It’s been several years since I was a participating artist at the White Street Studio Walk. The idea of a one-night, outdoor gig has lost its appeal as aging creeps in. I’m always in awe of artists who make their living traveling across the country from show to show, setting up, breaking down, and dealing with the outside elements.
I’m much more content to help out friend and White St. co-founder, Zeek Taylor, who invites the hordes into his home to view his art, eat his food and drink his wine. It’s fun, very social, and, based on the number of home-made oatmeal raisin cookies consumed and the size of the callous on my forefinger from turning that little knob on the box wine, another huge success.
Eureka Fine Art Gallery, which opened last fall, is home for some of Eureka’s finer and more established artists. The North Main co-op of eight artists is hosting guest artists during May. An opening reception for Cynthia Kresse was held Saturday for a new series of pastel landscapes that are stunning. If Rothko did Turner… The work, hung salon style in a hallway, is a little cramped and not ideal for viewing, but well worth seeing Kresse’s work, and the other talent adorning the walls and pedestals.
Janet Alexander has been on a jewelry-making rampage and will be featured Saturday at the new Norberta Philbrook Gallery, also on North Main. Gallery and Practical Magic art supply owner Raven Derge has returned to Eureka Springs after a Bentonville sabbatical to open a gallery just off the square in WalMart country. Raven’s reason for returning – “Bentonville’s very different, and I missed everything Eureka.”
FAM FEST (Food, Art and Music) is being held Saturday at and around the North Main Music Park. Vendors and artists were given free spaces to show their wares, with Brick and Fields performing from 4 to 6 p.m.
North Main is getting a creative revitalization boost, with new galleries, an evolving Art Colony and Ken Ketelsen’s opening of his restaurant, Fresh, and surrounding shops. And as an early Mary Jo Rose and Lane House supporter and former Main Stage board member, it’s great to see construction of the Main Stage building finally getting done. When up and running, the non-profit space has the potential to make a huge difference for our youth, North Main and our creative community.
As always – check out the Independent Fun Guide for the complete listing of everything happening this week during the May Festival of the Arts.
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