UT Downtown Gallery

First Friday, a cultural event that takes place the first Friday of most months, is a great opportunity to further explore the many art galleries and shops downtown. Unfortunately, the last thing I usually want to do on a Friday evening is walk around in a small, overcrowded space so the last time I took part in First Friday was about two years ago. The class trip to the UT Downtown Gallery was a nice visit and well overdue.

I was a bit miffed at all of the construction going on, why does every construction job in Knoxville take place at the same time, and it made it very difficult to listen to the lecture. I understand we were, metaphorically, killing two birds with one stone by having a lecture "on the scene", but with the construction and the fact that the other visitors had no problem sticking themselves right in our faces, I would have been able to concentrate better in a less awkwardly positioned space.

The gallery itself is very nice and clean and I have no doubt that Mike Henry, the manager and artist in town, takes great pride in making a visit to the gallery and enjoyable experience. The refreshments were a nice touch, a cool glass of lemonade on a muggy day like it was is definitely a welcome sight. Maybe I am just used to museums that yell at you if you have a drink in the galleries.

UT Downtown Gallery hosts around 12-14 new shows a year, primarily to attract new and returning visitors to the gallery and the current show was a complete collection of Salvador Dali's illustrations of Dante's Divine Comedy, a Renaissance masterpiece by the Florentine writer. He worked on them throughout the 1950's and 1960's, commissioned in 1951 by the Italian Government in celebration of Dante's birthday. When the project became public in 1954, the Italians were of course outraged that a Spanish artist would be commissioned for the illustrations instead of an Italian as Dante is one of their national heroes. The images have been immensely popular ever since and several editions in French and German have been produced in wood block printing. The original water color illustrations have been scattered as they were given as extras for buying the reproduced set before anyone realized that they should be kept together and preserved.

The edition owned by the Ewing Gallery, on temporary loan to the UT Downtown Gallery, is
believed to be a German produced complete set, and it is very rare to see all of the images together. Dali's prints were donated by University of Tennessee alumni Gary Johnson, a 1970 graduate in Engineering; it goes to show that anyone can be interested in art and make very generous donations to institutions. They are quite stunning; though I have never read Dante's Divine Comedy or any of his work, though I fully intend to do so now, I know enough about Classical and Christian mythology to understand the subjects of the illustrations.

My favorite images generally came from the "Paradise" section, as I tend to like pretty things. The Language of the Birds is extremely attention grabbing and dramatic. I love how fluid and expressive Dali was able to use the brush and how the swan seems to dissolve into the paper; it reminds me of Japanese zen painting.

In the "Purgatory"section, Ship of Souls is an eerie echo of doomed souls in purgatory wandering the vast, ghostly water. I was reminded of Hieronymus Bosch's Ship of Fools, c. 1490-1500, a satire of the excesses of the clergy on the brink of the Reformations of Martin Luther. It would be interesting to know if Dali ever saw the painting and if he was influenced by it.

Cerberus is a popular subject of art and myth, even today he is common depicted in video games and cartoons such as Disney's Hercules, 1997. Dali's Cerberus in the "Inferno" section is perhaps one of the most abstract and terrifying representations of the mythical beast I have seen. Seemingly cloaked in shadow, Cerberus is a terrible sight to behold as it rears intimidatingly at the unflinching figure in the lower right corner. I know I would not be as brave!

I learned that the street on which the gallery is located was originally much lower and only fairly recently was elevated to meet the bridge connecting to the rest of downtown and eventually the interstate. It is amazing how engineers are about to make such a dramatic change like that and one can still see the older street from the side. My visit to the UT Downtown Gallery was very enjoyable, except for a few qualms and I really need to check in on it more often.

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art

Over the winter vacation, I visited my mom who currently lives in St. Petersburg, Florida near Tampa. About an hour away in Sarasota is the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and is the State Art Museum of Florida. For a decent price, visitors are allowed access to the sprawling grounds of the Ringling property, as in John Ringling of the Ringling Brothers Circus.

John Ringling invested his money very wisely, venturing in Western Oil, railroad lines, and a little place called Madison Square Garden to name a few. In 1924, John and Mable Ringling began construction on Cà d'Zan, a Venetian inspired mansion positioned on Sarasota Bay and the location of several movies. Like all wealthy individuals, John Ringling began collecting art to decorate his mansion and for the prestige associated with it. By 1925, he hired John Phillips, a New York architect, to build a museum. In his will, John Ringling bequeathed his Sarasota Complex to the State of Florida to become a state museum.

