Erin Leland's Senior Project

Erin Leland's Senior Project
Location: Fluorescent Gallery


This art show was nothing like what I expected. It was Erin Leland's senior project, which is a requirement for her major, College Scholars. I had very high expectations for the project, and overall I must admit that I was disappointed.

The Fluorescent Gallery itself was in no way a disappointment. I actually found the gallery to be a much nicer set up than I expected. This was my first visit to the Fluorescent Gallery, and all that I knew prior to this visit was that it was situated in a somewhat sketchy part of town. But I'm glad I ventured a little farther north on Central and made it to the Fluorescent Gallery.

The Fluorescent Gallery is in the upstairs of an old building. It's easy to spot from the road, which was good since I had never visited the gallery before. I also brought a friend with me because I didn't feel comfortable driving out to that part of town alone. That is one disadvantage of the Fluorescent Gallery. If there were an opening there on a Friday night, I would not feel comfortable visiting it unless I had someone accompanying me. But normally I don't go to art shows alone, so really it wouldn't be a very big problem. Once you enter the front door, you ascend a stairwell to the second floor. This is where the gallery is actually located. The gallery was much larger than I expected it to be. The room was open, with ample wall space and gallery lighting. It provided a great setting for the art show. The presentation of the show was excellent, due mainly to the spacious design of the gallery.


The show itself was uncomfortable and in my opinion not that great. The entire show consisted of large photographs of Erin's face. The pictures were harsh and made me uncomfortable. The majority of them showed her picking her pimples. These self portraits were supposed to tell some sort of narrative, but they altogether failed to do that for me. As I quickly walked around the room looking at each photograph, I couldn't help but think about how none of the photos really looked like they required much skill to make. I think that is the main reason why I was disappointed in this show. I had really high expectations for Erin Leland, and I'm sure that she has some work that I would find far more interesting. However, I don't believe that this particular show expressed her real artistic skill nor do I believe that any of the photographs possessed true artistic merit. I think true art is something that takes special skills and talent to create. These photographs seemed to require very amateur skills to create.


On the other hand, the size of the photographs and the placement of them on the walls was well done. Erin showed all of the photographs at the same size (about 3 feet wide and 2 feet high). She also displayed them not at the same level around the entire room, but instead in abstract arrangements. I liked how Erin chose to arrange the photographs. The gallery-style lighting also worked well with the arrangement, with each picture accented by a different light.

Although Erin Leland's senior project was nothing like I expected, I am glad that I experienced it. If nothing else, at least I finally visited the Fluorescent Gallery. Although Erin's presentation of her photography was excellent, it was the content of her photography which left me dissatisfied and ultimately disappointed.

Max Patch...Really Cool But Really Cold

Max Patch
Location: North Carolina off exit 7 of Interstate 40


Max Patch is an amazing place to visit in North Carolina. This mountaintop bald offers breathtaking views of the Smoky Mountain landscape that surrounds it. Only an hour and a half away from Knoxville, this beautiful mountaintop is well worth the drive.

I was personally very impressed by Max Patch. At first I was a bit hesitant about our adventure into the mountains. The only directions I could find to Max Patch were from other hikers, but I couldn't find directions from any national park or national forest websites. This made me a bit nervous. Also, the directions indicated that a few hundred feet after exiting the interstate we would be continuing our journey down a dirt road. This sounded a bit sketchy to me...and reminded me of a horror movie involving inbred, cannibalistic mountain men that I saw in high school. Luckily, my experience at Max Patch was nothing like what I saw in that movie.

One of the first things I was impressed by was how well the roads were labeled, despite being dirt roads. My directions indicated that the dirt road would fork and I would need to keep left. I envisioned this turn in our journey being badly labeled and quite confusing. Instead it was just the opposite. All along the dirt road, there were plenty of adequate wooden signs indicating that we were heading in the right direction. And when we reached the fork in the road, the signs were so clear and informative that there was not a doubt in my mind as I veered left at the fork. The directions I had printed off the internet also turned out to be extremely helpful and accurate. They even gave the approximate distances we would travel before reaching the fork and then continuing down the next road towards Max Patch. It was really almost impossible to miss Max Patch.

