Gallery Hop on Friday March 1st

Here is the link to the March edition of the DADA E-Newsletter:


http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=k8dkgvbab&v=001p_xH-twv5vXECJVZFCDUvuU-u0TgtCmSXPHO8QjYNtfD4Zyi5-mi9eYqld6ZfXOWDa3aDpsxn-7hxtfWJ00kuYHmQ8aCJTIk6HFKX4B7ImXhtPb44WUk-8HQbOqYJoruNk9XTIq-_G2WxbUV4sJX5A%3D%3D

Unleashed Art

Deborah Willard

Stop by Unleashed Art Center on 6th Street this Friday evening (7-10) to see our newest addition to the AFAS Public Art Initiative, Sharon Allen's latest works and Community heART Project.

Deborah Willard

Exciting Stuff at February 1st Gallery Hop!

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You Gotta LOVE February!

The annual CashBash.....at The Garage 

110 West 7th St., Winston-Salem NC 27101
Friday and Saturday February 22 at 7:00pm until February 24 at 2:00am

hosted by Richard Boyd of the Bo-Stevens.

14 bands all coming together for two nights to pay tribute and honor Johnny Cash the man in black...Rockabilly honky-tonk at its finest.

First Friday Gallery Hop

When the first Friday falls on the first of the month, it means the First Friday Gallery Hop takes place on the 1st of the month.  So it goes in February 2013.

So January is over, and you've paid all those xmas bills, right?! Time to get something special for someone special for Valentine's Day.  And what is more special than a one-of-a-kind gift or handmade card? You'll find such treasures all over the place around 6th and Trade Streets. Go ahead, treat yourself to a day in the Arts District, plan a Valentine's Day dinner at one of the terrific restaurants in the area, and get that special gift that will keep you out of the doghouse for awhile.......

 

Black and White Lace Hearts from Earthbound Arts, 610 N. Trade St.

Ron Philbeck Pottery;

available at The Other Half,
560 N. Trade Street.

 

Quilted Card by Sandy Mooney,
available at the Fiber Company,
600 N. Trade Street

 

  Bedroom with Porch Dollhouse, 

an assemblage by Linda Willard, 

The Dollhouse Lady. One-of-a-kind, available at Willy Nilly, 

604-A N. Trade Street.

 

 

 

 

 

Unleash Some Love!

The first of a series of free community events being offered at the Unleashed Art Center for first Friday Gallery Hops.

Unleash your creative spirit! Make a special Valentine for yourself or someone you love...All the materials will be provided, including ready-to-paint wooden hearts, paints and lots of dazzling embellishments, everything you'll need to create a spectacular, one of a kind heart, to be worn as a pin/pendant or made into a magnet for a special decoration!
Facebook event

Unleashed Arts Center, located at 204 West 6th Street,  is a special initiative by The Afas Group whose purpose is to foster an appreciation of art and to encourage the development of emerging artists. The center provides a venue for art shows, seminars, artist demonstrations and includes working artists studios.

December in the Arts District

It's December 2012.  If the Mayan Calendar is to be believed, something seriously cataclysmic is supposed to happen on December 21st.  The Doomsday Preppers seem to be pretty well prepped.  Gloom and Doom have settled in for the Believers.  Some of the Believers believe it may not happen after all.  Some people think it's already happening, what with such events as Hurricane Sandy unleashing itself upon New York, New Jersey, and neighboring states.

What does it all mean?   We'll find out when we get there.  In the meantime, maybe you'd better get your Christmas shopping done early.  And the upcoming First Friday Gallery Hop is the perfect opportunity to head down to the Downtown Arts District and do some major shopping!!

The Arts District is certainly beautiful this time of year.  The traditional city decorations of Moravian Stars and greenery grace the street lights.  Shops and galleries have spruced up their window displays with all manner of Xmas lights and trees and new works by local artists.  If there ever was a time to Shop Local,
NOW is the time.  Your gift dollars are appreciated on several levels by supporting the local economy; the Downtown Arts District; your favorite art galleries and shops; and some talented local artists.

