(Today’s article is by Inside of Knoxville Intern, Alexa-Marie Melendez. Her adventures are from March first Friday. The exhibitions she visited remain available for your pleasure — art doesn’t just happen on First Friday!)
I moved to Knoxville in the fall of 2020, but I did not learn much about the community until 2022. Living through COVID-19 and mapping out life post-pandemic contributed to those missed opportunities. Now, I feel I can immerse myself in Knoxville, and learn more about this city and the communities thriving here.
I moved here in 2020, but March 1, 2023, was the first time I participated in Knoxville’s First Friday ArtWalk. Many of you know about First Friday and join in the festivities, but for those of you who may not, I hope this experience will encourage you to get involved in April.
I struggled with finding my starting point, there are so many different galleries, local artists, live music, and artisans! Eventually, I settled on Dogwood Arts, a beacon for the art community, sitting right between all the action happening on Gay Street and Emory Place. Confident in my decision, I scurried off, hoping for no rainfall that evening ( I forgot an umbrella).
Dogwood Arts
LaKesha Y. Lee is a multidisciplinary artist whose work blends several practices to “create a safe space for uncomfortable conversations” (Lee). Lee received her Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Alabama, Birmingham in 2019 and is a MFA student in Painting and Drawing at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. For First Friday, Lee partnered with The Bottom at Dogwood Arts, curating the Gifted & Black: A Cultural Expression Exhibition (March 1 – April 15). I spoke with Dogwood’s Visual Arts Program Manager, Emily Curran, and Marketing & Creative Director, Shannon Herron.
Emily approached me with a smile and shared about their partnership with The Bottom, and their excitement to be working with the nonprofit cultural organization.
We were excited to work with The Bottom and give them a presence downtown because I think a lot of people have never had the opportunity to visit their space, and they do such incredible work for the community . . . They were there and we had our first conversation with them. We are trying to initiate a few other projects with them, including a couple of murals. We are trying to build relationships with other community organizations. I think that it makes everyone better and unites the community in a more meaningful way.
The exhibition includes the work of ten artists, including Lee herself, as well as a pop-up for The Bottom, where participants can learn more about the organization, and purchase books and merchandise. Shannon pointed out the pop-up connects well to the exhibit at Downtown Gallery on Gay Street, … which aligns really well with the show at UT Downtown Gallery this month, highlighting the poetry of Nikki Giovanni. The Bottom has a lot of Nikki’s poetry books here as well and we are hoping people get inspired by her work there and purchase books here.”
A part of Dogwood Arts for six years and a Knoxville native, Shannon shared with me about the great change happening to the art district. “I started at UT in 2008, and at that time there wasn’t a lot going on downtown. So it’s been cool over the past 15 years or so to see the progress of downtown and all of the different opportunities for artists and galleries. Especially in the Old City, it’s really blown up and it’s become the art district of Knoxville.”
I asked Shannon if he had any suggestions for a first-timer’s ArtWalk experience, and he pointed to the colorful flag outside the door. These flags help participants know which locations are participating in First Friday.
One highlight from the recent USA Today recognition of Knoxville’s Art District caught my eye, as it mentioned an international presence in Knoxville. I found this bizarre, but Emily and Shannon, informed me of Lilienthal Gallery in Emory Place, speaking highly of Ilana Lilienthal, owner of Lilienthal Gallery, and the amazing artist in her current exhibition, Yigal Ozeri.
Lilienthal Gallery
Yigal Ozeri is a renowned New York-based Israeli artist who has been exhibited in twenty-five galleries around the world, and now for the first time in Knoxville. When I entered the Lilienthal Gallery, I was mesmerized by photorealist oil paintings and the elegantly dressed party inside— black tie. I looked at my outfit, a hoodie and sneakers. I learned right away First Friday is an event you want to look nice for.
I stood out, but regardless I learned about Ozeri’s work and I met a lovely lady in red. Kelly Ferguson is the gallery director at Lilienthal, and she shared about Ozeri’s art, pointing out his attention to detail while applying abstract and expressionistic techniques. Ozeri’s photorealism is unique, expressing a connection between a high-definition world and fantasy.
I asked her what the major takeaway from the evening is for participants, Kelly explained,” Ozeri is a massive artist to be brought here to Knoxville and he was gracious enough to work with us. That’s definitely part of Lilienthal Gallery’s goal . . . bringing in art that usually would never be here to the region. We want to give the opportunity to more people to see a higher level of artwork.”
Lilienthal is also planning to take local artists international. “When I came to Knoxville in 2010, I looked at galleries and I didn’t see any international or big national presentations. I wanted to add another layer to the art and culture,” Illana shared. Lilienthal is currently working with Dogwood Arts on a “mural alley” project this year. Over the summer Ilana and her team are arranging a “mural alley” with national and international artists behind the gallery, with a street festival set to open on Oct. 4, 2024.
During the show, participants can visit Ilana’s studio and workshop downstairs. Dazzled by both the collected art and the craftsman projects, I understood why the themed attire, and why every component was so special. Hayden King, who helps Ilana with the projects, shared how they constructed the tables and chandeliers upstairs. Purposefully creating furniture that paired with Ozeri’s oil paintings.
“We built the chandelier. Hayden is my assistant he is wonderful, so we created it for the show, and of course, will use it afterwards. I believe life is a theatre, every time I have a different show the gallery looks different,” Ilana explained. Ilana directed me to another wonderful gallery just around the corner in Emory Place and that served as my next stop.
