might be participating, and I find it bizarre that you can't find this info anywhere, so I took it upon myself to put this site together.

Eventually, this town will finally have one place with everything you need to know about First Friday- galleries, as well as artists in the area.

Spread the word- Link...

Just picked up the post card for the upcoming show:

If you're out and about on First Friday in May, I'll be showing at Three Flights Up. I've got a lot of brand new pieces that will be on display and for sale. I've also got a large selection of matted and sleeved pieces that will also be available, all very reasonably priced I might add.

Here's a sneak peek at the pieces on exhibit in May.
Link...

This will be my first opening in a real gallery, so if you're out on First Friday, stop in and see my latest work, and introduce yourself. I'm easy to spot in a crowd, I'm the tall, dark, and goofy looking guy.

I hope to see you there!

Steve Lareau
Unquiet Visions

The University of Tennessee Ewing Gallery will host 3 MFA thesis exhibitions from April 18-24, 2008. On view will be works by the following Master of Fine Arts candidates:

Barron Hall, Sculpture: Now
Preston Proffitt, Media Arts: Welcome to the Illusion
Sarah Shebaro, Printmaking: Samples, Loops, Remixes

Visit the Ewing page on Art Museum Touring.com (Link...)

Support Your Local Galleries and Museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

I was really pleased this morning to find an interview with Julie and Kevin posted on Design Sponge, a fantastic blog that covers artists and designers from around the world.

The University of Tennessee Ewing Gallery will host 3 MFA thesis exhibitions from April 18-24, 2008. On view will be works by the following Master of Fine Arts candidates:

Barron Hall, Sculpture: Now
Preston Proffitt, Media Arts: Welcome to the Illusion
Sarah Shebaro, Printmaking: Samples, Loops, Remixes

Petroleum Confession: Oil on My Hands, Julie Camarata (from 1st MFA thesis exhibition - current photos not available yet)

There will be a preview reception for the 3 exhibits on April 18, 6-9 PM. For additional information, visit the UT Ewing page on Art Museum Touring.com (Link...). The Ewing Gallery is located at 1715 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus and is open free to the public Monday, 10:00-8; Tuesday-Friday, 10-5; Sunday, 1-4.

The Dogwood Art Exhibition closes today at the Emporium Center (Link...) located in downtown Knoxville.

Support your local galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

Discovery Channel is starting a new season of Deadliest Catch tonight. I'll never bitch about the cost of Alaskan King Crab ever again.

I don't always watch it and when I do it's on the little TV in the office, but I bet I'd need a change of clothes if I saw it in HD on a big screen.

Trivia:

A mixture of Crown Royal, Kalua, and Baileys makes a ___________.

We recently saw American Gangster (the "uncut" version which is too long by about 45 minutes to an hour but great nonetheless because it has Denzel so how could it not be great?).

In one scene, the Vietnam War is over and American Gangster's Southeast Asia drug supply is about to be cut off.

The Southeast Asia drug lord tells American Gangster:

"Quitting while you're ahead is not the same as quitting."

That's some interesting advice, context notwithstanding. Regardless, it's a great movie line.

Announcing that the Allman Bros. will not be able to perform at Bonnaroo this year (or at their legendary Beacon concerts) because Greg Allman is recuperating from an illness, AC Entertainment says:

We’re glad to hear that Gregg’s doing so well and wish him a continuing speedy recovery. And we can’t wait for the Allman Brothers Band join us again at Bonnaroo in the near future! In the meantime, stay tuned for an exciting Bonnaroo announcement coming your way this Thursday, April 17 via ConcertWire.com and Bonnaroo.com.

So, the rumors were true after all? Heh.

(By way of KT)

Knoxville based LAGtv Network is an internet based TV network with international reach.

The brainchild of Shane Latham, LAGtv is a "live internet television station with shows focusing on video games, online tournaments, pro-gamers, casual gamers, product and game reviews."

According to producer and writer Jessie Greene, also of Knoxville, LAGtv broadcasts from its studio in Knoxville. The network’s inaugural broadcast aired on February 1, 2008.

Looking around the site and some of the show archives, the productions are slick and the on-air talent appears to be having a lot of fun even if I don't know what they're talking about most of the time. If you are an XBox 360 fan, I'm sure it will make sense to you and you'll like it.

Apparently gamers can also participate live by way of their XBox 360 video chat and messaging features. Or if your XBox-fu is weak, you can join in the online chat room, send a plain old email, or just call in on the phone. Shows air live every day at 9PM.

LAGtv looks like another high score for Knoxville's reputation as an evolving center for creative broadcast video and internet production. Check it out.

An exhibition featuring artworks by Alexandre Renoir and his ancestor, renowned French Impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir, will open at the Tennessee State Museum on April 15. The exhibit, entitled Strokes of Genius: The Works of Pierre-Auguste & Alexandre Renoir — Art from Private Collections will include not only Alexandre Renoir’s work, and that of his great-grandfather, but seldom seen artwork from the private collections of Pierre-Auguste Renoir and friends. This includes Impressionist work from the great artists of that period — Mary Cassatt, Paul Cezanne, Edouard Manet, Camille Pissarro, and Jean-Fran Raffaelli. See the Tennessee State Museum page on Art Museum Touring.com (Link...

Alexandre will return to Nashville on June 6, where he will be on hand for the final weekend of the Strokes of Genius exhibition, and a walking tour for museum visitors, as well as a workshop for children.

Selected works of the exhibit and works of Alexandre Renoir will be offered for purchase in a private offering on the evening of June 7 and afternoon of June 8.