Many shops and galleries hold extended hours during the month of December. And they're all stocked with a wonderful array of art and craft in all price ranges.
Of course, for Gallery Hop, everyone will be open from 7 until 10 pm, many with opening receptions for artists being featured in their December shows.

Forget Must-See TV.  You've Gotta See These at the First Friday Gallery Hop on December 7th, 7-10 pm, in Winston-Salem's Lively Downtown Arts District!!

Christmas Party Necklace 
by Jillian Slate Gatewood 
whose studiois at Studios @ 625.

At Studios at 625 N.  Trade St., 

and Umoja African Craft, 535 N.  Trade. 

Jillian says, "This is so much fun to do!!"

Christmas in December Unleashed Unleashed Art Center, 204 W 6th Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Join us for an exciting holiday group art exhibit at Unleashed Art Center. From paintings, pottery and wearable fiber art to jewelry and mixed media pieces, you're sure to find that special gift for everyone on your list. Meet the artists: David Kessler, Gene Grimaldi, Julie Knabb, Kim Pegram and Sharon Stike during Gallery Hop, Friday, December 7th, 7-10pm. Saturday, December 8th, we will be open from 11am-4pm.

UNICORN SUNBEAM featuring new works by the fantastical trifecta of Liz Simmons-Gaby Cardall-Millicent Greason

Friday, December 7th, 7-10 pm

Dye Pretty Salon & Art Gallery

621 North Trade Street 

in Winston-Salem's 

Downtown Arts District

Three of Winston-Salem's most celebrated arteests come together to bring you lighthearted visual magic for the holidaze... Come join Gaby, Millicent & Liz for the best gallery hop of the season & the unveiling of a whirlwind of whimsy!

"Pagoda" a new bead embroidery pendant was recently completed by Julie Huneycutt Knabb.  The inspiration was a handcrafted glass cabachon made by Diane Cain. Other new works can be found at Art & Artifacts in Blowing Rock, NC, as well as at Red Dog Gallery and The Fiber Company in the Downtown Arts District of Winston-Salem, NC.

Delurk Gallery presents the Delurk Family Circle Jerkle All Member Group Show. Meet the artists at the opening Friday December 7th during Gallery Hop, and view the Art of Chad Beroth, Dane Walters, Clark Whittington, Mary Crockett, The Patrick Harris, Shanthony Exum, Molly Grace, Will Safrit, Zac Trainor and 

(airborne....) Jennifer O'Kelly.  The show will continue through January 26th.

I love Delurk Gallery.  Creative energy and inspiration radiates from it. Whenever I need a break from cute turtles, I go into Delurk and inhale deeply.

Planting Art in the Community

image courtesy of Inter_Section Gallery

Inter_Section Gallery and Art Space is excited to announce the opening of

STILL "Planting Art in the Community"...the SEED collective has re-grouped yet again!

Please join local artists Woodie Anderson, Peter Spivak, Dave Urena, Millicent Greason, Laurie Russell, Nicole Uzzell, Mike Duggins & Clark Whittington for a group show at the fabulous INTER_SECTION Gallery. A diverse representation of cutting edge artistic styles, this group never ceases to amaze.

SEED began in 1998 as an artist collective with the goal of "planting art into the community." The original members' vision was to create an open, free-thought space where the presentation of art and expression is the primary objective. The members named the group after they discovered that
the building had originally been a seed warehouse.

The diverse mission and the organic format of SEED programming is a direct extension of the personalities of our eight members, who conspired to present this show. Please visit www.seedgallery.org for more information.

Inter_Section Gallery and Art Space is located at 629 N. Trade Street, Winston-Salem NC.

Exhibit Opening:
Friday, November 2nd, 2012 7 - 9 pm
Exhibition Dates:
November 2nd - 30th, 2012
Gallery Hours: Tues- Sat 12:00 pm - 5:00 am
Phone: (336) 817-1248
Website: www.intersectiongallery.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Inter_Section-Gallery-and-Art-Space/139280279456356

First Friday Gallery Hop is November 2nd....

