According to a press release from the Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville, Wagner has been selected as the next Betsy Worden Artist-in-Residence at the Emporium Center from April through September 2009.  According to the press release:

“Wagner received a BA in Photojournalism from Western Kentucky University and has worked for and been published in The Los Angeles Times, The Hartford Courant, WIRE magazine and various other publications across the nation.  He currently teaches Fine Art Photography at Maryville College and has also taught at Pellissippi State Technical Community College.

“Though his roots are in documentary photography, his appreciation of the arts and music has inspired him to photograph local musicians in a self-built photo booth.  Wagner then creates large original prints via the Xerox transfers process using acrylic on canvas.  This series, which takes some time to complete, is ever evolving.  ‘With a background in photojournalism, my work has been void of many artistic printing techniques and has resided at a distance from the art community,’ he says. ‘I once said that my work, predominantly created for news print, was exhibited on the refrigerators of America.  But through these transfers and other printing processes, I hope to bring my work to exhibition walls.’  For more information on Brian Wagner, visit www.brianwagnerphotography.com.

“As the Artist in Residence, Wagner receives free and exclusive access to a 10’ x 10’ artist studio in the Emporium Center (Suite 105), a materials stipend of $200 each month during the residency, complimentary membership in the Arts & Culture Alliance for one year, and an exhibition of new work in The Balcony in September. The Alliance will also display at least one piece of his new work in the public areas of the Emporium each month of the residency.  Wagner agrees to spend a significant amount of time creating work in the Emporium studio, show new work each First Friday of the month, and possibly help hang monthly exhibitions in the Emporium and/or offer curatorial input.”

For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543.