The Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, in partnership with the Crafting Blackness Initiative, ETSU Slocumb Galleries, Tennessee Craft, and The Bottom, proudly presents LOVINGLY: Black, Queer, Interracial Tennessee in Craft. The exhibition will run from March 7 to 29, 2025, at the Arrowmont Gallery in Downtown Knoxville. 

Curated by Karlota Contreras-Koterbay of the Crafting Blackness Initiative, alongside Karen LeBlanc Sullivan and Lyn Govette, LOVINGLY highlights the creativity and resilience of Black LGBTQ+ and interracial artists in Tennessee. Featured artists include Ericka Basille, Ashley Buchanan, Kelsie Dulaney, Pam Faw, Jason Flack, Doniqua Joyner, Rahn Marion, Wokie Massaquoi-Wicks, James McKissic, Elisheba Mrozic, Jeremy Myles, and Arrowmont’s former Artist in Residence Karena ‘Kidd’ Graves.

The exhibition draws inspiration from the landmark Loving v. Virginia case, which struck down laws banning interracial marriage and celebrates the power of craft to challenge societal norms and amplify marginalized voices. Through diverse artistic expressions, LOVINGLY explores the intersection of interracial marriage and LGBTQ+ identity and incorporates themes of race, love, identity, and resistance, inviting viewers to engage with stories often overlooked in mainstream narratives. 

During the opening reception, curators will host an artist talk and pay tribute to Knoxville-born LGBTQ+ poet Nikki Giovanni and artist Beauford Delaney. Attendees are encouraged to “come as you are” and celebrate the richness of Black, queer, and interracial experiences.