"Russian Hat". Art by Pat Clapsaddle of Sharps Chapel.

"Night of Wonders" oil painting by Marta Goebel-Pietrasz of Oak Ridge

KNOXVILLE – The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present "People, Places and Beyond", a new exhibition featuring recent works by Pat Clapsaddle of Sharps Chapel, TN and Marta Goebel-Pietrasz of Oak Ridge, TN. Clapsaddle will exhibit Majolica pottery of the people, flora and fauna where she has lived and visited, and Goebel-Pietrasz will exhibit large, oil paintings with skies, stars, and fairy-tale themes. The exhibition will be displayed in the Emporium Center from October 4-26, 2013. A public reception will take place on Friday, October 4, from 5:00-9:00 PM with chocolate fondue provided by the Melting Pot of Knoxville. The First Friday reception also features music by The Porch Pickers from 6:00-8:00 PM and a Jazz Jam Session hosted by Vance Thompson and Friends in the Black Box Theatre from 7:00-9:00 PM.

Pat Clapsaddle specializes in Majolica pottery which creates a glazed-on painterly surface to her original, handmade and wheel-thrown stacked and altered terra cotta pottery. In effect, she prints, draws and paints on clay forms. Many of her ceramic works are hand built with stamped designs. George Roby, a high school instructor, was the greatest influence on her becoming an art major. His knowledge of pottery and glaze mixing prepared Clapsaddle to receive a BA in Visual Art with an emphasis in Ceramics from the University of Cincinnati. Her greatest clay influences came from Roy Cartwright and Kathy Salchow. She attended a workshop with Paul Soldner who taught her how to alter and manipulate work. Other workshops under the direction of Dee Schaad from the University of Indianapolis, David Gamble of AMACO, and Kelly King and Laura Ross from the Potters Council in Cincinnati have made an impact on Clapsaddle’s current work in form, surface and structure. “When working in clay I become totally absorbed in the handling of the clay,” says Clapsaddle. “I believe art is a continually evolving process. I enjoy the subtle changes and unique qualities that occur in the firing process... each piece takes on its own personality.” For more information, visit www.etsy.com/shop/patclapsaddle.

Marta Goebel-Pietrasz was born in Gdansk, Poland, where she studied at the School of Art in Gdynia and Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, majoring in painting. Her earliest efforts included small comic books about ghosts, animals, and strange creatures. Goebel-Pietrasz’s imaginary world not only survived schooling and formal art courses but has also grown into something new and unexpected. “Although many commissions involve making rather traditional art, exploring imaginary themes remains my favorite activity,” says Goebel-Pietrasz. She has been living in the U.S. since 1995. In 2008, she received a BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in Printmaking from the University of Tennessee’s School of Art in Knoxville. Currently, she teaches a mixed media class at the Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning and is pursuing undergraduate studies in the Psychology Department at UT. For more information, visit www.artmajeur.com/gebmart.

The reception on Friday, October 4, is free and open to the public. "People, Places and Beyond" is on display October 4-26, 2013 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, downtown Knoxville. Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Saturday, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit www.knoxalliance.com.