A1LabArts presents GRIT
March 5–26, 2021 @ Emporium Center for Arts & Culture
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Arts & Culture Alliance presents five new exhibitions at The Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from March 5-26. A free reception with the artists takes place Friday, March 5, from 5-8 p.m.That same evening, enjoy music of Knoxville Opera’s singers with Artistic Director Brian Salesky at the piano outside on Gay Street (weather permitting).
All visitors to the Emporium are required to wear a mask and maintain physical distancing guidelines. 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 atwww.knoxalliance.store.
A1LabArts: GRITin the lower gallery
A1LabArts proudly announces GRIT, its first members' show of 2021, featuring 2-D and 3-D work in a variety of media.In the past 12 months, life has changed for the entire world dramatically. To persist, each person has had to draw upon their inherent grit. Grit changes the softer surfaces it comes in contact with (as does sandpaper). Grit is used as a pigeon digestive aid. Add an “s” and you’ve got a southern staple. It’s fortitude, resolution, courage. When doing strenuous tasks, we grit our teeth. For this particular show, we’re asking members to show us their interpretations of grit.
At the opening reception, a $100 Best of Show and several Honorable Mentions will be announced.
A1LabArts, a Knoxville-based 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1995 by local artists, is dedicated to multi-disciplinary and experimental exploration of contemporary art issues in all media. For more information, visit
www.a1labarts.com
www.facebook.com/A1LabArts
www.instagram.com/a1labarts
New Group Exhibitionin the upper gallery
Seven local artists who are members of the Arts & Culture Alliance present an exhibition of recent works made using a range of media. These artists include:
Betty Bullen– oil and acrylic painting
Geri Forkner– weaving, felting, fiber arts
Jack Retterer– photography
Alex Rifwald– photography
Paula Shahid – paintings
David Smith – woodworking with movement
William Tate – telling stories through collage
Read more about the artists atwww.knoxalliance.com/group-march21
Foothills Craft Guild: Fine Craftsin the display case
Foothills Craft Guild showcases the work of more than 15 artists working in a variety of media such as fiber, wood, stained glass, hand stitched bead art jewelry, clay, leather, glass and more. The artists include Raeus Cannon, Gordon Coker, Greg Downs, Janet Edkins, Lynn Fisher, Gordon Fowler, Larry Gabbard, Vicki Love, Barbara Martocci, Renee Mathies, Sonja Oswalt , Melanie Richards, Ron Smith, Lynnda Tenpenny and Lora Williams.
The Foothills Craft Guild, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization chartered in 1968 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to promote fine crafts by setting high standards of creativity and excellence of execution for a variety of handcrafts; providing demonstrations, scholarships, and education about fine craft for people of all ages; and promoting the sale of fine crafts. FCG is the oldest member craft guild in the State of Tennessee and has earned a reputation nationwide as one of the best in the Southeast region. Their vision is to continue to set standards that encourage artisans to take advantage of new technologies and techniques to design and create works of beauty. They are dedicated to expanding their educational activities about fine crafts and creating strategic partnerships to encourage the continuation of fine craft.
For more information, visitwww.foothillscraftguild.net.
Adam Rowe: Knot Theories: An Exploration of Partial-dimensional Geometryin the Atrium
Knots are continuous lines twisted in such a way to give the illusion of lines overlapping in the same plane. Using a formalized system of knot creation, the artwork here represents knots in multiple "in-between" dimensions in three categories, each based on a partial dimension:
1) unicursal, self-contained lines which appear to overlap on two-dimensional surfaces
2) tiled surfaces of regular polyhedra
3) elements of non-orientable surface segments
Adam Rowe is a Knoxville native with a background in print and screen design. He enjoys looking at art in terms of visual problem solving, with a fine arts approach to graphic design. For more information, visit
www.adamrowe.com
www.instagram.com/adamrowemusic
www.facebook.com/adamrowemusic
https://ello.co/adamrowe
Ephemerality: Works by Charlotte Brindleyon the North Wall
"Beauty can be both resplendent and macabre. I see the goodness of the world, but I also see the darkness. Tragedy and beauty are complimentary enigmas. I hearken back to the Gothic and Italian Renaissance eras of art history for my creations. In some of my paintings, I create works inspired by the tiny pages of illuminated manuscripts on a large scale. Other pieces are more straightforward and symbolic. By breathing life into the illuminated pages of the ancient past, I find inspiration to explore the realms of my imagination. Times long gone by are as familiar as the present.
"My work explores themes of injustice, impermanence, and depravity, but also passion, joy, and what is beautiful beyond words. In the end, my works are an extension of myself and how I see the world around me,” she says.
Charlotte Brindley was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and recently moved to the Knoxville area. She received her B.A. in art history and M.A. in folk studies/historic preservation from Western Kentucky University. A love for art, history, architecture and cultural heritage prompted Charlotte to pursue her multiple degrees. She has worked at museums such as the Kentucky Museum in Bowling Green, the Hermitage in Nashville, and now Rose Center Council for the Arts in Morristown. A person with various interests, on a day off you’ll find Brindley exploring abandoned old houses, reading about ancient cultures, making historical costumes, watching old movies and historical dramas, hiking in the Smoky Mountains, or trying teas from around the world. For more information, visit
www.instagram.com/charlotte.artist.lady
www.facebook.com/charlotte.brindley.artist
https://charlottejbrindley.wixsite.com/artist
The exhibitions are on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. The Emporium is open to the public Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors are required to wear masks and refrain from eating or drinking in the galleries.For more information, seewww.knoxalliance.comor call (865) 523-7543.
Category: Exhibits
