How To Become An Abstract Artist – The depth of layers
This presentation is my personal journey on how I became an abstract artist. I will introduce my favorite practices and tools as I describe my techniques that lead me to emerse myself in abstract art. I went from designing interiors in commercial spaces where every measurement was exact to being free to express myself without having to stay in between the lines. A blank canvas doesn’t frighten me, it’s an invitation to provide a voice.
Artist Bio:
As long as I can remember designing, creating and loving all forms of art was encouraged by my family. My mother was instrumental in enticing me to not shy away from trying something new, whether it was pottery, sewing, macramé, drawing or painting, it was natural to create throughout my childhood. This sense of creating led me to pursue a career in interior design. Practicing commercial interior design for over 25 years proved inspirational, it heightened my sense of color, shapes and balance: each playing a significant role in spaces I created.
As exciting as the world of design was, it didn’t satisfy my need for self-expression. Luckly, due to my mother, she once again encouraged me to take an abstract painting workshop 20 years ago. It was then I was able to fill that void of self-expression from interior design through abstract compositions. Abstract painting became a conduit to share my feelings, emotions and senses while creating…then seeing those gestural expressions blend with the depth of colors come alive on canvas even sometimes surprises me. I never tire of wondering what might come next and trying something new.
Wildlife Photography – Artistic Photography of Wildlife from around the World
Jan Muir has been creating intimate portraits of wildlife in remote locations. She will share her art, favorite locations, adventure stories, and some simple tips to bring your own photographic vision to life.
Artist Bio: On the Edge of Wild
From the glitter of Las Vegas to the whispers of the Smoky Mountains, my art travels between urban pulse and serene wild song. My experiences touch each artwork and become a testament to the cultural vibrancy and untamed beauty that inspire me. From remote glaciers to bustling foreign festivals, each experience adds a vibrant thread to my artistic tapestry. Through my art, I strive to connect each of us to the majesty of nature and the diversity of culture, to ignite a passion for preserving our planet’s uniqueness and wonder.
Nature is my constant muse. It whispers to me, and I translate its voice into visual stories using photos, glass, ceramics, and paint. Each medium, in different ways, allows me to express the awe, the fragility, the resilience of our planet. My artwork is always evolving and experimentation is my companion. Molten glass is coaxed into swirling orbs and becomes a frozen echo of sunlit waves crashing on distant shores. Clay, my ancient teacher, whispers stories of mountain ranges weathered by the winds of time, each crack and crevice a testament to resilience and beauty. Pigments, vibrant emissaries from faraway bazaars, remind me of the uniqueness and fragility of our shared humanity. Through these diverse mediums, I strive not only to capture the awe-inspiring grandeur of nature but also to ignite a sense of compassion, a call to protect the wild spaces that sustain us all. Each piece invites you to walk with me, to step beyond the familiar and embrace the exquisite dance of wonder that unfolds around us each and every day.
I invite you to step closer to both listen to the whispers of nature, and to see the vibrant cultural threads that weave us all together. Welcome to my journey. Please walk with me.
Art guild member Judy Lavoie will present the unique art medium of scratchboarding. While showing the process from start-to-finish, Judy will share basic techniques, simple tools, and oodles of tips she has learned during her years of creating scratchboard art.
Judy will teach how create a Wolf on scratchboard and share examples of her own work. Learn about the unusual characteristics of this medium and how you can use it for your own artwork. Don’t miss a chance to win one of ten scratchboard kits from Judy too! See Judy’s art at https://judylavoieart.com.
Artist Bio:
Judy Lavoie has been creating art for as long as she can remember. As a watercolor painter since 1980, she has earned signature member status in several watercolor societies, received numerous top awards for her art, been featured in “Splash” and other art magazines, and has had her artwork juried into countless shows. Several years ago, Judy’s scratchboard artwork earned her membership into the International Society of Scratchboard Artists, and she has won major awards for her scratchboards in their prestigious exhibitions. Judy is also an Ampersand Ambassador, representing the Texas company which manufactures her favorite scratchboard panels and accessories. She is a natural teacher and enjoys sharing her art knowledge, experience and passion for art to help inspire others.
The Art of Inquiry – How Asking a More Beautiful Question Becomes More Beautiful Art
Through my work, I invite viewers to reflect on their own stories. Each canvas serves as a mirror, reflecting the wonder of our connection with God and with one another. In a culture that often shares mostly its curated “perfection”, my art, with its history of marks called palimpsest, can often shift the atmosphere of a space, just by being there. I did not begin my art practice until nearly 50 years old, so I am a passionate advocate for what I call a “middle kindling” – it is never too late to make physical things in the physical world for the good of our neighbors.