Housing a wide variety of art including Old Masters, Ancient, and Modern Art, to name a few. The museum also features traveling exhibitions ranging from Japanese kimono to Ancient Egyptian artifacts and an intact volume of Description de l'Egypt. As I did not want to be accosted by a tour guide about using cameras in the gallery, I bought a catalogue of the entire gallery for a good price that contains beautiful photos of every painting and artifact in the museum. The photos are much better than any I could have taken so now I try to make it a point to buy the catalogues of the art museums I have visited.

One of the highlights of the collection is the tapestry cartoons for The Triumph of the Eucharist by Peter Paul Rubens, and is the only example of a large-scale cycle by the artist outside of Europe. Truly humongous in size, these cartoons are perfect examples of Ruben's love of dramatic baroque style with plenty of cubby putti and classical symbolism. They really are spectacular to behold and one never really gets the impression of their enormity during art history lectures.

Flipping through my catalogue, I find myself recognize more and more artists, especially after taking two Renaissance art history classes last semester. For example, one painting by Lucas Cranach I, Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg as Saint Jerome, 1520s caught my eye, as everyone wanted to emulate Saint Jerome during the Renaissance. He represented the ultimate scholarly and devout religious figure that educated individuals, such as Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg, sought to emulate. During the Renaissance, patrons not only wanted to obtain paintings of their physical likeness, reflecting the humanist trait to represent things as they are in nature, but to also commission paintings that portrayed their personal morals and beliefs.

Another one of my favorite paintings in the gallery is Meditation by Jean Baptiste Greuze, c. 1780, with original frame. A thoroughly fluffy painting, I am fond of it because it relates to the Ancient Roman Vestal Virgins. A young girl, presumably a Vestal Virgin ponders the meaning of love and wonders if it is really worth the step price she would have to pay if she was caught. If discovered, she would be buried alive while her lover would have been flogged in the forum. Her arm separates two lovebirds, a physical representation of her dilemma.

The museum has a nice collection of ancient art, including black-figure ceramics and an Etruscan mirror. I attended an Archeological Institute of America lecture a few years ago about Etruscan mirrors and learned how rare they are. It is very impressive addition to the Ringling collection and I feel lucky to have seen it. The mirror, entitled Mirror Depicting Dancers, circa 300 B.C.E., depicts maenad, ancient female worshippers of Dionysus and a satyr playing the double pipes. The satyr wears a cloak of phalluses; often associated with the worship of Dionysus as he was, amount other things, considered a fertility god.

There are many masterpieces situated within the villa architecture of the museum. The museum is only one part of the complex; we did not have time to view the Asolo Theater and the Museum of the American Circus. Admittedly, I cannot say that I am too interested in circuses but hopefully there will be many more visits to the Ringling and I will see it some other time. The complex has a beautiful rose garden, situated in a circular pattern around a picturesque gazebo. I am sure that several photographers have taken advantage of the beautiful scenery and that it and the museum, have been the site of many weddings and receptions.

Cà d’Zan, is a gorgeous mansion influence by Venetian architecture and has been featured in films such as Great Expectations, with Gwyneth Paltrow, 1998. My favorite attractions were the beautiful patio that overlooks the Sarasota Bay and a full-sized replica of the Augustus of Prima Porta, believed to have been commissioned by the Emperor around 15 C.E., one of my favorite sculptures of the ancient world. I really think they should put a little café out on the patio; I know I would love an excuse to sit there for a while. After a quick tour of mansion, equally as lovely as it is outside, we caught a shuttle; there are tracks all around the complex, to the visitor’s center complete with gift shop. The Ringling Museum of Art is a great way to spend several weekends as it would take several visits to take in everything.

Tennessee Aquarium

As my boyfriend nor I had visited the Tennessee Aquarium for quite a long time, it seemed the perfect opportunity to make a trip down to Chattanooga. I was pleased to discover that the aquarium is opened until 8 p.m. as neither of us wanted to wake up early in the morning so we would have time to tour the entire complex. We realized that we had forgotten to look up the directions to the museum but that was no problem as there were plenty of signs pointing us in the right direction after we got into Chattanooga.

