Downtown in Knoxville in Knox County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Ted Burnett

(1901-1982)

Photographed By Tom Bosse, April 15, 2023

1. Ted Burnett Marker

Inscription.

Ted Burnett. King David, 1960s Casein/mixed media (paper, paint): 24 x 20 inches East Tennessee Historical Society. Born in Knoxville, Ted Burnett grew up in the Halls area (his father was a Polish immigrant who ran a clothing store on Gay Street) and graduated from Central High School. At age 19, he was hired by friend Joe Parrott, resident illustrator at the Tennessee Theatre, just a month after the theatre opened in October 1928, to help produce impressive promotional displays., In 1933, Burnett began studying art with Hugh Poe, a nationally notable pastel artist, and Knoxville's own Robert Lindsay Mason. By the late '30s, Burnett moved to Chicago to study at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts while working as a commercial artist. Later, he graduated from the Chicago Art Institute and the Eliot O'Hara Watercolor School in Maine., In 1948, Burnett was back in Knoxville for this first one-man show at the University of Tennessee's Audiger Art Gallery at Hoskins Library. C. Kermit "Buck" Ewing, Professor of Fine Arts at UT, described Burnett's work: "sawmills, trees, hills, and buildings are reduced to a fundamental structure, geometric in character. Strong color contrast reinforce these shapes and mold them into dynamic compositions". Burnett was also known to incorporate Jewish themes into his work, often in ab "Eastern European style"., In 1958, Burnett opened The Art Mart (also known as the Ted Burnett School of Art) on E. Fifth Avenue, offering individual lessons and a six-week course in drawing, painting, and commercial art. In 1964, he joined Knoxville artist Grady Kimsey for a two-man show at the McClung Museum. During this era Burnett served as President of the Knoxville Watercolor Society., In the 1970s, he began painting stylized birds. His Bicentennial print, "Bald Eagle", was displayed at the White House in 1976., Burnett died in 1982 but posthumous exhibitions of his artwork have been shown at the former Carl Sublett Gallery, Heska Amuna Synagogue, and the Village Fine Art Gallery on Broadway. The East Tennessee History Center featured his work in a show called "Bagels and Barbeque: The Jewish Experience in Tennessee" in 2010-2011. , Note: The location of this Ted Burnett Art Wrap is near where the Jewish Community Center used to be on West Vine Avenue at Broadway, before it moved to Deane Hill in Bearden in the 1960s., This Downtown Art Wrap was sponsored by the Knoxville Jewish Community Family of Funds, Chrissy Keuper, and Terry Faulkner to meet a match requirement of a grant provided by the Tennessee Arts Commission., Special thanks to East Tennessee History Center and Knoxville Jewish Alliance., Downtown Art Wraps are coordinated by the Knoxville History Project, an educational nonprofit with a mission to research and promote the history and culture of Knoxville Learn more about the history of the city by reading the book, Historic Knoxville: The Curious Visitor's Guide, available at the official Visitor's Center and other downtown bookstores and gift shops..

King David, 1960s
Casein/mixed media (paper, paint): 24 x 20 inches
East Tennessee Historical Society
Born in Knoxville, Ted Burnett grew up in the Halls area (his father was a Polish immigrant who ran a clothing store on Gay Street) and graduated from Central High School. At age 19, he was hired by friend Joe Parrott, resident illustrator at the Tennessee Theatre, just a month after the theatre opened in October 1928, to help produce impressive promotional displays.

In 1933, Burnett began studying art with Hugh Poe, a nationally notable pastel artist, and Knoxville's own Robert Lindsay Mason. By the late '30s, Burnett moved to Chicago to study at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts while working as a commercial artist. Later, he graduated from the Chicago Art Institute and the Eliot O'Hara Watercolor School in Maine.

In 1948, Burnett was back in Knoxville for this first one-man show at the University of Tennessee's Audiger Art Gallery at Hoskins Library. C. Kermit "Buck" Ewing, Professor of Fine Arts at UT, described Burnett's work: "sawmills, trees, hills, and buildings are reduced to a fundamental structure, geometric in character. Strong color contrast reinforce these shapes and mold them into dynamic compositions". Burnett was also known to incorporate Jewish themes into his work,

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often in ab "Eastern European style".

In 1958, Burnett opened The Art Mart (also known as the Ted Burnett School of Art) on E. Fifth Avenue, offering individual lessons and a six-week course in drawing, painting, and commercial art. In 1964, he joined Knoxville artist Grady Kimsey for a two-man show at the McClung Museum. During this era Burnett served as President of the Knoxville Watercolor Society.

In the 1970s, he began painting stylized birds. His Bicentennial print, "Bald Eagle", was displayed at the White House in 1976.

Burnett died in 1982 but posthumous exhibitions of his artwork have been shown at the former Carl Sublett Gallery, Heska Amuna Synagogue, and the Village Fine Art Gallery on Broadway. The East Tennessee History Center featured his work in a show called "Bagels and Barbeque: The Jewish Experience in Tennessee" in 2010-2011.

Note: The location of this Ted Burnett Art Wrap is near where the Jewish Community Center used to be on West Vine Avenue at Broadway, before it moved to Deane Hill in Bearden in the 1960s.

This Downtown Art Wrap was sponsored by the Knoxville Jewish Community Family
of Funds, Chrissy Keuper, and Terry Faulkner to meet a match requirement of a grant
provided by the Tennessee Arts Commission.

Special thanks to East Tennessee History Center and Knoxville

Photographed By Tom Bosse, April 15, 2023

2. Ted Burnett Marker

Jewish Alliance.

Downtown Art Wraps are coordinated by the Knoxville History Project,
an educational nonprofit with a mission to research and promote the history and
culture of Knoxville Learn more about the history of the city by reading the book, Historic Knoxville: The Curious Visitor's Guide, available at the official Visitor's Center and other downtown bookstores and gift shops.

Erected by Knoxville History Project.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the Knoxville History Project - Downtown Art Wraps series list. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1928.

Location. 35° 57.978′ N, 83° 55.285′ W. Marker is in Knoxville, Tennessee, in Knox County. It is in Downtown. Marker is at the intersection of West Summit Hill Drive Southwest and Walnut Street, on the right when traveling east on West Summit Hill Drive Southwest. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 500 W Summit Hill Dr SW, Knoxville TN 37902, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Father Abram J. Ryan (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Battery Wiltsie (about 300 feet away); Elvis Presley (about 500 feet away); Cormac McCarthy (about

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500 feet away); St. James Hotel (about 500 feet away); a different marker also named Ted Burnett (about 500 feet away); Civil War Hospital (about 600 feet away); David Madden (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Knoxville.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 1, 2023, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 476 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 1, 2023, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.