As you approach Max Patch, a nice gravel parking lot appears on the left. This parking lot not only indicates the trail leading to the top of Max Patch, but it also provides ample parking for the visitors of Max Patch. Although made of gravel, the lot was in good condition. It was obvious that the park rangers had not let the condition of the parking area deteriorate. It's always a great start to any hike when the trail can easily be found because of a well-kept parking area. Hikes are just not as enjoyable when you get lost just trying to find the trail head.


The bald itself was absolutely spectacular. You really feel like your on top of the world when you stand up there. Sadly, it was cloudy part of the time we were there, so our panoramic views of the surrounding Smokies were blocked by some heavy cloud coverage sometimes. The views we could see during the breaks in the dense clouds were breathtaking.

It's really nice to retreat from the city for a bit and take some time to just slow down. Places like Max Patch provide an excellent spot to do that. On top of that mountain, the only thing I could hear was wind blowing gustily across the bald. Up there you just stop, breath in the fresh air, and take some time to reflect on things. I think we all need this some time, and I wish I had time to do it more. There's just something peaceful and rejuvenating about spending some quiet time in the middle of nature.

Overall, I give Max Patch two big thumbs up. It's really nice to see that the park services have taken such good care of wonderful natural landmarks like Max Patch. Hopefully they'll keep up the good work so that our parks and national forests can be enjoyed for many generations to come.

Sun Studios...The Birthplace of Rock 'n Roll

Sun Studio
Location: Memphis, TN


Sun Studios was one of the coolest places I've visited in a really long time. Maybe part of the reason I like it so much is because it's something Memphis can be proud of...and we Memphians really can't say that too often. Yes, Memphis is the home of Elvis and blues, but more noticeably it's the home of one of the highest per capita homicide rates in the US and just some crappy city development in general. So to visit a Memphis tourist attraction that I can claim proudly is truly a happy moment for me.




From the outside, Sun Studio doesn't really look like much. It's just a little building on Union Avenue that I passed many times on my way home from downtown. I knew it was famous, and I knew you could tour it, but visiting it had just never been a priority on my list. It was actually my little brother who prompted me to visit Sun Studio. We wanted to have a little bit of brother/sister bonding time, and my mom suggested we go visit Sun Studio together. And thus began a very wonderful museum experience.

When you walk into Sun Studio, you don't actually walk into the studio or a museum-like lobby, but instead a quaint diner...souvenir shop included. Diner may be a bit of a stretch. The restaurant connected to Sun Studio is more of a gift shop that also serves coffee and sodas. It used to be a restaurant back when Sun Studio first started, and it remains pretty much in it's original form.

As you enter Sun Studio, you walk into this diner/gift shop and purchase your tickets for a guided tour. Tours leave every half hour. My brother and I got there with about 15 minutes to spare before the next tour, but we had no trouble keeping ourselves occupied until our tour started. Between the t-shirts, cds, and Elvis sunglasses, you can keep yourself pretty busy. And when all else failed, my brother and I resorted to an intense round of tic-tac-toe. (Did I mention that my brother's only 11?)

The tour begins in the back of the gift shop, where your friendly guide leads you up a set of stairs to the museum above the diner. Museum is a bit of an overstatement. It's a decently sized room with display cases around the entire perimeter. The guide takes you through each display case, giving you the history behind how Sun Studios started. This was actually really interesting and informative, and it only made the actual studio so much cooler when we finally did get to tour it. Sun Studios is the birthplace of rock n' roll, and it was really exciting to be there where it all started. I learned about Sam Philips, who started the studio, and the many famous musicians who came through that studio including Elvis and Johnny Cash. There was also a copy of a program from one of Elvis's high school talent shows. That was very cool to see.

After you're done with the museum, the guide leads you down a different set of stairs and into the actual studio. The studio has miraculously remained unchanged through the years, despite the fact that Sun Studios didn't occupy the building for a large chunk of time. During the years when the studio was not in existence, there was a scuba shop there instead. Luckily the owners of the scuba shop realized the historical importance of the old studio and didn't change anything about its interior. Thus, you can visit the studio today in its original and authentic state.