Located towards the edge of downtown near the river, the Tennessee Aquarium is a very well maintain complex of buildings with restaurants, a picturesque bridge, and various little water areas with sculpture. I was surprised at the amount of children swimming in the water areas and the families that seemed to gather there with no intention of going to the aquarium. From the aquarium you could see them lying on their towels and sunbathing! I suppose the staff is alright with it but some of those areas seemed rather dangerous as they were most likely not intended for little kids to be swimming in and there did not seem to be a lifeguard. I'm sure it is a situation I am not aware of but it seems like a lawsuit just waiting to happen.

Ticket prices were not too bad and there was the option of adding an IMAX movie to the price for five dollars extra. I am glad I went with that option as the Hubble IMAX show was very enjoyable and well worth the extra price.

The aquarium is divided into two different buildings, "Ocean Journey" and "River Journey"; we decided to visit the Ocean section first. After being directed to an escalator we entered the stingray petting room that is my favorite part of any aquarium. This one was unique in that visitors were able to feed shrimp to the stingrays. Feeling adventurous, I gave it a try and was given a piece of shrimp to hold between my fingers. After a little waiting, a stingray took the bait and it was such a weird feeling! Its teeth gave me a little nip and their bodies are so slimy! It was a truly unique experience and I am glad I was brave enough to try it. I have been to a number of aquariums, including Monterrey Bay Aquarium, and have never gotten the opportunity to feed a stingray, only pet them when they flap against the walls of the tank.

A "Butterfly Garden" was the next stop, kind of surprising for an aquarium but something I am interested in. I was really disappointed when the garden at Dolly World was closed because the butterflies would escape or people would steal them. The Tennessee Aquarium has staff members posted at each entrance and throughout the room to ensure that minimal butterflies damage is sustained. It was fun to watch the butterflies flutter around and I would have like to have stayed longer but it was so crowded and humid. After checking to make sure we did not have any stowaways, we moved on to the next escalator.

The next room was dominated by a huge tank that was several stories tall and held sharks, stingrays, and other creatures of the deep. Unfortunately, this is when visitors notice how narrow the hallways and exhibition spaces are and it becomes much harder to actually be able to look at the animals. At the risk of sounding old, I have to say that the children were extremely rude and annoying and their parents did nothing to discourage their behavior, even encouraging it. I know that kids are excited about everything but they really made the visit extremely irritating. I paid for my ticket the same as everyone else yet the other visitors seemed to think that it was perfectly fine to butt right in front of me and not even apologize. Apart from the poor planning by the architect that made navigating around exhibits to be a nightmare, the staff really should consider limiting the amount of families with small children in at a time as they make it impossible for older and well mannered people to actually enjoy the exhibits. Whoever gave the aquarium an award for visitor satisfaction must have gone on a day when no one was there because I felt like I had to rush through the exhibits to avoid being stampeded.

After a dark room full of eerily glowing jellyfish, visitors are directed to an exhibition in conjunction with the Hunter Museum of Art entitled "Jellies: Living Art," that incorporated jellyfish with glass art resembling their floating counterparts. I am quite interested in glass art so this was a pleasant surprise. A later exhibit in the "River Journeys" building compared the shells of turtles, such as the Indian Star Tortoise to the vaulted ceilings of cathedrals. It is an interesting comparison to make as mathematicians have calculated the golden ratio on objects like shells in nature and the architects of the Gothic cathedrals were rediscovering the principle from the Ancient Greeks and Romans. This is an interesting attempt by the museum to attract the art crowd and elevate the status of the aquarium.

The river building was even less well designed than the ocean building. The design is interesting but you have to go up and down a series of escalators, one extremely narrow and claustrophobic; it would be disastrous if it ever broke down with visitors on it. There are plenty of staff members to point you in the right direction but it seems so unnecessarily complicated. The horse sea exhibit was very interesting but again, it was designed with no thought of crowd control at all. There was no clear direction to view the exhibit and no space in which to stand and actually watch the sea horses. A simple solution would be to limit the amount of people into the aquarium at a time, especially families with small children, but I suppose the aquarium just wants your admission fee. When you did get see the creatures, they were so cute! I love how they would zoom around and wrap their tails around plants and hang upside down.

Several of the rooms were meant to look like a wooden trail by a river, hence the name of the building, and was very enjoyable to walk through. While part of the aquarium definitely had a fishy smell, the river sections were more natural and you almost forgot that you were not in a park. Again, the paths could have been planned with much more crowd control consideration. The rest of the building wound around an atrium with narrow, collision inducing gangways, flanked by giant tanks of river creatures, mostly sturgeon as they were featured a lot in the aquarium. I really enjoyed the "Rivers of the World" section, despite the pushy crowds, especially the Japanese section of koi, of which I am very fond.

