August 7–28, 2026 @ Knoxville Arts & Culture Alliance
Join the Arts and Cultur Alliance as it celebrates local artists presenting new exhibitions at The Emporium, Knoxville, Tennessee. The opening celebration is Aug. 7 from 5-9 p.m. Travis Tench performsmusic from 6-9 p.m.Tench is a musician, songwriter, producer atOak Hill Audio, and organizer. He leads the Knoxville-based indie rock bandTinca Tinca, organizes events like live band karaoke, and serves on the board of the Knox Music Coalition.
"Be.Coming / Be.Longing: Tennessee Asianx Artists," curated by Karlota I. Contreras-Koterbay, is in the lower gallery.
"BeComing/BeLonging"explores the materiality of the self in the midst of diaspora, displacement, longing and belonging. Artists in the exhibition represent polyphony of visual voices that provide glimpse on the identities tethered to the notion of Asia and Tennessee, both as linchpins, rather than monoliths. The complex dialogue on identity, becoming and belonging is unshrouded, foregrounding each individuals’ whisperings through creative practices.
The women in this exhibition all have Asian lineage within the embrace of American families, either as second or third generation Asian Americans, immigrants or naturalized professionals, or adopted youths, most are liminal citizens of in-between cultures. The Tennessean artists with Asian lineages features Nuveen Barwari, Sai Clayton, Sepideh Dashti, Tao Huang, Mable Ni, Sisavanh Phouthavong, Katie Wester and Meng Cheng Collective's Thandi Cai, Lili Nacht and Yidan Zeng.
The public is invited to meet some of the artists and curator during the opening reception Aug. 7, from 5 to 9 p.m., with reading by Meng Cheng Collective from their recent publication "Jia Pu: Cooking Our Way Home" at 5:30 p.m.
Contreras-Koterbayis the director of East Tennessee State University's Tipton-Ashe & Slocumb Galleries and curates and juries exhibitions nationwide and abroad. She received her B.A degree in anthropology and M.A.art history from University of the Philippines- Diliman. She is member of IKT International Association of Contemporary Art Curators, International Council of Museums, Southeastern College Art Conference. Contreras-Koterbay is a recipient of ETSU's Outstanding Community Service Award and TAM Award of Excellence. She is also co-Director of Crafting Blackness Initiative, a research, publication and exhibition series advancing visibility of Black Craft artists in Tennessee.
2026 Dogwood Regional Exhibitionin the Balcony Gallery
Now in its 18th year, the Dogwood Regional Exhibition is a highly anticipated annual showcase celebrating fine art from both emerging and established artists across our region. Recognized for its diverse and high-caliber selections, the exhibition has become a cornerstone event for Dogwood Arts to celebrate exceptional artistic talent in our community. This year’s exhibition was juried by Julie Lohnes, director and curator of galleries and collections at the University of Tennessee School of Art, ensuring a thoughtfully curated and inspiring collection.
Lohneshas over 20 years of experience directing, curatingand producing visual arts exhibitions and programs at non-profits, private galleriesand academic institutions. Lohnes has an educational background that includes studio art in painting, video, sculptureand installations, as well as studies in art history. Her work history has included executive leadership with for-profit galleries, not-for-profit galleriesand educational institutions. Because Lohnes has a studio art background, she was quick to understand that trusting the artist is critical to planning and curating exhibitions. She says, “I love to see ideas percolating and the palpable energy artists bring to the exhibition environment. When curating exhibitions, I feel it is important to notice the subtleties of how art works speak to each other within the gallery as a whole. I am always seeking out artists that consider the visual arts and current issues, fusing content and formal qualities together.”
Leaving the Pines by Gale Bolducin the Atrium
Bolduc says about the art, "A collection of reflections. I share an unpredictable, uncomfortable, uncertain childhood with all humans. I think we can all agree, though multifaceted, we share a sameness, mine kind of went like this.
"I anxiously waited shivering, hugging my knees, in the pine grove a half mile from my uncomfortable rather dark home. I waited to see the white Beetle Bug – paid for in cash – with a neatly folded wade of bills handed over to the stunned car salesman. My dignified, self-assured mom in her $2 dollar house dress saved every dollar herself, a symbol of determination and strength. There she was
wrapped in her freedom.
"She brought safety to my world, and so it was, I felt safe on her approach to emerge from the needle strewn pine scented grove.Leaving the Pinescreates for me the willingness now, to trust to the safety of myself. I hope you enjoy show and see a bit of your own experience here."
Gale Bolduc
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North Wester Connecticut Community College ASS.
East Tennessee State University BFA
Every Piece Has A Purpose by Twyla & Manuel Martiin the Display Case
Although working in different mediums, Twyla and Manuel (Manny) Marti share a common artistic philosophy: both construct imagery from individually shaped elements, transforming familiar materials into works rich with texture, movement, and meaning.
Twyla's contemporary Fiber Assemblages combine textiles, stitch, paintand found objects into layered interpretations of the natural world. From atmospheric raw edge landscapes to her Forest Lace series, she transforms fabric and treasured materials into tactile works that celebrate memory, place, and discovery.
Manny's Illustrated Glass Mosaics unite the craftsmanship of stained glass with the expressive qualities of painting. Every glass piece is individually cut and shaped before being assembled into compositions where line, color, and form create dynamic visual narratives influenced by architecture, Expressionismand Cubism. Though their materials are different, both artists embrace the belief that beauty is created intentionally—one carefully shaped element at a time. Whether glass or fiber, every component is selected, cut, formed, and placed with purpose, inviting viewers to discover the extraordinary hidden within ordinary materials.
Because, in the end ... every piece has a purpose.
The exhibits are on display from Aug. 7-28.Gallery hours areMonday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m., to 1 p.m., beginning Aug. 22.
Category: Exhibits