This Year’s Exhibit Highlights the Importance of Bees in the Environment
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The UT Gardens, Knoxville, is excited to announce the opening of its 2022 Art in the Gardens exhibit on Friday, June 3, from 5-7 p.m. as part of Knoxville’s First Friday arts celebration.
This year’s theme is All the Buzz: A Bee Exhibit. This fun and whimsical exhibit raises awareness about the importance of bees and other pollinators to the environment. The event and the exhibit, like the Gardens, are free and open to the public.
Forty-one local artists have painted, decorated and/or embellished three-dimensional bee cutouts that are approximately 2 feet by 2 feet. Placed throughout the Gardens, they will be on display during the summer for all to enjoy. Additionally, honeybee and other bee facts will be displayed to enhance the visitor’s experience.
New this year is a concurrent kids exhibit. Forty-two children participated by decorating either a bee or honeycomb cutout. These pieces are displayed on the wall within the Children’s Garden.
An exciting on-line auction of all 83 pieces will be held in September 2022 and all proceeds directly benefit the UT Gardens, Knoxville.
Now in its fifth year, Art in the Gardens promotes community participation and artist collaboration with the UT Gardens. It also serves as a fundraiser to support the UT Gardens and its mission to be a community resource for education, research and outreach on environmental stewardship, plant evaluation and landscape aesthetics.
The UT Gardens, Knoxville, is located at 2518 Jacob Drive, which is just off Neyland Drive behind the UT Veterinary Medical Center on the Institute of Agriculture campus. From I-40 take Exit 386B onto Highway 129 (Alcoa Highway south toward the airport). From Highway 129 take the exit for Highway 158 (Neyland Drive). Turn left onto Neyland Drive at end of exit ramp. Turn left onto Joe Johnson Drive and right at the next light onto Chapman Drive. Free visitor parking is available directly across from the entrance to the UT Gardens.
The UT Gardens includes plant collections located in Knoxville, Crossville and Jackson. Designated as the official botanical garden for the State of Tennessee, the collections are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. The Gardens’ mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, educational programs and research trials. The Gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public.
Through its land-grant mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. utia.tennessee.edu.