The Emporium Center is the hub for arts and culture in Downtown Knoxville. This charming building is worth your time where you'll find studios with resident artists specializing in chalk pastel, watercolor, oil, acrylic, fiber, jewelry, photography, and more. Hours or the weekend include Thursday, March 30, 9 AM – 5 PM; Friday, March 31, 9 AM – 7 PM; Saturday, April 1, 10 AM – 1 PM.
Exhibitions on display:
Beauvais Lyons: Circus Orbis - See to Believe
This exhibition offers a window into a little-known part of Tennessee history. Founded in 1908 by Thaddeus Evergood, Circus Orbis was a regional circus based in Jacksboro, Tennessee that performed in the American South and Midwest for more than 20 years. Curated by Beauvais Lyons, the exhibition includes a selection of lithographs, printed ephemera (including pop-up books and a paper puppet theatre), as well as facsimiles of painted banners. To provide a historic context for the circus, the exhibition includes a series of historic photographs made by Adam Hartstone-Rose from the 1920s and a sampling of circus music.
Modern Quilt Guild: Quilt Show 2023
This new exhibition features a curated collection of quilts from members of Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild and showcases modern elements such as bold colors and prints, high contrast and graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, expansive negative space, and alternate grid work.
Fluid Art by Farhad Naimy
This new exhibition features contemporary and modern painting using different techniques of letting the movement of paints create every piece. All works are presented on gesso wood panels with acrylic paint and finished with resin to enhance the colors.
Bruce Bunting: Paper Frames
Bruce Bunting is a retired automotive engineer and self-taught artist. When he retired and began devoting more time to art, he settled on papermaking because it represents a juxtaposition of equipment, materials, chemistry and art.
Shelia Chesanow: Long Term Parking
When driving down the road in the countryside in Tennessee, it is common to see abandoned beauties on the properties of people who never had the time to keep up with the maintenance of their vehicles. Automotive enthusiasts will be reduced to crying bittersweet tears at the sight of Chesanow's photography of these rusting beauties.
Social Dove is a causal outdoor courtyard with specialty cocktails and small bites from Chef Tim Love's Lonesome Dove. They'll have music on stage during Big Ears weekend including three-piece rock band The Shaydes on Friday, March 31, and vocalist Lauren Arp on Saturday, April 1. Both nights music from 7 PM - 10 PM. Venue opens at 6 PM.
Plus, the art of Back Dough. At the side door on Central St, you'll find fresh late-nigh doughnuts. 8 PM to 12:30 AM, or until sold out. The flavors are top secret until release each evening, but have varied from Creme' Brulee, Buffalo Chicken, and Bourbon Pecan Cheesecake.