The next installment of the Downtown Gallery Crawl, April 5 from 6-9 p.m., continues to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Crawl. Resident guest artists are on hand to talk with patrons about their art at this free event.
The Downtown Gallery Crawl is an opportunity to check out what local artists of all media are creating. The Downtown Arts Alliance is pulling together nine shows in galleries across the Twin Cities, with live music, food, and drink around every corner. The Crawl is entirely free to any patrons interested in what regional artists have to offer.
The crawl route starts off at the Outside Gallery, which faces the railroad tracks at the end of Art Alley and as the name implies, is entirely outside. Artist Larrie King is displaying "Dream State," composed of paintings that combine collaged images and found objects to create landscapes for his painted birds, butterflies, and other subjects.
Next, the Downtown Gallery features the "ULM Graduating Senior Exhibit," which highlights artwork from Bachelors of Fine Arts students Accie Lee Sullivan, Ally Sutton Clark, Aidan Warren-Olivier, Roneshia Robichaux, and Ashlyn Thompson. The exhibit features an eclectic mix of pieces ranging from paintings to ceramics and sculptures.
ARENDER studio + gallery and the Sugar Gallery are celebrating spring with resident artist Doug Breckenridge's newest local images done in oil, Scott Stone's nature photography and revamped guitars, and Burg Ransom's wildlife photos. Leah Reitzell is showing hew new textural series called "Being the Light," and Melanie Douthit is showing her latest ink drawings and watercolor paintings. Harp Strings Jewelry has a booth set up with Victorian floral motif jewelry, and Chris D. Cox is showcasing his handmade lamps. Outside on the alley, Audie Maxey is displaying handmade wooden creations.
The Big Room Gallery, which is above Sugar Gallery, features an Open Studio exhibit showing both finished and unfinished pieces. The display provides a glimpse into the creative processes and outcomes of the five artists on display.
There is also an exhibit in the Big Room showcasing paintings from a recent collaboration between ULM science and arts students. Dr. Allison Wiedemeier, associate professor in ULM's School of Sciences, recently implemented a STEM to STEAM project titled "Intersection of Visual Language and Scientific Language." This project brought junior and senior art and histology students together to examine the properties of cells. The exhibit includes four large paintings by 22 science and four art students, ranging from studies of the trachea to an erupting tooth.
The Upstairs Gallery is showing off Clinton Whitney Downing's "Curb Appeal." The exhibit is a conceptual vision of the world of fashion with an Earth conscious state of mind. Downing explores repurposing everyday items by transforming them into wearable works of art.
The Palace Gallery is located across the street from Art Alley on Desiard Street in the renovated Palace Department Store. New, original art is shown there by artists from around the area. There is also live music provided by Twin City Roots, a blues string band composed of Tyler Schweinefus on stand-up bass, Austin George on acoustic guitar, and Mason Howard on vocals and mandolin.
The Garrett House on South Grand Street is a bit of a walk, but crawlers are able to enjoy a free golf cart ride to and from Art Alley. Geneva Academy is holding the 12th annual art show for Geneva students aged Pre-K through 12th grade. The show, entitled "Lady Wisdom Among the Ruins: Gleaning Beauty from the Art of the Ancients," displays works in a variety of media. Student artists gained inspiration for the pieces from ancient Greece and Rome.
Across the river, RUMO's gallery is hosting paintings by Chase Mullen. The works are a study of living things with a strong focus on shape, color, and anatomy. Heavily inspired by field guides and modern art, Chase sees his paintings as a contemporary take on natural history.
At each Crawl during this anniversary year, there is merchandise available for Crawl Companions- the new "friends group" created to help keep the Downtown Gallery Crawl a free event. There is a "swag booth" on Art Alley where crawlers can sign up to be a Crawl Companion and support the Downtown Gallery Crawl.
The next Downtown Gallery Crawl is scheduled for Thursday, June 7. More information about the Downtown Gallery Crawl is available here.