Fanciful Foxes: A Garden Art Exhibit Silent Auction

Open September 21 — October 3

We hope you've enjoyed Fanciful Foxes: A Garden Art Exhibit on display in the UT Gardens, Knoxville this summer. Now it's time for you to make your bid on your favorite pieces of art and add to your garden art collection! The display will continue in the Gardens through October 3, 2023.

Now in its sixth year, Art in the Garden is designed to promote community participation and artist collaboration with the UT Gardens. This year’s fun and whimsical event serves to raise awareness about the need to protect wildlife as urban development encroaches on their habitat. 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. 

Thirty-nine local adult artists have donated their time and talent to artistically interpret this year's theme with a fun, creative design applied to a three-dimensional fox cutout made of marine-grade plywood. These creations, on display throughout the garden, are joined by a second exhibit in the Children's Garden made of designs created by local youth. Thirty-nine children participated this year to artistically interpret a silhouette of a fox head or a tree. 

For those who wish to explore this year's fox theme using their own creativity, some of the blank forms that were provided to the artists are available as well.

All items are being offered 'AS IS', and bidders are encouraged to preview the auction in person at the UT Gardens, Knoxville. Winning bidders will pick up their items during the Fall Plant Sale on Friday, October 6 or Saturday, October 7. No shipping or delivery is available.

Explore this on-line auction of all adult and children’s pieces. All proceeds directly benefit the UT Gardens, Knoxville.

We are very grateful to our project artists for their creative works, and we wish to thank our event sponsors Jerry's Artarama, Bench Dog Work Shop, UT Biosystems Engineering Machining and Fabrication Shop, Ed Dudrick, and UT Wildlife and Fisheries Society.

You can find the UT Gardens, Knoxville, 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.

Questions on using Handbid?

Contact Lisa Ford at lford@utfi.org or 865-974-7439.

Questions on Fanciful Foxes or Art in the Garden?

Contact Beth Shannon at beth.shannon@utk.edu or 865-974-2712.