In the studio there are markers on the ground designating important spots such as the actual birthplace of rock n' roll...that is, where Elvis stood and recorded his first song. At the end of the tour, they also bring out an 1950s style authentic microphone that you can pose with just like Elvis. There are no roped off areas or display cases in the studio. It is a real, and still functioning studio, which I think makes it even more awesome to visit. Although tours of Sun Studio are offered during the day, at night you can still record there for a rate of $85 an hour. Sun Studio is not only a monument to the history of music but also a place where the future of music is being discovered all the time. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Sun Studio and would recommend it for anyone. Plus, I got a really great t-shirt from it.

Sacred Beauty

Sacred Beauty: A Millennium of Religious Art
Location: McClung Museum


I really liked this exhibit at McClung Museum. I definitely have to say that I was surprised by how impressive of an exhibit this one was. I never expected such a nice exhibition and such a cool variety of artifacts to appear in our humble little McClung. I personally have a love for archaeological artifacts...or anything that seems like something that Indiana Jones would go searching for. Thus, this exhibit tickled my fancy to the utmost extent. The exhibit dealt with artifacts of the five major religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

The exhibit as a whole was set up very nicely. The first thing I noticed upon entering the exhibit was the dramatic lighting used to accent each individual piece. I thought it was well done, with no main overhead lighting and the only light sources being the lights spotlighting each artifact. This created an environment where the lighting was subdued, yet without causing the artifacts to be poorly lit. I think this "mood" lighting also added a reverent atmosphere to the exhibit, which was quite appropriate since the exhibit dealt with religious art.

Also, in relation to the set up of the exhibit, I thought it had a nice overall flow. One thing that was a slight problem for me was initially differentiating between the sections. This was probably due more to me not paying attention than to the exhibit being laid out in a confusing manner. I did really like how the exhibit offered two places to enter or exit. This would definitely alleviate traffic jams that could be caused by school groups. It also gave the entire exhibit a more definite route, so that I as the observer was not worrying about where to begin or go next. Instead I could wander through the exhibit without a care. I also found the dispersement of the display cases to be quite well done. There were enough to keep the exhibit from seeming depressingly empty, but not so many that it looked cluttered or overwhelming. The display cases suspended on the walls were also great because they served their purpose without taking up any useless space.

The exhibit did a great job of giving a general synopsis of each religion and also of describing all of the artifacts. At the start of each section, a lengthy synopsis was given about the religion that section pertained to. I found these descriptions both interesting and really helpful because they greatly helped to clarify the artifacts I later viewed. I like how the synopses gave not only the historical origins of the religions, but also a general description of that religion's basic beliefs. Continuing on, the descriptions provided with each artifact were also extremely helpful and enlightening. They went above and beyond a normal museum description because they told not only what the object was, but also talked about its religious significance and how it was used in its original context. This made each object so much more interesting.

Out of all the sections, the Buddhist and Hindu art were my two favorites. I think this is mainly because those two religions seem to exotic to me. Buddhism and Hinduism are two religions that I know the basics about but don't come in contact with on a regular basis, thus their artifacts are much more intriguing. Plus, I think in a way those artifacts made me want to go watch an Indiana Jones movie.

I also thought that the Christian artifacts were really interesting because they weren't things that one would find in today's American Christian culture. It was like stepping into a different world of Christianity, based around religious dogma and seemingly archaic (and I believe some to be incorrect) beliefs. As a Christian in today's culture, I especially enjoyed viewing relics from the history of my religion.

The Islamic art section was disappointingly scarce. It consisted of a photo of a mosque, a rug, a few manuscripts, and a tile. I was really disappointed with this section because I think Islamic art is really beautiful and interesting. I really wish there had been more to this section of the exhibit, which seemed scantily supplied when compared with the other four sections. But I can see how it would be hard to collect a lot of Islamic art to display in the museum since it seems that a large portion of Islamic art is found in the actual architecture of their religious buildings.

