Allen Monsarrat
November 1, 2024 @ Knoxville Arts & Culture Alliance
The Arts & Culture Alliance, Knoxville, Tennessee, presents five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening Friday, Nov.1, from 5-9p.m. As part of a special First Friday Block Party sponsored by the Alliance and City of Knoxville, the free gathering with exhibiting artists also features nearly 20 artist vendors and live music with Robinella outside along the 100 Block of Gay Street, which will be open to pedestrians only from 4-10 p.m., between Jackson and Vine avenues. Inside the Emporium, music is provided by Too Easy (Rachelle and Kenneth Navy).
A Dog, a Pig, and a Possum Walk into an Art Galleryin the lower gallery
This new exhibition features artwork by Beka Addison-Browder, John Hilton, Michelle O’Patick-Ollis and Ralph Slatton. Their diverse array of artistic expressions includes intaglio, relief and screen printing, and drawing, which the four artists use to convey a shared fascination of animal imagery. Their creations are like mirrors, reflecting their lives, dilemmas and journeys. They invite viewers to engage with their own identities, to reflect on the human conditionand to discover the beauty that exists within the interplay of humor, darknessand imagination.
Ralph Slatton uses the process of intaglio to delve into the realms of humorous animals and sinister creatures, and John Hilton uses drawing media and woodcut processes to create fictitious human/animal hybrids. Both artists use veiled disguises to express profound messages about human identity and the human condition. Beka Addison-Browder and Michelle O’Patick-Ollis create imagery with a feminine touch, depicting flora and fauna. Addison-Browder draws inspiration from the flora and fauna of Appalachia and its heritage handicrafts, using screen and block printing processes on fabric in conjunction with various sewing skills. O-Patick-Ollis is inspired by online personality tests that pair individuals with an animal profile that resonates with their unique traits, and she uses printmaking and drawing processes to create imagery where animals symbolize the essence of their human counterparts.
Read more about the artists athttps://www.knoxalliance.com/animalimagery.
John Edwin May: Judgmental INKin the upper gallery
John Edwin May has documented people with "ink", creating beautiful portraits and photographs of their favorite tattoos. When exhibited, an outer quad of large monochromatic portraits is displayed with four smaller interior color images of tattoos. Viewers are encouraged to guess which tattoo belongs to the correct owner. May hopes that the process of making assumptions that sometimes prove incorrect will help us all to be more accepting of one another. “Years ago, in the development of the project, the world was a calmer place,” he says. “Today, many people are on edge, and it seems we cannot discuss religion, politics, medical beliefsand more without causing hurt or enticing anger.”
His exhibition includes QR codes that link the viewer to which tattoo correctly matches with each portrait. Some of the portraits’ QR codes will also include short, documented stories about the tattoos. For an example, visithttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkLqJUYnErc.
John Edwin May is a photographer located in Knoxville. He studied photography at Lincoln Memorial University, University of South Carolinaand East Tennessee State University, where he earned his MFA in 2010. He has held teaching posts at Pellissippi State Community College, Lincoln Memorial University, Walters State Community College, East Tennessee State Universityand Arrowmont School of Art. An avid workshop participant, he has studied with Marsha Burns, Mark Goodman, Tim Grey, Christopher James, Brian Kaufman, Mary Ellen Mark, John Sexton, Craig Stevensand Joyce Tenneson. May’s photographic work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. Prior toJudgmental Ink,his interest included photographing small-town wrestling venues with their constructed realities. HisRINGSIDEseries was named as one of PhotoLucida’s 200 Critical Mass Finalists in 2022. Some of the images inJudgmental Inkpremiered in 2023 at Walters State Community College, Morristown.
www.johnemay.net
Instagram @amayzn1
Pastel Works by Allen Monsarratin the display case
Allen Monsarrat’s college education began with three years of training in architecture and concluded with his BFA (concentration in pottery). His first art career was as a studio potter for 25 years, followed by careers in decorative wall finishes, faux painting and the occasional mural project. Studyingtrompe l’oiel(fool the eye) imagery with French master artist Michel Nadai nurtured his interest in creating representational art. In 2009 he turned his attention to fine art painting in oils, concentrating on photorealism – paintings intended to look like photographs.
"I am drawn to representational art and enjoy the problem-solving required to depict various surfaces in paint: stone, pastures, foliage, water, sky, etc. Working from photographs allows me to carefully design my composition as well as control the value range of lights to darks. Once these are established, color comes into play. In early 2024, I started using soft pastels as a means of interpreting scenes, and my art has become more expressive, revealing the marks that build an image. Pastel sticks, made of powdered pigment and binder much like a crayon, are clunky to use but allow me to achieve a range of effects, from delicate and subtle to bold and expressive," he says.
www.monsarratart.com
Dennis Sabo: Aquaon the North Wall
"For much of my photographic journey, I've been captivated by water. From the serene backyard creeks of Tennessee to the vibrant and exotic oceans around the world, water has always been my muse. In this selective exhibition, I invite viewers to immerse themselves in the feel, scent, colors, textures, and patterns of various waterscapes. Yes, even our own local seascapes are part of this enchanting experience. Breathe in the sea air, let it lift your spirits, and lose yourself in the beauty of my "Aqua" Gallery," he says.
Dennis Sabo, a Tellico Village resident, is an internationally award-winning photographer specializing in contemporary fine art abstract, landscapeand seascape photography. His painterly and emotionally charged photographs are reminiscent of the best works of art by the legendary Impressionists while capturing light and its effect on the landscape with a contemporary vibrancy and energy. Much of his nature photography is a microcosm, a photographic story that transcends geography regardless of where the collector lives. His award-winning work has appeared in various publications and institutions. His art has been featured in NOVA, Blue Planet, National Geographic, Canon USA, and the Anthology of Appalachian Photographers. Sabo recently juried into the prestigious, inaugural 2024 International Visionary Awards, Canada, for his story collection, “A Pond Kaleidoscope” based on the Tarn marshes in the Acadia National Park, Maine. Locally, his work has recently been seen in Dogwood Arts’ Regional Exhibitions, Arts in the Airport, and the National Juried Exhibition at the Emporium. His fine art has been included in solo and group gallery exhibitions, commercial installations and private home collections throughout the U.S. and internationally.
www.dsabophoto.com
Greg Lach: Pixel Paintingin the Atrium
Greg Lach was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,and his artistic philosophy formed at Canevin High School with classes at Carnegie Mellon and the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. He was taught that all artists should be photographers and all photographers artists, an outlook reflected in his work today. He received his BFA from the University of Dayton after attending the Dayton Art Institute and working for H&H Art Studios of Dayton. He opened his own photography studio in the late 1970s and continued to paint in watercolor and acrylic; he actively participated in the Dayton Society of Painters & Sculptors, Professional Photographers of Southwest Ohio and Professional Photographers of Ohio. Through his affiliation with the Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville, Lach has exhibited in numerous shows, fairs and exhibitions around the country. He currently resides in Seymour.
Lach continues his artistic growth by embracing digital photography and pixel painting. He combines traditional watercolor paintings with digital manipulation to create a unique image, inviting the viewer to wonder where the brush stroke ends and the photograph begins.
The exhibitions are on display Nov. 1-30, at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, Tennessee. The Emporium is open to the public Monday through Friday, 9a.m. to 5 p.m.and Saturday, 10 a.m. to1:00 p.m. The Emporium will be closed Wednesday-Friday, November 27-29, for the holidays.Most of the works on exhibition are for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop athttps://www.knoxalliance.store. For more information, seehttps://www.knoxalliance.comor call (865) 523-7543.
Category: Exhibits