Pivot Point: Fine Art Gallery
The weather looked like rain with gray skies, but stepping into Pivot Point Gallery was like stepping into spring. Florals and vibrant colors filled the space, partnered with handcrafted vases, sculptures, and glass-blown pieces. The bright spirit of the gallery is a reflection of the friendly owners and curators, Faith E. Ferguson, and Donald J. Stoner. Similar to Lilienthal Gallery, Pivot Point opened its doors in the year 2022.
Pivot Point creates a space where art lovers and the community can experience art differently. Originally from Atlanta, GA, Ferguson wanted to bring elements of Atlanta’s art culture to Knoxville. “We didn’t find exactly what we were accustomed to, so we decided to open it”, she shared.
The gallery exhibits an eclectic mix of national, local, and international artists, as well as advanced artists and new artists alike. For March there is a strong presence of florals and expressionistic art styles. However, Pivot Point offers more than a show, they present a chance. Ferguson and Stoner believe art is for everybody, and express this with connoisseurs and novices alike.
“There is art for everyone. That is one of the things we tried really hard to deliver when creating this gallery. We have art that if it’s your very first home, your apartment, or even a college dorm. Art is for everyone, there’s something regardless of price point if it speaks to you it’s going to bring joy to you every time you look at it,” Ferguson said.
There are art pieces marked at $2,000 or more, but Ferguson showed me a piece marked at $135 which, as a college student who hopes to collect art one day, is a big deal. I felt heard. It showed me that Pivot Point not only gives a voice to artists but also understands their clientele, ensuring all art lovers and future collectors have access to fine art.
Crafty Bastard Brewery
I decided to head to the UT Downtown Gallery, but I took the long way up Central because I thought that was the only way (Gay Street and Emory Place connect). Before I left, I stopped at Crafty Bastard Brewery, where I met Crafty Downtown Bar Manager, Stewart Chase. My first time in a brewery, I did not anticipate the raw aesthetic and lively commotion all around me— I loved it.
Chase told me about Crafty Bastard’s involvement with not just the ArtWalk, but also the galleries. The brewery created a wheat beer in partnership with Lilienthal Gallery, using Israeli spices, and one of Ozeri’s pieces from his Americano collection, as the label. Chase shared how the businesses in Emory Place make it a point to support each other when they can.
UT Downtown Gallery (106 S. Gay Street)
UT Downtown Gallery. Luminous, with text-covered walls, the gallery made the evening come to a halt. With the soft singing of Moses Sumney overhead, I felt a more peaceful tone set for the evening. The show first debuted at ETSU for a collection of Black Appalachian artists. In partnership with Dogwood Arts, Kreneshia Rielle’ Whiteside-McGee, the curator, brought, “Ya’ll Don’t Hear Me: The Black Appalacia”, to Knoxville. The exhibition displays the art of twenty-seven, different artists while focusing on five key principles.
“I felt the exhibition needed to be an introduction— learn who we are, and the best way to do that is to learn the principles. I selected five key things that represented who we are which is, family, spirituality, sustainability or land, pride, and labor,” Whiteside-McGee shared.
The exhibition itself usually spans over three galleries, for First Friday Whiteside-McGee had to condense the show for the space, and in doing so made poet and writer Nikki Giovanni the highlight of the show since Knoxville is Giovanni’s hometown. The Knoxville show is designed for Giovanni’s poetry to lead participants through the gallery. The exhibition showcases the music of Moses Sumney, who performed at the Big Ear Music Festival in Knoxville in 2022. Whiteside-McGee shared that she was excited to be partnering with Big Ears, and she will be giving a Curator’s Talk at the festival this year on March 21, 2024, from 6 pm to 8 pm that evening.
The Bottom
Satisfied with my Friday Adventure, I made my way back to where my evening started. Revisiting Dogwood Arts, I found the once-quiet gallery alive and bustling with conversation and laughter. I once again explored the art under the warm lighting overhead, as I traced the left wall I stopped at The Bottom’s pop-up. Operating the pop-up and conversing with participants was Anastasia Williams, Manager of Institutional Relations, and part-time Bookstore Manager at The Bottom. “We had forty titles when we first started back in 2020, now we have over 3,000 titles in the store all Black-affirming titles by Black authors to highlight their importance in literature,” Anastasia shared about the bookstore.
Founded by Dr. Enkeshi El-Amin, the nonprofit’s namesake is the black neighborhood, called The Bottom. Demolished in the 1950s due to urban renewal, Dr. El-Amin and the team are working to reclaim that black space. The organization offers a lot to the surrounding community, hosting events such as Black Creatives Meet Up and Tiny Bookshop Concert Series. The Bottom also offers programs designed for kids and youth to get excited about reading and express themselves through artistic outlets.
“There’s always something going on at The Bottom, our physical space is important to us, but it is also important to us to create partnerships across Knoxville, and that is why we have partnered with Dogwood. To help facilitate this exhibition, with LaKesha as well,” Anastasia shared.
Finally, I talked to Lee about curating the exhibition, and what what it means. Her third curation, Lee started planning for the show in November of last year, reaching out to artists from Knoxville, UT, and from The Bottom. Delighted to share the art with Knoxvillians, and give a spotlight to the artists on display at Dogwood Arts, Lee hopes to encourage others to pursue dreams, and run with the opportunities others and life give them.
Lee’s Warrior Woman is a part of the exhibition, studying the piece, it felt clear and cut, but also if there was something beyond what you saw— almost like an expression of heavy-lifting or carrying.
Check out these exhibitions for the remainder of this month (through June at Lilienthal) or join in First Friday Art Walk in April and find your own adventure!