My trip to the aquarium was fun, my biggest complaint being, of course, the inconsiderate crowds and extremely awkward building design that made it impossible to stop moving without being in someone's way. I think I have already given my suggestions on those problems. My irritation was abated after we saw the Hubble IMAX show as it is truly amazing. We wrapped up the trip with a visit to Red Lobster, which seemed extremely appropriate.

Oak Ridge Children's Museum

The Oak Ridge Children's Museum is located in an old elementary school built in 1943 when the city was "secret"and heavily guarded due to the Manhattan Project. In addition to the rapid building of labs and houses needed for the project, scientists and other government employees would bring their families and public facilities such as schools and shops were needed to assure that employees never needed to leave the city.

The elementary school was converted into a museum in 1970 by the girl scouts and was intended to be a hand-on experience for children. Over the years it has made attempts to become a more intergenerational museum to appeal to more visitors. It was difficult to find and I do not remember seeing any signs from the road pointing in the right direction so unless one knows it is there I doubt anyone would find it. If the museum really wants to attract visitors they should reconsider their advertising.

The museum's collection is comprised of around 20,000 artifacts entirely donated to the museum. Oak Ridge is a very internationally diverse city, as evident from the first exhibits of objects from China, Japan, Africa, and even a stuffed polar bear from Alaska. It then jumps to local artifacts such as several log cabins and even a moonshine distillery stuffed in a corner. The following rooms have titles such as "Grandma's Attic" and feature historical objects that, like the name suggests would be commonplace in a grandmother's attic. While this is a Children's Museum, there really was not much text to read about the artifacts, except for the occasional sheet of copier paper taped to the wall, so you have to take their word for it that the objects in "Knoxville in the 1910's: City and Country Life" are what they claim to be.

The "Oak Ridge Corridor: Difficult Decisions", was the opposite of the previous rooms as it was very text heavy and I cannot imagine any child or adult who would take the time to read all of it. Placing the panels in little niches was a good idea as it allowed visitors to read the text yet did not slow the move of traffic. I especially liked the radio that played the famous speech by President Roosevelt after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was a nice touch as well as the pictures on the panels.

My favorite part of the museum was the exhibition of Ed Westcott photos taken during the Manhattan project when Oak Ridge was a secret city. The addition of furniture, banners, and other souvenirs from the era added a touch of realism to the photos that may otherwise be more unaccessible. It is easy to forget that every day, mundane activities, such as dating, dances, and school was also a part of such a top secret project. While this is true, the room housing the cemesto made the exhibition space a little awkward to move around, especially with a tour group and I felt like I was in the way the entire time. It was a good idea to group the photos by category as it would have been difficult to shift through all of those images in they were in a chronological order, for example. I especially like the photo of the Santa being searched by security guards and the photo of Senator John F. Kennedy visiting the facility. It was especially interesting to learn that Westcott was only 19 when he started taking his photographs. My boyfriend is a Physics and Math double major so it was interesting for him to learn about the people who dedicated years of their lives to such significant, albeit deadly project.

The rest of the museum contained exhibits related to the interests of children such as "The Dollhouse" and "A Century of Toys." I know I would have loved to explore the dollhouse when I was younger and as a permanent exhibit it will undoubtably thrill children for years to come. The toy exhibit was interesting to people of all age groups as everyone could find something that they had fond memories of as a child. I was pleased to see the 1990's well represented with beanie babies, Polly Pocket, and even the first Harry Potter book! While the exhibit space was made to look like a toy shop complete with a beautiful doll mansion, it was extremely awkward to manuever around in. Outside the exhibit in the main hall were more dolls in glass cases and I especially liked the doll dressed like a Japanese shogun. I used to collect porcelein dolls so I was glad to see that others treasured them as well.

There is a room for just about any interest that a child could have. Art rooms, a puppet theatre, a waterway, which is a replica of one in the Hands-On Museum in Johnson City that I remember playing with, a train room and garden, even a replica of a rainforest. Hopefully the new garden will become a reality as it is the only thing that the museum is missing. Some of the rooms had a bleachy smell that made me feel slightly sick but maybe it was just me. All in all, it was an interesting visit as I doubt I will go to a children's museum until I have kids of my own.

