Downtown Boone Art Crawl Friday

Officially, the Downtown Boone Art Crawl is on hiatus, slated to return in April.

Unofficially, some downtown merchants and galleries think it’s just too much fun and are planning to celebrate this First Friday like any other.

According to Pilar Fotta, director of the Downtown Boone Development Association, art crawl during the winter months proved costly, especially when attendance was down on the colder nights. Hence, a formal crawl was suspended, while those who still wanted to participate could do so on their own.

Those going it their own this Friday include Appalachian State University’s Turchin Center for the Visual Arts (423 W. King St.), hosting its Winter Exhibition Celebration. From 7 to 9 p.m., crawlers can enjoy a cash bar with live music from jazz combo The Lucky Strikes and a chance to meet the artists.

New exhibitions include “Robert Goodnough: Abstract Expressionism & Beyond,” the ninth Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition, the 2012 Department of Art Faculty Biennial, “Padre e Figlio: Father & Son Works by Mario Prisco and Richard Prisco,” “Senegal: A Window into Francophone West Africa” and “The Artine & Teddy Artinian Self Portrait Collection.”

There’s also Blazing Easels, a free First Friday workshop for kids ages 7 to 12 in classroom 3200 of the TCVA, where children can play with materials and create a masterpiece of their own.

The Watauga Arts Council and Jones House Community Center (604 W. King St.) welcome two new exhibitions to their galleries with a reception (and refreshments) from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The Mazie Jones Gallery will feature ArtMix, a group of women with a common bond to make the world a more beautiful place through their creative energies and works of art. ArtMix includes Orna Bentor, Tonya Bottomley, Cindy Breden, Mary Anne Caplinger, Amy Cooke, Judy Humphrey, Betty Powell, Mary Ann Prack, Marianne Suggs and Barbara Timberman.

The Open Door Gallery welcomes Two Rivers Community School’s annual art show, featuring artwork from the school’s 162 students, while the Serendipity Gallery continues to feature the “Many Minis” exhibit. “Many Minis” are 5-by-7-inch artworks by artists from the Lois E. Harrell Senior Center and the Western Community Center.

Anna Banana’s (641 W. King St., Suite 1) celebrates its first First Friday of the year, featuring free food and wine from Char and Glug, respectively, while introducing its new “Clearance Tub” and kicking off a bag sale.

The Nth˚ Gallery & Studios (683 W. King St.) weaves “Fantastic Fibers First Friday,” starting at 7:30 p.m. and featuring the work of fiber studio art students from Appalachian State University.

Artists in the show include Anna Johnson, Lauren Fabri, Lindsay Steinmann, Emily Parrish, Hannah Adam, Rachel Kirk and Becca Vaughan.

All of the work falls under the umbrella of fibers, but displays a spectrum of techniques and mediums, such as weaving, crocheting, knitting, papermaking, screen-printing, natural dying, spinning and embroidery.

Although informed by tradition, the work explores the expressive potential of fiber art and draws inspiration from various sources, such as the relationship to the natural environment, the effects of time and decay, and explorations of memory, storytelling and history.

The show runs from 7:30 p.m. to midnight, and light refreshments will be served.

Lucky Penny (693 W. King St.) is hosting two student artists from ASU from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring the artwork of senior graphic design major Emily Vanderlinden and sophomore Laura Guidry.

Vanderlinden specializes in wearable art, experimenting with mixing upcycled materials and jewelry, while Guidry crochets and knits creations for Elgie Designs.

Char (179 S. Howard St.) celebrates First Friday with $5 glasses of house wine, $18 bottles of house wine and two for one appetizers until 7 p.m.


Join Our Art Crawl Roundup
If your business participates in the Downtown Boone Art Crawl, send your goings-on to (frank@mountaintimes.com) for a spot in next month’s Downtown Boone Art Crawl Roundup.