First Friday Gallery Hop is coming up....Gallery Hop is a monthly event organized by the Downtown Art District Association (DADA).  The November Hop often promises wonderful shows and exhibitions, not to mention a vast array of very giftable art and craft in the various shops and galleries all around the Art District.  This month's edition will no doubt live up to the hype. November Gallery Hop E-Newsletter

 

Unleashed Art Center is an AFAS group event, teaching and exhibition space. AFAS also has a beautiful gallery at 606 N. Trade Street, the Red Dog Gallery. Plus, AFAS is the driving force behind the Arts on Sunday Festivals, which just completed another successful series. AFAS = Art For Art's Sake. They have a newly redesigned website that you may want to check out for more information about the organization and its other programs. www.theafasgroup.com.

 The Delurk Gallery will have an opening November 2 from 7pm-10pm. Our Featured Artist this month will be our own Clark Whittington celebrating fifteen years of his famed international art project Art-o-mat. The Art-o-mat project, based here in Winston Salem, NC, has reclaimed the old cigarette vending machines of yore and repurposed them to bring international art and artists to people all over the world. The Art-o-mat project brings together Whittington's brilliant creative design, inspired artwork and love of both the arts and artists to a perfect union. This is a celebration of both him and his glorious project. The show will include machines, memorabilia and artwork from artists who have contributed to the project over the last 15 years. The show runs through December 4th. www.delurkgallery.com

images courtesy of Art-o-mat and Delurk Gallery

Asphalt Art

Who doesn't love the gigantic asphalt canvas created by closed-off-streets?
Retro Art Ware, located at 608 N Trade St., always supplies a box of colored chalk for kids to use to create art on the street pavement.

One little girl lay down in the street as her mother traced around her shape.  Then the girl added hair and facial features to the chalk shape. The finished drawing was a wonderful, happy-go-lucky creation that danced before your eyes.

September Edition, E-news from DADA

Earlier in the year, yours truly took on the task of producing the monthly E-Newsletter for DADA .  This is how I spent my Labor Day "holiday," which, in my book, is just another Monday.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/September-Gallery-Hop-News-from-the-Downtown-Art-District.html?soid=1101296635754&aid=EUBtsvSw91Q

Suddenly It's September !!

Yesterday it was August. Today it's September. The calendar is a man-made concoction. So is language. Not to worry....it's not my style to spend too much time waxing philosophical. But think about it: say the word "August," and look into your mind's eye at the images and sensations conjured up. Summertime, hot, dog days, beach, vacation....One day later, you flip the calendar page to September, and instantly, your summertime fun morphs into back-to-work, back-to-school, put away the suitcases and pull out the briefcases and book bags. Do they still call them book bags? Or have they traded them in for Nook® bags? Out there in Sports-FantasyLand, September means FOOTBALL.

For some people on Trade Street, football is simply two four-letter-words spliced together. Fortunately, there are plenty of music and cultural events happening this month to keep those people happy.  Check it out:
Saturday, September 1st, 7-10pm:  Summer on Trade. The final summer music event of the season at the intersection of 6th & Trade. www.dwsp.org.
Summer On Trade August 25 2012 - Deborah Willard - Picasa Web Albums

Friday, September 7th, 7-10pm: First Friday Gallery Hop. This event, sponsored by the Downtown Art District Association (DADA), is actually a year-'round event, taking place the first Friday of every month. Rain or shine, Trade Street, 6th Street, and a portion of Liberty Street that fall within the Downtown Art District are closed off to vehicular traffic. People may wander freely to explore the new exhibitions and artists' receptions at many of the art galleries and studios; participate in kids' activities, drumming circles, yoga and tai chi demonstrations; enjoy cultural dance and  theatrical performances. www.dadaws.org
The Downtown Arts District - photos by Deborah Willard

 Saturday, September 8th, 10am - 5pm:
Bookmarks Book Festival. For the 3rd straight year, Trade Street welcomes this unique literary event, NC's only free and annual book festival.  Those of us in the 500-600 blocks of Trade Street look forward to this educational, literary event , as it tends to draw a whole different group of people into town, often people who haven't been to downtown WS for years because they've been completely unaware of the transformation that has taken place.  It is a common mis-conception that Trade Street is still a seedy, run-down, don't-go-there-even-in-the-daytime kind of place.   Those of us who have witnessed its renaissance talk ourselves blue in an effort to convince people that this street is a beautiful, lively, vibrant, and SAFE place to visit, day or night.

