Every year, in connection with its huge wine auction fundraiser called L’Amour du Vin, the Knoxville Museum of Art has an Artist’s Luncheon at Blackberry Farm showcasing the weekend’s featured artist. Since an epic glass and steel installation by Knoxville’s own Richard Jolley is set to open in May, it makes perfect sense that he was this year’s artist.
The over-the-top luncheon also highlights the featured wines of the auction weekend, in this case the wines of Kosta Browne Winery from Sonoma County.
Jolley, a laid-back and self-deprecating charmer who has been working in the studio on equipment he constructed since 1975, shared several insights about himself, his art, and art in general.
- Jolley works in series. In the 1990s, he made a series of busts. Then it was line sketches. Then totems. In the 2000s, he started doing large two-dimensional works. “With each series, I try to develop new techniques,” he explained. “My works don’t have specific narratives but, hopefully, they are universally understood.”
- Since his human figures have what he laughingly referred to as “parts” — meaning anatomically correct body parts — an exhibit of his work at the Tennessee State Museum had to be reviewed by the state’s attorney general to be sure it was acceptable. The museum ended up isolating in a roped-off area a number of his glass figures with the “parts” in question and only allowed adults to view them.
- Some years ago, he got great experience working in large scales when the Knoxville Opera Company commissioned him to create the set for Mozart’s opera, “The Magic Flute.” From that he learned, “If something is correctly proportioned, it works on any scale.”
- Raised in Oak Ridge, Jolley said he “should have become an engineer or a lawyer.” But in his freshman year of college, he took an art class just to cross it off his list of required courses, and that’s when he knew he was going to be an artist.
- For the past five years, almost all the work he’s done has related in some way to the mammoth “Cycle of Life” installation — valued at over $1 million — that will be going into the Knoxville Museum of Art’s 3,500-square-foot Great Hall. When it is finished, it will be the largest figural glass assemblage in the world.
- The piece has been “designed in modules,” Jolley said, in order for it to be able to physically fit into the museum. Even so, workers had to pop out one of the museum’s huge windows to allow the pieces to be brought inside.
After Jolley spoke for about 20 minutes and answered questions, it was time to adjourn onto the sun porch of The Barn at Blackberry Farm to experience the impeccable food and wine pairings and hear from the guest vintner.
Kosta Browne produces 14 wines — 13 pinot noirs and one chardonnay. Browne said he started in the business “on a wing and a prayer.” A former server, sommelier and line cook in Sonoma, he decided in 1997 to try his hand at wine making. He produced one barrel that year. Now he produces 20,000 cases a year.
“We are just trying to produce something delicious, like music,” he said. “We want to make a wine that ‘sounds good’ on your palate. One that improves your day or evening. Like a nice, cozy blanket over your tongue.” The challenge — and the fun — of wine producing, he said, is “trying to get all the grapes to mature at one time and pick them on the right day.”
What a wonderful time! We are so excited about Richard’s glass installation. We are so fortunate to have Richard and Tommie in Knoxville. And this was such a special event for it. And Cynthia – great pix of everyone. You do have a 2nd career.
My turn next year
Bette: I think I should keep my day job! But thanks! Agree totally about Richard and Tommie.
Alan: OK when your birthday moves to March!
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