Participants work on their painting of the Old Oak Tree at the 2024 Old Oak Festival.
April 16 – May 11, 2025 @ Tumbling Creek Cider Company
GREENEVILLE– Two upcoming events atTusculum Universitywill highlight artistic talent within the region and provide an opportunity to paint one of the higher education institution’s landmarks.
Tusculum University’sCenter for the Artsis issuing an open call for people to submit works of arts for potential inclusion in an exhibit for the upcoming Old Oak Festival.People also have an opportunity to paint the iconicOld Oak Tree, which is estimated to be 250-300 years old, Sunday, April 27, at 1 p.m.
The festival is held Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 27, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival is a multi-faceted celebration – from vendors to music to cars to art – that further cements the relationship between the university and the community.
All East Tennessee artists are encouraged to enter works for consideration for the exhibit, and a jury will decide which ones will be shown. People can submit as many as three original works of any medium, and the Center for the Arts must receive them by Wednesday, April 16. Community members can complete the entry form by visitinghttps://bit.ly/42wvGU0. The maximum size for any piece is 48 inches by 60 inches.
Selected works are showcased Thursday, April 24 through Sunday, May 11, in the Clem Allison Art Gallery. The Center for the Artshold a free reception April 24 from 5-7 p.m.in the gallery, which is located inside Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center.
This exhibit has been designed to engage Tusculum students and faculty with their East Tennessee neighbors. It aims to expose everyone to the wonderful, unique art created in Appalachia.The exhibitis one of many examples of collaboration between Tusculum and the community. The university held a similar call in the fall for Greene County residents, which resulted in an exhibit held in early December.
“We are pleased to have another opportunity to celebrate and showcase on campus the excellent work by people in our region,” said Benjamin Conley, assistant professor ofart and designand the gallery’s director. “Having connections with the community is important to the university because of our commitment to civic engagement. Our students also benefit from seeing the styles and subject matter of multiple people, which might help them in their own work as they become career-ready professionals.”
As for the painting of the Old Oak Tree, the cost is $20, which provides all of the materials participants need to complete their painting. Conley will provide overall guidance on painting the tree and then give tips to participants as they perform their work. People of all skill levels are invited to participate in this outdoor event, which is known in art circles as en plein air painting. People can purchase tickets to participate in the painting athttps://www.onthestage.tickets/tusculum-university.
“This will be a relaxing event, which will allow people to focus on one subject and paint it with as much detail as possible and desired,” Conley said. “People will be able to demonstrate their own style and present their perspective of this beloved tree on our campus. Even those who have painted the tree before will find that their viewpoint has possibly changed or that other factors, such as lighting, might be different, enabling them to modify the look. We will have a lot of fun.”
For questions about the open call and the painting event, email Conley atbconley@tusculum.edu.