It was a nice evening downtown Sevierville at the third Art Happening, presented by the Sevierville Commons Arts Council. There were quite a few new faces at this event at Dyers Downtown. Music, art, snacks, presentation of the featured artist, and talks by Y-12 Credit Union and a representative from the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center completed the fast paced evening.

Featured artist for October is Nelson Ziegler, a painter and artist who created the wood pieces featured at the top of this story. They were stunning! Ziegler is also an award winning watercolor and oil painter. He graduated from the Art Institute of Boston and Northwestern Academy of Watercolor. Below are some examples of his paintings.

Arts Council member, and recent Art Happening featured artist, Jill Greene, left. Nelson Ziegler, featured artist for October 2016, on the right. I must take photography classes from Jill some day!

Music performance by Stephen Goff and Tryphena Layman. See more of them at Harpoon Harry’s in Pigeon Forge. Look for Stephen Goff and the Royals. His contact info is SmokyMountainEventSource.com .  Below is a moment from their set.

Sevier Commons Arts Council President, Laurel Kiewitt, pictured left. Andrea Willson, also an Arts Council board member, pictured right.

Christina Crofoot, an artist and Outreach Co-ordinator for SCAC (Sevier Commons Arts Council).  Arts Council President, Laurel Kiewitt, addresses the group.

My friends, Sheley and Joey Rose of Sevierville, enjoying the evening.

Local artist and art-preneur, Chuck Ottolini, pictured left. Christina Crofoot, center. Jim McGill, Executive Director of the Sevierville Commons Association and Membership Co-ordinator of the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce.

We really enjoyed this duo and hope to hear more of them soon!

Keener Shanton, and his sister, Stephanie Shanton, supporting the Sevierville Commons Arts Council. These SCHS alumni have been keeping busy! Keener is Head Distiller at Old Forge Distillery in Pigeon Forge. Stephanie is a high school Biology teacher at Signal Mountain High School.

Chuck and Keener talking art.

Joy O’Shell, Outreach Director of the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, talks with artists in a brief presentation. The Sevierville Commons Arts Council just received a grant from the center to provide opportunities for local artists. This is great news!

Brandon Cole and his mother, Crystal Lynn Sharp. She is Volunteer Co-ordinator for the Sevierville Commons Arts Council.

Rusty Curtis and Natalia Spratlen, representatives from Y-12 Federal Credit Union, gave information especially helpful to art-preneurs.

Refreshments from Courthouse Donuts! Sheley loved the chicken salad and will come back for lunch some day soon.

As I was leaving, I noticed attendees outside looking at the window art and conversing with the artist who created them, Crystal Sharp.

People were standing outside enjoying nice temperatures and fresh air while enjoying conversation and paintings. This is what a great downtown can be. It is happening now. Our downtown is ‘on its way’ and the Sevierville Commons is driving this revitalization. As the picture below shows, the Sevierville Commons Arts Council is also helping to lead the way.

The Sevierville Commons Arts Council will be planning the next Art Happening soon. Drop by if you get a chance. You don’t to be an artist, rather just enjoy art. An Art Happening is one of the best ways to get out and about in Sevierville.