Knoxville Museum of Art

As I had never been to the Knoxville Museum of Art, this weekend was the perfect opportunity to do so. It is a convenient walk to the museum as I live in Fort Sanders and is a nice stop on the route to Market Square and the other downtown attractions. Having little interest in American art, especially modern, post-modern, etc., I was a bit wary of entering as I was afraid there would not be much that particularly struck me and make me want to write a journal entry on it. After walking through, I am pleased to say that I was very surprised at what I found.

Perhaps not at the beginning of the visit, as the museum information desk was, to put it politely, less than stellar. The young man at the desk was probably new there as he stumbled through his introductions of the museum and waited until my boyfriend and I had left to as us if we wanted to know where everything was. If there was a map available I did not see it, nor was I offered one. I can understand being new at a job but he seemed more interested in chatting with his friend than really assisting people at the museum.

Our first stop was the “Visions, Language, and Influence,” exhibition on the lower floors, featuring photographs of the South by Baldwin Lee, Walker Evans, and Eudora Welty. It was interesting to see the work of Walker Evans, as he was discussed in an 20th Century American Art class I took over a year ago. Although Knoxville often feels like a small town to me, it is nice to know that the work of internationally known artists can filter down to the KMA.

The second floor of the Knoxville Museum of Art showcases exhibitions such as “Uncertain Terrain” complied from selections from the KMA Collection. The exhibition is centered on pieces inspired by landscapes of all kinds, rural or urban, real or imaginary. The artists in the collection utilize a variety of media, such as video, painting, and drawing, to name a few. Each artist presents an interesting take on the idea of landscape painting and pushes the boundaries of a very traditional art subject. The Knoxville Museum of Art website contains a video of the exhibition and detailed explanations behind the motives of the artist. I especially like Darren Waterston's Ice and Stars, 2007 and Tomony Dodge's Mirage, 2006. Both very different, they explore two natural phenomenon that I find interesting, the Northern Lights and the blurry mirages one can sometimes see on a hot summer's day.

Across the hall is the “Higher Ground” exhibition that features a visual art history of East Tennessee through the last century. This exhibition was very interesting for me as many of the paintings featured were on loan from the Frank H. McClung Museum and have been included in inventory lists I have assisted in compiling. It was fun to pick out the paintings I have read about but never seen, such as a few paintings by Lloyd Branson such as his Hauling Marble, 1910, an important documentary painting of the flourishing marble business in Knoxville. Another of my favorite paintings in the traditional gallery was William Posey Silva, Magic Pool, circa 1924, a dreamy impressionist inspired image.


While the gallery was arranged very nicely, some of the wall additions and makeshift areas in the gallery made it difficult to navigate around people, especially if they are not paying attention to those around them, and there were close collusions with the other visitors to the museum. While the arrangement of the gallery allowed for many more paintings to be included than without, the designer of the gallery should really have thought about how people are supposed to avoid running into each other, potentially placing the paintings at risk of being jostled on the walls.


While the museum gift shop was a nice little assortment of interesting jewelry and glass art, they are a bit pricey. I understand that they have to make money someway and that a lot of the items were handmade, but is it worth it if none of the visitors buy anything or even visit the shop because it is too expensive? David L. Butler, executive director, gave us revenue information and it seems like they do well enough. I especially liked Josh Simpson's Megaplanets, as well as his other glass art for sale in the gift shop, though not for a small price. I suppose something like that it worth it and maybe if I ever win the lottery I will buy a few.

My visit to the Knoxville Museum of Art was very enjoyable but the atmosphere they have created is kind of cold and intimidating. No one was talking in the galleries because they felt like they could not but that totally ruins the point of a museum. Art is placed in museums for the public to learn from, something that cannot be achieved if the visitors are too afraid to talk. Now that the Knoxville Museum of Art has amassed a decent collection, their primary goal should be to attract visitors and make them feel welcome instead of alienating and intimidating them.

McClung Museum: Seated Buddha on Lotus

While most students attending the University of Tennessee have entered the Frank H. McClung Museum on at least one occasion, it seems that few really understand the wealth of knowledge and variety of artifacts and objets d’art it contains. One of those beautiful finds is a Seated Buddha on Lotus from China, dating to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE). It was constructed using dry lacquer covered by gold leaf and pigments.