In this talk, Sheila Atchley explores the often-overlooked power of asking meaningful questions in the creative process. Drawing from personal experiences and her own art, Sheila demonstrates how inquiry can overcome creative blocks, and infuse your work (on canvas or in private art journals) with authenticity. Attendees will hear how to incorporate reflective questioning into their routines and discover how this transformative practice can elevate their art. Whether you are a seasoned artist, or just beginning, this presentation will leave you with fresh perspectives and actionable insight into your own creative practice.
Artist Bio: FOR SHEILA ATCHLEY, it all begins with an idea.
And then, she has to make. If the making involves anything from a large, commissioned canvas, to a page in her art journal, she picks up the paintbrush. If the making involves writing a blog post or book proposal, a caption or a class, she picks up the pen.
Regardless of the medium – words or art – it is important to Sheila to leave a legacy.
Through her work, she invites readers and viewers to reflect on their own stories. Each canvas serves as a mirror, reflecting the wonder of our connection with God and with one another. In a culture that often shares mostly its curated “perfection”, Sheila’s art, with its history of marks called palimpsest, can shift the atmosphere of a space, just by being there.
This artist will remind you that your vulnerabilities are what make you interesting.
She hopes that her work evokes a sense of peace and connection. In a world full of unattainable yet same/same/same ideals, Sheila’s art seeks to remind us that true beauty is practiced, rather than acquired or obtained
Join her on her late-midlife artistic path and celebrate the beauty of this life. Sheila anticipates your discovery of something of your own identity in her work, believing that “her vibe attracts her tribe.” Art resonates. Beauty calls, and beauty answers. Sheila often says “you are an unrepeatable, eternal, living spirit, temporarily lodging inside a human body and your experiences are worth celebrating.” If her pen or her paintbrush inspires you, she hopes you’ll explore further.
Members and guests love this opportunity to learn about new art products, see demonstrations, get free samples and a coupon from the best art store in Knoxville, TN. Go to yourartsupplies.com to learn about their store and art classes.
Jerry’s Artarama is Knoxville’s premiere fine art supply store, carrying a wide selection of professional art supplies, materials, fine artist brands and framing.
Join us as Lois shows some of her work and explains how the Art Guild and its members gave her the confidence to continue this artistic journey. She will also share how art has helped her heal and how it can help you heal.
Artist Statement: My 3D art pieces materialized organically without formal training, allowing my emotions to guide the creative process. Each artwork springs to life through numerous attempts and manipulations, capturing the essence of my journey. I only started doing 3D art pieces at the beginning of 2023. All my work, awards, and pieces for sale have all been created within this short time frame.
Join us to hear an Carl give us an overview of how (and why) he makes big sparkly mixed media mandalas! A mandala is typically composed of circles with repeating symmetrical shapes. They often symbolize balance, harmony, or unity and represent that everything in the universe is connected.
Carl Gombert was born in Brimfield, Ohio in 1959. He started taking painting lessons at the age of 14 with money he earned delivering newspapers. He completed a BFA in Drawing from the University of Akron and an MFA in Painting from Kent State University. He worked as a stagehand before earning a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts at Texas Tech University. He has exhibited in more than 350 exhibitions across the US and abroad and his work is in numerous museum and university collections. Since 1993 he has taught painting, drawing, and art history at Maryville College in Tennessee.
Join us to hear Debbie Alley share her journey as a textile artist, a look into the art of eco-printing and how the process works, and samples of her work.
Debbie is a fiber artist living in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her passion for painting and eco-printing on silk and paper moves her to experiment with color and texture and she finds that her favorite place to create is where nature, science, and artistic expression come together.
Debbie fell in love with fiber arts as a young girl while learning to sew under the artistic eye of my grandmother. She learned to experiment and embrace creativity and push the boundaries with design. She spent many hours selecting fabrics and patterns and putting them together for a design that was unique and beautiful.
Her former creative textile endeavors have included silk painting, quilt design and construction, longarm machine quilting, fabric dyeing, eco-printing, mixed media collage, watercolor, and simple bookbinding. She has professional experience in HR with a focus on digital content development, graphic design, and marketing.
Debbie recently launched her Lifestyle Textiles Collection of beautiful 100% Kona Cotton eco printed and hand dyed. This is the first step in the expansion of her brand into the home interior space and will be including her textile designs for art for home decor.
Her work can be found at:
The District Gallery in Knoxville, Tennessee
Artisan Woodworking and Design Gallery, Knoxville, Tennessee
Have you ever wanted to see what Photoshop is all about? Or maybe you’ve tried Photoshop and threw your hands up in the air?