Support your local galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

World Grotto on Market Square is hosting a benefit concert tonight (Sunday) to raise money towards paying pedal steel player Tom Pryor's hospital bill. (Tom sustained head injuries several weeks ago in a freak accident.) Some of the best musicians in town will be playing. Of course, if we had universal health coverage in this country, the benefit wouldn't be necessary, but ..

Proceedings begin around 7 pm and continue into the night. The Grotto is a non-smoking venue.

I spent much of this morning and early afternoon in Market Square with my Fiancee. Wow! We had such a good time. It started around 10 with breakfast at Trio, then a hand-squeezed lemonade. Golden Girl bought a really nice silver iris pendant made from a spoon handle, and we got some homemade dog biscuits for our pooch. One of my favorite parts of the day was an extended conversation with a couple from Kentucky selling mosaic artwork. They were very nice people, and interesting to talk to. But, hey, that's pretty much the story of our entire festival experience. Good food, good times, good people. I love Knoxville!

The Dogwood Arts Festival on Market Square is being held this week, April 11-13.

My Mother and I went yesterday to beat the crowds and the weather. It was a beautiful day even with the wind.

Good art, good food, good music, good people...

More photos after the break.

Enjoy!

“Cutting Fine, Cutting Deep” (closing April 13), introduces viewers to parallel, complementary worlds of environmentally focused cut-paper art. Visit the University Art Gallery Sewanee page on Art Museum Touring.com. This link takes you directly to their page (Link...).

Cut paper work, Ernst Oppliger

Organized and curated by Sewanee art professor Julie Püttgen, this exhibition showcases five artists from the Swiss Scherenschnitt (“scissor cutting”) tradition together with six contemporary artists working in North America. Drawing from traditional papercutting techniques, these artists create silhouettes, dioramas, stencils, paper lacework, pop-up drawings, and complex symmetrical designs. The resulting narratives present striking contrasts and similarities – from Ernst Oppliger’s profound environmental love affair with Swiss pastoral life, to Humberto Duque’s absurdist figures in dismembered landscapes; from Lane Twitchell’s dense Apocalyptic cities, to Ueli Hofer’s mythical Edens.

Support your area galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

Watching golf can be a little slow. Watching The Masters is different. Normally the course is gorgeous and I believe this year it is the norm.

Through Sunday, April 13.

Trevor Immelman (?) is currently in the lead. Tiger Woods is tied with several others for 22nd place (1 over par).

This just in from the City of Knoxville:

The Dogwood Arts Parade scheduled for 7 p.m., Friday has been postponed due to the threat of severe thunderstorms and possible damaging winds during the evening.

Officials with the Dogwood Arts Festival and the City of Knoxville made the decision after discussions on Friday afternoon.

“This is something we regret but the safety of the participants and the spectators was the most important consideration,” said Mickey Mallonee, the city’s director of special events.

The Dogwood Arts Parade has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, April 25.

The parade will now be the finale of the 48th Dogwood Arts Festival.

The Museum's Annual Benefit Auctions will be held on Wednesday, April 23; Thursday, April 24; and Friday, April 25. The SILENT AUCTION will be held from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday and 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. on Friday in the Newsstand on the 2nd floor of the Executive Inn Convention Center. Different items including fabrics, notions, textile items and quilts will be available each day! Auction details on the National Quilt Museum page on Art Museum Touring.com (Link...)

For the third consecutive year, the Museum will be selling Artcards for Acquisitions! Artcards ranging from bright hues to muted tones in a variety of appliqué, embroidery and assorted designs have been created and donated by quilters from all over the world. These 4" x 6" cards will be sold in the Museum Shop. Proceeds will go to the Acquisitions Fund to help obtain new quilts for the permanent collection.

Support Your Local Galleries and Museums! They are economic engines for your community.

Sherrie

A trade association and a tourism group came up with the Alabama Wine Trail to lure visitors to the state's eight wineries, which produce everything from fruity muscadine and peach wines to more traditional varieties such as merlot and chardonnay.
...
A Baptist leader in neighboring Chilton County said his group opposed plans for a winery there and doesn't like the idea of luring tourists to his home turf or anywhere else in Alabama to imbibe.

Heathens, I say! They're heathens!

Spring has sprung. Daffodils, tulips, redbuds, forsythias, cherry trees, crabapples flox, and so much more in bloom.

The Dogwood Arts Festival has begun.

April 9th - Dogwood trails open
April 11th - Parade
April 11th thru 13th - Festival on Market Square
and more...

Four awards have been presented to local artists as part of the Dogwood Arts Festival 2008 Fine Arts Show. The Best of Show award of $500 was awarded to Melynda Moore Whetsel of Knoxville. You can see a list of all the award winners on the Emporium Center page on Art Museum Touring.com (Link...).

An awards ceremony and public reception will take place on Friday, April 4, from 5-9pm at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville as part of First Friday activities and will feature complimentary hors d?oeuvres catered by The Lunchbox. The show will be on exhibit April 4-18.

Support your local galleries and museums! They are economic engines for your city.

Sherrie

I just got back from Cape Cod again (via Internet, of course). A couple of weeks ago I found this site, a group of bloggers and small town newspapers around the bay.

I can't stay away. I've discovered that:

For almost 300 years, the town of Chatham, Mass., could rely on a year-round supply of cod. None have been caught there since January.

John Quincy Adams skinny dipped regularly in the Potomac during his administration. Once he had been dodging a reporter who wanted to interview him about the National Bank. She waited outside the White House one morning and watched him as he went to the river and undressed. When he entered the water she sat on his clothes and bargained for an interview as he stood waist deep in the freezing water. Oh, to have GWB in such a waterballing predicament.

Christy's has 1% milk for $2.99 a gallon.

I got a recipe for elderberry pie.

And this from Cheap Eats:

Life is too cheap for short wine...