First Friday: Dogwood Regional Exhibition

Now in its 18th year, the Dogwood Regional Exhibition is a highly anticipated annual showcase celebrating fine art from both emerging and established artists across our region. Recognized for its diverse and high-caliber selections, the exhibition has become a cornerstone event for Dogwood Arts to celebrate exceptional artistic talent in our community.
On view from August 7–28 at Dogwood Arts and the Emporium Center in Downtown Knoxville, this year’s exhibition was juried by Julie Lohnes, Director and Curator of Galleries and Collections at the University of Tennessee School of Art, ensuring a thoughtfully curated and inspiring collection.
• Opening/public reception: First Friday, August 7th 5-9 PM*
• *Awards presented at 6PM in the Dogwood Gallery
• Exhibition dates: August 7-28, 2026
• Dogwood Gallery: 123 W. Jackson Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902
• Emporium Center: 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902
Participating Artists: Ashley Beals-Pace, Matthew Blache, Anna Carter, Heather Casteel, Maggie Connolly, Rachel Sevier Dallery, Anna Dean, Lauren Farkas, Adele Ferguson, Karina Jacks, Julia Johnson, Donald Keefe, Elysia Mann, Timothy Massey, Brian Melton, Noushin Mousavi, Melissa Newman, Leslie Nichols, Chelsie Nunn, Ashley Pipkin, Autumn Potter, Hanna Seggerman, Lindsay Skvarek, Levi Sprecher, Willow Stevenson, Grace Sutt, and Julia Walters.
About the Juror: Julie Lohnes has over 20 years of experience directing, curating, and producing visual arts exhibitions and programs at non-profits, private galleries, and academic institutions. Lohnes has an educational background that includes studio art in painting, video, sculpture, and installations, as well as studies in art history. Her work history has included executive leadership with for-profit galleries, not-for-profit galleries, and educational institutions. Because Lohnes has a studio art background, she was quick to understand that trusting the artist is critical to planning and curating exhibitions. She says, “I love to see ideas percolating and the palpable energy artists bring to the exhibition environment. When curating exhibitions, I feel it is important to notice the subtleties of how art works speak to each other within the gallery as a whole. I am always seeking out artists that consider the visual arts and current issues, fusing content and formal qualities together.”
The Dogwood Regional Exhibition is sponsored by ORNL Federal Credit Union, the Tennessee Arts Commission, Cherokee Distributing, and ExpressFrame.