The Judaism section was a good combination of religious artifacts and texts. Seeing as how great a role the law plays in Jewish culture, it was wonderful that there were actual examples of the Torah on display. I especially liked the Torah crown and finials because they expressed how great is the reverence for the word of God in Judaism.

Overall I give this exhibit two thumbs up. I could even see myself going back for a second visit just to enjoy the experience all over again.

First Friday

First Friday
Location: Downtown Knoxville


I'm very sad to say that this was my first time to visit First Friday. I don't know why I have never done it before, because it was great. I'm sad that it was not until my last year of college that I finally started enjoying this wonderful monthly event.



I actually started my First Friday at Holly Lucas' art show titled "Go Sorority!" in the Hoskins Library. It was an interesting show. She used what looked like a combination of print making and water color to create the posters depicting each of the 18 major sororities at UT. I liked the way she placed sorority books in front of the appropriate sorority posters, thus showing the historical documents that were the basis of her artistic interpretation. I also liked her choice of Hoskins Library as the exhibit site...mainly just because I think Hoskins Library is really cool architecturally, but also because the room she displayed in had a nice open feel to it. One thing I didn't like about the exhibit was that there was no general statement describing her thought process behind the entire series nor statements regarding each individual poster and how the elements involved represented that sorority. Although Hoskins provided an adequate space to show this particular series, it would be much harder to display any works that were heavier there, like paintings.

After Holly's show, I headed downtown to enjoy First Friday in all of its glory. One thing I really like about First Friday is the general atmosphere downtown. The place is hoppin' and lively on these days. It's great to see how much of the community comes out to enjoy the art on display.












My favorite exhibition from First Friday was the Shoebox Sculpture at the Downtown Gallery. I think the whole idea of sculptures that can fit in a shoebox is really interesting and unique. Because of the small size of the sculptures, many were able to be displayed in this relatively small gallery space. Another thing I really liked about this exhibition was how the artists statement about his/her sculpture could be found by almost every sculpture. This really added to my experience because it helped me to understand the work of art a little bit better. That little snippet provided a glimpse of the artist and thus helped me to look at the work from a perspective different from my own. I really enjoyed the layout and content of this show.

Boomsday!

Boomsday!
Location: Henley Street Bridge and surrounding areas


Boomsday is one of my absolute favorite things that happens here in Knoxville. Every year, I really look forward to "The Nation's Best Labor Day Fireworks Show," and it never fails to thoroughly entertain me. It really brings out the whole community of Knoxville and provides entertainment that Knoxvillians of every age can enjoy. It has become an annual tradition for me and my friends, and I can honestly say that in recent years I have looked forward to Boomsday more than I have the 4th of July.

Part of the reason I really enjoy Boomsday is because I love to people watch, and Boomsday provides a perfect atmosphere for that. The mix of people attracted to this pyrotechnic extravaganza is really an interesting hodge podge. I could sit off to the side and just watch the crowd go by for hours. Boomsday really attracts a variety of socio-economic levels. While I sit and watch the crowd go by, I can spot a variety of people ranging from rich suburban kids all the way to country hillbillies. It seems rare that you find one event that can attract such a diverse crowd of people. I can honestly think of very few other attractions that would draw in this same crowd. It's refreshing to be at an event that has no particular class association.


I also think that Boomsday is a really well-organized event. Considering the amount of people participating, the city handles all of Boomsday the best that could be expected. One huge factor in a crowd of that size is safety, and the Boomsday organizers make sure that there are enough police officers patrolling to ensure that. Although Boomsday is an excellently pulled-together event, there are some unavoidable setbacks that any major large even is going to face, such as traffic. Even before the fireworks begin, traffic is already backed up, and it only gets worse after the show. Luckily for me and other people living in the vicinity of UT, walking back to your apartment or home is almost always faster than attempting to get anywhere by car right after the fireworks. But the traffic congestion is not due to the poor planning of Boomsday officials. No matter the event, whether a football game or even a concert, traffic is always terrible when large numbers of people are trying to leave an event that took place near campus. The problem lies with the design of the roads in that area. Perhaps this problem could be somewhat alleviated if Boomsday were to relocate, but traffic congestion exists after any big event, no matter the location. Besides, Boomsday's location is perfect. It's purpose is to bring together Knoxville and the surrounding areas, and what better place to do that than in the heart of Knoxville.