This Buddha is on loan from the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation in New York and was originally part of the “Sacred Beauty: A Millennium of Religious Art, 600-1600,” during the Fall 2007 semester. The exhibition, compiled by members of the University of Tennessee faculty, contained exemplary artifacts significant to the five major religions that dominated the world after the fall of the Roman Empire; Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.


After the exhibition came to a close, the museum was able to keep the golden Buddha on was moved to the Decorative Arts gallery along side lovely pieces from around the world. More recently, it was moved to the second floor and immediately captivates the attention of the museum visitors. While it certainly was at home in its previous locations, this new move allows the piece to receive the attention it deserves rather than be just another artifact in a gallery.

Seated Buddha on Lotus is an example of one of the most widespread devotional images of the Buddhist world, with influences traceable back to the Gupta Empire (320-600s CE). The snail-shell curls of the Buddha and the prominent ushnisha, which symbolizes his extraordinary wisdom, are key features of the Gupta style, as well as the fleshy face, bee-stung lips, downcast eyes, and lack of definition of the underlying musculature. This style traveled trough India into Southeast Asia, specifically Tibet, where it was brought into China and eventually Japan. The double lotus pedestal and the ornamentation on the Buddha's robes indicate direct Tibetan influence. Seated Buddha on Lotus is an excellent device in illustrating how ideas and artistic styles can be adapted and translated to fit different cultures.

Recent detective work inside the sculpture have yield very interesting results. 43 paper scroll tied with silk scrolls were placed into the hollow structure at the time of its consecration. Tibetan Buddhism was very popular with the Ming Dynasty aristocrats and religious texts in the Tibetan language were produced in Peking, better known as Beijing to English speakers. Some of the cords were cut from scrolls containing the Hundred Syllable Mantra, a very well known Buddhist evocation in red Tibetan letters. Perhaps this was to ensure that the Buddha received the mantra. Other scrolls in black printed mantra in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language, evoke Vajrasattva, the Primordal Buddha, as in later forms of Buddhism, such as Tibetan Buddhism, believe that there are several Buddhas, not just the historical Buddha, also known as Shakyamuni, who lived around 563 B.C.E. to 483 B.C.E., though there is some debate on this.

Other objects such as 45 pounds of sandal wood, aromatic herbs, beans, and peas were also found inside the hollow cavity. Devoutees given offerings to Buddhist statues like this one so perhaps this a permanent offering or the materials are sacred in some way. I have some knowledge about Buddhism but looking closely at this sculpture has made it clear that there is still much to learn.

UT Botanical Gardens

I was very pleased to learn that we would be making a trip to the UT gardens as I have not been there in quite a while. Though I live within walking distance, it is hard to work up the motivation to visit, especially in the summer heat. I used to live in the dorms across the bridge and a favorite activity used to be to take a walk at night through the deserted gardens. That was about three years ago so it was high time for another visit, although I really think we should have taken the tour at a time that was not the hottest hours of the day.

The stone tiled plaza was a new addition I had never seen before and I can imagine how nice it would be to sit there for lunch or in between classes, if I ever had classes on the AG campus. I was interested in the aquatic plant tanks on the plaza and was pleased to realize that the "livestock water throughs" were donated by Co-op. It is nice to know that local businesses recognize the importance of gardens for research and aesthetic beauty. Also posted around the plaza was an advertisement for "Blooms Days," a fundraiser/garden fest that the gardens housed June 26th-27th. At that point we were joined by Beth Willis, the trials coordinator, explained the history of the gardens and the various functions it provides. Begun in 1983 as a research garden, the area was previously a vast field. The original garden was very scientific looking until the staff recognized the mission that they wished to pursue. They stress three functions including research, education, and outreach and demonstration.

While it is a free park open to the public, there has been some disagreement as to how free it is as certain individuals have found it acceptable to steal plants from the gardens. In the "Garden Rooms" section, visitors are able to view more practical plant varieties that are easier to maintain in this climate. This is a very good idea for novice gardeners in the area to find some direction in what they want to plant in their own gardens. Throughout this section were topiary in various designs such as a dragon. They were done for the "Blooms Days" festival and serve as cute and interesting additions. One of my favorite plants in this section was the Chameaecy Paris Pisfera, "Gold Dust", Sawara Falsecypress. One of my favorite types of trees, the Cercidiphyllum japonicum, 'pedula', weeping katsura tree, was also featured in this section with a nice little bench that makes a very picturesque scene. It is no surprise that photographers flock to the gardens and the staff is right in thinking that they should charge rental fees.