And the Bands Play On....

Summer on Trade continues to draw awesome crowds every Saturday night.  Different band each week, different kind of crowd.  But always one thing in common:  People get up and dance.  West End Mambo, a well established local band that plays energetic Latin rhythms, packed the 6th & Trade dance "floor" this past Saturday with people doing all kinds of variations of Latin dance, salsa, rumba, samba, merengue, cha-cha, mambo-sambo-rambo, cha-cha-cha-choo-choo, tango-mango......

I was at my usual station, painting hats at a table in front of my shop (Willy Nilly) when a woman stopped and remarked that she'd never seen such a crowd at a gallery hop.  "No, gallery hop was last night," I attempted to explain to her. "This is Summer on Trade music series, every Saturday night throughout the summer."

DWSP: Alphabet Scoop du Jour

I then tried to clarify further that Summer on Trade is a production of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership (DWSP) along with some generous corporate partners, especially Truliant Federal Credit Union. This is its 15th year!! (Even though it draws a decent crowd every week, it continues to amaze me how many local people don't know about what I consider one of downtown W-S's finest --and FREE-- events.)  The stage goes  up at the 6th & Trade Street intersection, with the adjacent blocks of Trade and 6th streets barricaded so that people and cars don't mix it up. Several shops and galleries stay open late for the event, especially those located close to the intersection.

DADA:  Alphabet Scoop du Jour, Part Deux

Gallery Hops, I explained to her, are produced by the Downtown Art District Association (DADA) and are held the first Friday of every month, all year 'round. They involve the entire Art District, with the entire area blocked off from vehicular traffic in favor of such outdoor activities as the recent Tomato Tasting, belly-dance performances,  and much more.  All the studios, galleries and shops keep late hours for gallery hops, many holding receptions to open new art exhibitions.  There are usually other vendors and organizations which arrange with DADA to set up a booth or table in the street.

AFAS:  Alphabet Scoop gone Animal Crackers

The woman was still somewhat bewildered at the thought of so much activity on Trade Street. I decided to boggle her mind a little further when I mentioned that in October we'd have Arts On Sunday, a series of Sunday afternoon art fairs produced by Art for Art's Sake (AFAS).  Her poor head was reeling by now, so I decided to save the detailed explanation for the blog.

The Trade Street Corollary of the Law of Attraction

Now, it seems everybody wants to jump onto the Trade Street bandwagon, as it continues to grow in popularity as a venue for other events.  In July it played host to Krispy Kreme's 75th Anniversary Celebration Bash, which featured a terrific party band and free Krispy Kreme products, especially their famous doughnuts, served hot off a mobile version of  a doughnut bakery.

Earlier this year we welcomed Habitat for Humanity's annual BirdFest, a fundraising effort that for years took place near their ReStore off Stratford Road in an area bordering the historic Ardmore neighborhood. The move to Trade Street was a win-win situation for both Habitat and the Arts District.

Next month we look forward to Bookmarks Book Festival, returning to the Downtown Arts District for the 3rd straight year.  This year they've expanded the footprint for the festival to include the Urban League at 5th and Trade Street and the Downtown School and the 7th and Trade intersection.  Personally, I'm super-pleased to be near the Main Stage at 6th and Trade.  Besides being just beyond the doorstep of my shop, it will open with the appearance of Woody Durham, the famous Voice of the Tar Heels for 40 years. Being a die-hard Tar Heel born and bred (my father was an alumnus, Class of '49, and I graduated in the Class of 1976), I have to answer the call to meet a man whose voice has been such an important part of my life!!

For once, my art-world and my sports-world will collide.  Gotta bookmark this.