The setting for Boomsday is somewhat cramped, although the space that is available is used as efficiently as possible. Vendors are set up all along Neyland Drive, and the fireworks can be seen from any vantage point along this road. One problem with this set up is that Neyland Dr. can get really congested and nearly impossible to even walk down. By about an hour before the show, the crowd has become so dense that there's no way to take a leisurely stroll through the Boomsday festivities. But this problem really can't be avoided, seeing as Neyland Drive can't be widened just for the sake of Boomsday...there's a river in the way on one side and a steep bluff on the other. Thus, the set up for Boomsday is really unchangeable, and they still manage to get the job done in the small area they have.


One really great feature of Boomsday was the more than sufficient amount of port-o-potties provided throughout the festivities. Bathrooms are crucial in any large event setting, especially one where lots of concessions are being sold. The organizers of Boomsday definitely provided plenty of bathrooms, and thus the lines for the port-o-potties were never too long. Although these portable bathrooms can seem a bit unsanitary at times, the area around the port-o-potties remained clean and sanitary throughout the duration of Boomsday. And in true Volunteer fashion, not only were the bathroom facilities ample, they were also appropriately school spirited.

The most essential part of Boomsday is that which the entire event is named for: the fireworks. Not only are they numerous in quantity, they are always immensely entertaining to watch. Shooting the fireworks off the Henley Street Bridge is an excellent planning move. That allows for maximum visibility of the fireworks, with spectators able to watch from both sides of the river. Setting the fireworks to music also adds extra pizazz to the entire spectacle. Although some elements of the firework show remains the same from year to year, the show never ceases to captivate and enthrall the entire audience. Fireworks bring out the little kid in all of us, and thus events like Boomsday will never cease to be a great success.

Unspoken Dialogues

Unspoken Dialogues
Location: Ewing Gallery


I thoroughly enjoyed this exhibition. All of the pieces in the Unspoken Dialogues exhibit related to the theme of visual narratives. This theme really added an interesting twist to the entire exhibit. With a few of the narratives, I felt like the artwork could be a narrative of my own.

The first thing I saw, and my favorite part of the exhibit, was the ABC Book by Avigail Manneberg. I really liked the way she created this artwork by stitching the scenes into fabric. I liked the quaint and crafty quality of needlework, but I also really enjoyed how these scenes were not your typical seen-on-a-pillow-in-your-grandma's-house needlework. The pieces moved out of the world of crafty hobbies and into the realm of fine art. I also really liked this series because I could relate to it so personally. The scenes depicted were very normal, every-day shots from life in Berlin. I spent two weeks last year in Berlin and this previous semester I studied abroad in Germany, so many of the pictures were of things I saw everyday during those two times. I especially liked how she chose to depict mundane objects such as the "Altglascontainer," which is a uniquely shaped container where you recycle glass. These containers are normal to the average German, but to the American exchange student, these funny shaped vessels are new and memorable. Her stitched depiction of this one mundane object brought back a tidal wave of memories which composed a unique narrative all my own.

I also enjoyed the disturbing paintings of Appalachian serpent handlers by Gary Monroe. Although the paintings were really creepy, I think the style he painted them in and the subject matter were extremely interesting. The paintings were based on the style of classical Renaissance religious and mythological art. Thus, the scenes were extremely dramatic and vividly colored. I'm glad he chose to paint them in this style because the dramatic nature of his style only further emphasized the bizarre subject matter of the paintings. Although these paintings were scary and unsettling, I just couldn't turn my eyes away from them.

On a final note, I also really enjoyed the Ewing Gallery in general as an exhibition space. One main feature I like about the gallery is it's convenience for me (since three quarters of my classes are in the Art and Architecture Building) and it's lack of entrance fee. Free is always better for me as a poor college student. I also like the setup of the Ewing Gallery...it's large enough to display a good amount of artwork, but not so large as to overwhelm you. Thus, my entire experience was very nice.