Other sections include the "Herb Garden," which was started in 1996 and is the most intensely planted portion of the gardens. It is very nicely laid out and I would have like to have had more time to look through and examine all of the different species. The next section is the "Trial Gardens" arranged in kidney shaped plots. The original gardens were primarily for research, like the trial gardens but were arranged in rectangular plots that were not aesthetically pleasing. It was necessary to have a functional space in which to test seeds and cuttings from sponsors but to still look attractive and draw people in from the road. By placing the plants in kidney shaped plots and arranging them according to hot and cool colors and height, I would say that the gardens achieved their goal. The "Turf Wheel" is something I remember from my nighttime visits and I always admired the innovation of the display. It is a shame that some drunk driver had to crash into the structure but it still looks very nice. I like the idea of allowing children to adopt a plot of the turf wheel as it would encourage them to take up gardening as a hobby in lieu of television, etc.

The little lunch area and gazebo in the "Shade Garden" was also there last time I was and it is a comfortable space to enjoy the gardens in. There are many examples of Tennessee marble art in the shade garden and throughout the entire gardens and represents an effort to blend the beauty of nature and art in one experience. They really should do more art shows in the garden, such as marble and glass to encourage guests to regularly visit as opposed to visiting every couple of years. Across from the gazebo is the outdoor classroom which seems like it would be a very nice place to hold a class. It is a shame that there are not more of these outdoor classrooms around campus, besides the ever crowded amphitheatre as is it often very hard to concentrate indoors on a nice day.

My favorite addition was the "Rose Garden" endowed to the gardens by the Beall family who felt that Knoxville needed a public rose garden. I certainly agree with them and it was very nice to be able to look at so many different types of roses. I especially liked the waterfall ponds and the koi, which were a nice touch. As nice as the garden was, it was clear that it was designed with the intention of hosting weddings, which is a great fundraiser but the formal arrangement seemed to discourage visitors from looking around.

Other sections included a "Rock Garden" that I particularily liked because of the summer I spent in Arizona a few years ago. Cacti are very interesting plants and I wish that they had some of the bigger species that twist and turn in unusual positions and are so large that they are able to house all kinds of desert creatures. In one mexican restaurant in Tucson, I was able to try some cacti and it was actually pretty good! Maybe they should try cooking some in their "Kitchen Garden", a brightly painted area that grows edible plants and teaches visitors how to grow them and use them in their own kitchens. Exiting the kitchen garden, vistors approach the "Sunny Wildflower Meadow Garden" for, as the name indicates, local varieties of flowers that flourish and from the sounds of it houses thousands of insects.

The last stop was the "Power Plant Garden", an especially important section as it holds plants that are currently being researched for biofuel capabilities. In wake of the massive oil spill in the Gulf Coast it seems prudent to make all efforts we can in developing fuels that are less environmentally harmful yet easily produced. An old truck is placed in the center of the plot and is another favorite spot for photographers.

All in all, the UT Botanical Gardens are a very nice spot to spend an afternoon, though it would seem a better idea to visit during a cooler time of day. Beth Willis was obviously very knowledgable in her field and did not bore her tour group with tedious facts. One suggestion I always have for public gardens is to add a hedge maze as I think it would be a great attraction. If they should ever acquire more land it would be a fun way to draw in visitors and I would be willing to pay for something like that.

Blount Mansion

On June 23, 2010, my Museology I class took a field trip to the Blount Mansion. I honestly had no idea that it was there so it was a pleasant surprise to discover a beautiful and lovingly preserved piece of history that dramatically shaped the future of the state of Tennessee.

Governor William Blount was appointed by President George Washington to the "Territory of the United States South of the River Ohio." Tucked away near the river where the Treaty of Holston was signed, William Blount moved the capital of his foundling state to Knoxville, previously governed in the home of William Cobb at Rocky Mount. As I am not a native Knoxvillian, it was interesting to learn that the city I now call home was named for General Henry Knox, one of Washington's guards.

The Blount Mansion was built in 1792 in a city that did not yet exist. Mary Blount, William's wife, was from a wealthy family in North Carolina and insisted that a proper house be built. While one could consider her demand to be extravagant, as the wife of a governor Mary needed a place to entertain dignitaries, such as an exiled French king. The mansion, once called the "house of many eyes," due to the unusual amount of windows for the time and location, was the only settlement for miles and travelers needed a place to stay.