Join us to see a wide variety of what Adobe Photoshop has to offer. This high-level overview will show examples from watercolor, oil, and impressionistic painting to professionally retouching photographs and combining digital assets to make a masterpiece — all with an unlimited supply of paint and never having to clean a brush!
Future class offerings will be discussed for the Art Guild from Beginning to Intermediate Photoshop, Advanced Photoshop for Artists and Photographers, and Photoshop Fabric and Fashion Design.
Artist Bio: Dan is a member of Professional Photographers of America, Nature First: The Alliance for Responsible Nature Photography, and the Tellico Village Art Guild.
Described as “the Van Gogh of Beach Art” Dan’s lifelong passion has developed with decades of travel, family, and nature photography. His skills have been refined with education by leading photographers from National Geographic Magazine and digital editing techniques by leading instructors, built on hours of experience in the darkroom spanning as far back as the 1970s.
Sharing the inspiration from the intro of Jimmy Buffett’s One Particular Harbor, “La ora te nature” (Long Live Nature), Dan and Tracey support the Sea Turtle Conservancy with their art as sea turtles are one of the leading indicators of the health of our oceans.
Dan’s works have been selected for showings in the southeastern US, ranging from his hometown of Knoxville to Tampa with collectors spanning Seattle to San Francisco, and New York to Key West.
Join us as Marianne Woodside shares her photographs each illustrative of specific subjects, techniques, and creative contexts of her photography. She will introduce topics that include photographing glass, manipulating images, and capturing images during travel. She will also discuss learning in a workshop setting, establishing a body of work (e.g. home place, wildlife, and birds), and establishing partnerships.
Marianne is known for her use of color and light, and her emphasis on creative approaches to digital photography. Embedded throughout the presentation will be themes of surprise, joy, creativity, and learning as Marianne traces the evolution of her work from its beginning to the present date.
Artist Bio: Marianne Woodside was born in 1948. She spent her early years in Orange, Texas. At the age of 17, she moved with her family to the Kuwait City and graduated from the International School of Kuwait in 1966. She then left to attend college at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Subsequently, she received a University Fellowship to study at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, graduating with her Masters in Counseling and Curriculum Studies. This graduation was followed by a move to Blacksburg, Virginia where she studied Counselor Education and graduated with an Ed.D. in 1974. While in Blacksburg, Marianne worked as a school counselor and then assumed an Assistant Professor position in Teacher Education.
Marianne spent the remainder of her professional career holding professorships in Teacher Education, Human Services, and Counselor Education at Virginia Tech, the University of Wyoming, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She also held various administrative positions as Coordinator of Advising and First Year Studies, Executive Assistant to the Chancellor, and Program Coordinator in Human Services and Counselor Education. During Marianne’s career as an academic, she was recognized as an outstanding teacher and researcher. Areas of expertise include human services, case management, supervision, and counselor development. She continues her writing in human services and counseling today.
It was during Marianne’s years in Wyoming that she developed an interest in photography. There, she developed a love for the wide open spaces of the plains and the rugged Rocky Mountain vistas. After her move to Knoxville, she was mystified as how to photograph the flora and fauna of East Tennessee, especially the dense wilderness of the Appalachian Mountains. Today the perplexity has turned to a deep appreciation of the East Tennessee landscape and the photographic opportunities it offers.
During the last ten years, with the encouragement from family and friends, especially photographer Tom Owens, Marianne has expanded her interest in photography and her ideas of artistic expression. Opportunities for travel to such venues as Central America, South America, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Iceland have offered time to capture exotic photographs beyond her daily experiences. And, because of her husband Phil’s willingness to make time for photography (stopping the car at a moment’s notice), Marianne is able to find intriguing subjects close to home. An interest in photographing glass has provided Marianne an additional way of expressing the relationship between man-made objects, nature, light, and color.
Marianne has been fortunate to find support from the Arts and Cultural Alliance and has shown her work at the Emporium Center. Her art has been selected for McGhee Tyson Arts and the Airport exhibit, the Arts & Cultural Alliance National Juried Exhibit, the Knoxville Photo Exhibition, and the Oak Ridge Art Center. She has also shown her work at the Knoxville Golden Roast Coffee Shop, the Knoxville Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Gallery, the Westminster Presbyterian Art Gallery, and Maryville’s Asbury Place.
Photography is an important part of her life. Marianne also spends time writing, playing the guitar, hiking, and traveling. She is devoted to her husband Phil, their three children, Michael, Cathy, and Donna Lee and their respective spouses and significant other and grandchildren. And then, there is, of course, their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Clyde, who resides with Marianne and Phil at Asbury Place in Maryville, Tennessee.
