The District Gallery

5113 Kingston Pike

Vision of Home:  Recent Works by Kathie Odom

April 11 through May 3

Kathie Odom stands beside featured painting “Bethlehem Road” bearing this caption: “While standing in a country church parking lot located somewhere between Seymour and Walland, I painted this farm. Nestled in the Smokies, light bounced off the barn. Be still my heart!”

The featured artist of the Dogwood Arts Festival, Kathie Odom was on hand at The District Gallery.  Her painting, Sycamore Row, was selected as the 2014 Limited Edition Print.

After graduating from the University of Tennessee, Kathie distinguished herself as a pastel artist in the 1982 Dogwood Arts Festival. But in 2009, she began working in a new medium:  oils.  Her subject matter is influenced by the rural landscapes she loves with nostalgic scenes of barns, sheds, fields, and trees changing with the seasons.  Notes hand written by the artist were posted next to each painting, providing personal insight into what had inspired her to create each painting.

Bennett Galleries

5308 Kingston Pike

Richard Jolley

A Retrospective of Work, Creating Something for Nothing

April 11 through June 28

Attending the Opening Reception at Bennett Galleries: Don Bosch, Richard Jolley (featured artist), Ashley Capps, and Maureen Bosch.

In conjunction with the unveiling of the largest glass installation in the U. S. at the Knoxville Museum of Art — The Cycle of Life, Within the Power of Dreams and the Wonder of Infinity by Richard Jolley — Bennett Galleries opened a retrospective of work revealing the stages of Jolley’s career.

Born in 1952 in Wichita, Kansas, Richard Jolley, now known as a glass master, was raised in Oak Ridge and studied at Tusculum College (Greenville, TN), George Peabody College (Nashville, TN) and Penland School of Crafts (Penland, NC).  Maintaining a glass studio in Knoxville since 1975, Jolley has been heralded around the world for his creativity and unique style.  More than 65 public and private exhibitions and 33 collections boast at least one glass creation by Richard Jolley.  A huge crowd of supporters at Opening Night at Bennett Galleries gathered to talk with the artist about the pieces on display and the upcoming reveal at Knoxville’s Museum of Art.

Fountain City Art Center

213 Hotel Avenue

Foothills Craft Guild Spring Exhibit

April 11 through May 9

Larry Gabbard explains his unusual techniques (adding horse hair and sugar, for example) to create one-of-a kind pottery pieces.

Members of the Foothills Craft Guild were honored guests at the 2nd annual Fountain City Art Exhibit located at the home of the Fountain City Art Center. Works from Foothills members will be on display and on sale through May 9.

Foothills Craft Guild is known for fine craftmanship and unique creations.  Applicants for membership in the guild must reside in Tennessee and submit original work for jurying. On Opening Night of the Foothills Craft Guild Spring Exhibit, members of the guild were on hand to talk to guests and explain the processes used in creating the pieces on display.

A night for art.  A night for crafts.  And an interesting first look at Knoxville’s 2014 artsy side!

The District Gallery: http://thedistrictgallery.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDistrictGallery

Bennett Galleries and Company: http://thedistrictgallery.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BennettGalleries

Fountain City Art Center: http://fountaincityartctr.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fountain-City-Art-Center/166052916742955

Foothills Craft Guild: http://foothillscraftguild.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoothillsCraftGuild

You might enjoy my Pinterest board, “For the love of art.”

Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/rushasams/for-the-love-of-art/

“Duncan Boat Dock” by Janis Wilkey

Anytime art and food are paired for an evening to benefit a worthy recipient, you can count us in!  And so it was that when Knoxville artist Mike Berry emailed an invitation to attend Strata-G Jubilee at the Emporium on June 20th benefiting the Knoxville Area Rescue Ministries (KARM), we didn’t hesitate to take him up on it.

It was an evening of live music, original art, live and silent auctions, assorted wines, and Southern hors d’oeuvres! Most of us frequented the buffet more than once.  And who wouldn’t?  Spicy chicken fingers, barbecue short ribs, candied bacon, country ham biscuits, assorted cheeses, and fruit — all from All-Occasion Catering. (Click here.)

Quite tasty!

Art on easels lined the tables on both sides of the open space at the Emporium for the silent auction, and bidders added their names to the lists.

One of my personal favorites in the silent auction was an oil on canvas entitled Home Grown by Marie Miller.

Artists who donated original creations included Joe Parrott, Kathie Odom, Connie Gaertner, and Mike C. Berry of Knoxville; Wayne Blankenship of Fountain City; and Victoria Pearmain and Janis Wilkey of Chattanooga.

Three artists donating work to the event: Joe Parrott, Connie Gaertner, and Mike Berry

“Sunset at Seaside” by Joe Parrott

In addition, five artists painted live at the event: Joe Parrott, Connie Gaertner, Victoria Pearmain, Kathie Odom, and Mike Berry.  As each painting came up for auction, the artists told of the inspiration for the piece and where it had been created.  (How many times do you get to hear from the actual artists?)  Some of the paintings were quite wet since final strokes were added right before the auctioneer called for the goods!

Artist Kathie Odom painting live at Strata-G Jubilee

Auctioneer Harold Reed kept the audience entertained with his quick wit and uncanny observations about art and what makes people bid!

Artist Mike Berry tells the audience about his painting while auctioneer Harold Reed looks on.

For the live auction, baskets of wine as well as paintings like this beautiful scene by Joe Parrott were on the block.

Bright centerpieces topped the stand-up-height tables where people gathered and talked.

Dan Hurst, President and Founder of Strata-G let me snap this picture next to Victoria Pearmain‘s painting Ginkgo Tree. (We think he’s smiling because this is the first event of its kind — and it’s a hit!)

But he was quick to note that the real work was handled by a lot of others.  Like these three guys: Trevor Zimmerman, David Forehand, and Elliott Barnett. 

Jenny Freeman, Vision Implementation Manager for Strata-G, and Betsy Childs, President of Geothermal Utilities, LLC, had fun visiting with the guests and celebrating the end of a classy benefit that was both fun and artsy!

Jenny Freeman and Betsy Childs celebrate a successful event!

Strata-G is an environmental group with this mission on its website: A veteran owned small business committed to a legacy of environmental and energy stewardship through the successful application of engineering, science, and technology.

This same weekend, the company entered two teams in the Dragon Boat Festival (Click here for info) also benefiting KARM! Good corporate citizens, for sure!

It was a fun night for art and KARM — and we hope we get another email from Mike Berry next year.  After all, what’s not to like about art, good Southern food, and a glass of fine wine with friends?!

Strata-G

2027 Castaic Lane

Knoxville, TN 37932

865.934.3400

Website: http://www.stratag.org

Knox Area Rescue Ministries

418 N. Broadway

Knoxville, TN 37917

865.673.6540

Website: http://www.karm.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Knox-Area-Rescue-Ministries/167989479885270?fref=ts

All-Occasion Catering:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alloccasioncatering