First Friday hosts Dogwood Arts Festival's art exhibitions and award ceremonies

KNOXVILLE -- As part of the Dogwood Arts Festival Knoxville's First Friday on April 6 will usher in four exciting art exhibit openings, all of which will be open from 5-9 p.m.

Art in Public Places showcases "Culture and Nature." Image courtesy of Dogwood Arts

Art in Public Places Knoxville is a monumental installation of large-scale outdoor sculptures by regionally and nationally acclaimed artists. The sculptures enliven downtown Knoxville as well as McGhee Tyson Airport. Awards for the Art in Public Places exhibition will be presented by world-acclaimed sculptor, Allen Peterson. The ceremony will take place at 5:30 p.m. at Nouveau Classics on 128 South Gay Street.

The Regional Fine Art Exhibition showcases the finest artists residing in our region. Progressive emerging and professional artists exhibit their work in a variety of genres to showcase the creativity and talent that our region offers. The exhibition will be at the Emporium Center for Arts and Culture, 100 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The opening reception is from 5-9 p.m. The award ceremony begins at 8 p.m. The Regional Fine Art Exhibition is sponsored by Cope Associates and Mercedes Benz of Knoxville.

The Student Art Exhibition and competition features the creative works of Knoxville's next generation of artists from area schools K-12. Awards and scholarships are presented to encourage further development of these art students' artistic aptitude. The exhibition will be held at the Clayton Center for the Arts, 502 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville, TN. Awards will be presented at 7 p.m. The Student Art Exhibition is sponsored by First Tennessee Foundation.

Dogwood Arts Festival's newest exhibition, NEXUS, is an indoor collection of contemporary sculptures by regional and national artists. Noted performance sculptor and curator, Allen Peterson, presently at SCAD-Atlanta, is the Juror for NEXUS 2012. The ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the U.T. Downtown Gallery, 106 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902.

Published April 4, 2012