The main room consisted of the master bedroom and a makeshift parlor/dining room that would go through many furniture adjustments during the day. Intern Sarah Rainwater explained how guests would be entertained and fed their four course midday meal in the same room and a simple adjustment of the table would completely change the purpose of the room. Houses were taxed according to how many rooms one had so it was important for the Blounts to work with what the had. I have to say that I would have a major problem with guests sitting on my bed but back then privacy and personal space was much harder to come by. It was very interesting that they were able to track down William's actual chair that he would have sat in by the fire. One could tell that even if they did not have the actual pieces of furniture used in the house they made great attempts in finding furniture that dated from the correct time period.

A parlor was later added to the house and contained artifacts that would have impressed the wealth and prestige of the occupants. The most eye catching piece was a
Persian rug that dated back to 1801 depicting a story from Aesop's fable. Textile stories were a unique way of proving one's knowledge of foreign culture, appreciation of the finer things, and served a practical purpose in warming the cold, wooden floors. A piano forte graces the room, another reminder of the family's wealth as only rich people had the means to pay for lessons for their daughters. Piano playing used to be a requisite for marrying into a prominent family so any proper young girl would know how to play. Playing cards were a luxury as printing was very expensive back then and only the wealthy would have bought their own set. William transferred ownership of the mansion to his younger brother "Willie" in 1797 and the parlor holds two portraits of the second owner. One portrait is official while the other is known as a "limner" portrait, meaning that the artist had already painted the body and everything before the patron purchased it. "Willie" would have picked the one that he found most suitable and the artist simply had to paint his face in.

The guest room, which holds an early example of a Sevier desk, designed by John Sevier, was originally the slave house which was attached to the house to become another wing. It was not until archaeologists did some detective work did they realize the original layout of the house. Changes were also made to the attic, leading early Blount Mansion staffers to believe that it was divided into girl and boy rooms. This was found to be incorrect and they now know that the attic was originally one big space as there was not much gender differention in children until the age of nine. As old kitchens tend to do, the original burned down and a new one was built in its place. A rather stuff space, a family of four well treated slaves tended the kitchen and insured that the meals were properly made. Mary Blount and her daughters were not idle and would make candles in the kitchen using excess animal fat. Candle making was a source of pride and would have been rationed. Nowadays, the Blount Mansion hires a colonial chef to prepare a meal in the kitchen once a year. This sounds like a cute little tradition and perhaps they should try to promote the idea to the public.

The Governor's office is a separate room on the premise and was literally the birthplace of Tennessee, not to mention being the state capital for a time. It is the reason that the Blount Mansion was named a National Historic Landmark and received a grant for renovation from the Tennessee Historical Commission in 1955. Although debates and drafts for the state constitution occurred primarily on Gay Street, the final draft was written and signed in Blount's Office in January 1796 and came into effect June 1st of that year. The office contains many objects that would have been useful to the eighteenth century politician, such as cloth for quills, cow horn cups, and of course whiskey, brandy, and tobacco, which are useful in politics even today.

I could go on and on about the many things to see at Blount Mansion but that would probably require an entire book. While it was a very enjoyable trip, there are some things that could use some improvement. I understand that air conditioning is neither historically appropriate or inexpensive the simple fact is that people are not going to want to visit an uncomfortable location and that really should be the main goal. As interesting as the rooms were, I found myself loosing focus and wanting to go back outside.

It was also extremely difficult to keep track with everything that our intern tour guide said as she was talking a mile a minute on information overload. I am not saying that I could do any better and maybe she was just nervous but I found it hard to pay attention to everything she was saying. I understand that this is a Museology class and museums are not always fun and games but I think she should have kept some of her opinions to herself. It was like listening to a personal rant for half an hour and she certainly does not make me want to become an intern for Blount Mansion, which seems like the opposite effect she should have had. My first impression of the Visitor's Center was not that great until we learned that she was responsible for setting the majority of the display up. It made me a little less critical but again, it felt to me like she was complaining about having to take care of it. As I have a lot of experience in labeling artifacts it was a little disconcerting that she admitted to using "white out" as a base for the accession numbers and even more so that the collections were stored in a closet.

All in all, it is a nice place to visit but I am very glad that I do not work there. It has a lot of potential, once they find a better use for the Visitor's Center but the amount of bitterness Sarah seemed to hold points to the vast amount of problems that Blount Mansion contains. Perhaps they should first start with some counseling sessions for the staff.