The Downtown Arts Alliance will host another fun and free Downtown Gallery Crawl on Thursday, October 3rd from 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm. This family-friendly party spans across the downtown areas of both Twin Cities. Come walk through unique art galleries, meet the artists and discuss their work, enjoy refreshments, and be a part of our vibrant community! Original art will be for sale, so come find a piece that speaks to you!
The Rialto Gallery is located on Trenton Street in West Monroe. You won’t want to miss the "Go Local" silent auction art show benefiting the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana! All works of art will be made by local artists, that reflects what the food bank is all about: food, family, volunteerism, community, etc. We will also be revealing BIG news for our community regarding the Rialto! Come by and see what all the buzz is about and find out how you can get involved.
Catch a ride on the free shuttles and make your way towards South Grand Street to check out Edges Gallery. Curator Zach Raybourn will show Monroe native Rebekah Hardin for the October Crawl. Rebekah is talented in various mediums including oil and acrylic paint, charcoal, pencils and photography.
Next, join the fun at The Palace Gallery on DeSiard Street! Curator Jarod Stokes is excited to host Caroline Youngblood’s show “MY Louisiana.” Youngblood will be gracing the Palace Gallery with large-scale, abstract, figurative paintings appropriated from anonymous Kodachrome slides. They tell a story of her experience of connecting with the Collective Consciousness. She channels the life energy of these nameless characters and "cleans up" their memories as an iconic painted image. The finished pieces are an amazing representation of the southern charm Caroline brings to every work of art.
Last but not least, we have five great galleries on Art Alley! The 318 Press will be taking over Arender Studio & Gallery. Ben Bennett will be pulling and slinging ink live with a series of locally inspired prints that are fresh, fun, and full of 318 pride. So come by, pick out your favorite design and walk out with a shirt that’ll turn heads and make everyone ask you where it came from.
Upstairs Gallery will be featuring three artists for October. Amy Ouchley will show her nature inspired jewelry. Each handmade piece is a portal into Amy’s connection to the natural world. And Megan Smith, who is primarily a functional ceramic artist, with exhibit her work. Megan’s work emphasizes color, form, and above all, having fun doing what she loves. Megan enjoys creating pieces related to her life to share with the world. Eli Gable is showing his photographic pieces. Eli’s photography started as a hobby that soon became a passion to capture unique shots of our beautiful state. He showcases his artwork on a variety of mediums including canvas, birchwood, acrylic and framed photography.
Curator Amanda Roe will be exhibiting work in two galleries this Crawl! In the Downtown Gallery, her show titled 'Into the Void' will feature mixed media paintings that explore the darkest moments of social media and our connection with it within society. And just around the corner, Roe will have a large mural on display for the Outside Gallery. Gritty, raw, and featuring a larger than life skull, her work titled “The Great Rebellion” is just what this October Crawl needs.
Sugar Gallery is featuring international artist Anand Javvaji. Born in Southern India, Javvaji’s passion for art began at an early age and started with pencil drawings and watercolors. Later in life, he joined The Art Academy in New Jersey to further enhance his skills in portrait and figurative painting. Javvaji is passionate painting subjects of abstract, landscape, figurative, portrait, still life and wildlife. Sugar Gallery will also show work by resident artists Melanie Douthit and Doug Breckenridge, and wearable art by Harp Strings Jewelry! Be sure to stop by Sugar Gallery, where there’s always something sweet!
That wraps up all nine of our outstanding shows! Be sure to grab a Crawl Passport and get a stamp from every gallery you visit. When you complete your Passport, head over to Flying Tiger for the official after party and (if you’re 21 or older) a free drink! Jason Byron Nelson will have his latest painting on display there as well! You can also trade in your Passport for free admission to the Children’s Museum on another day!
Be sure to visit our Crawl Companions at the merchandise booth for some Downtown Gallery Crawl swag. We are always looking for enthusiastic people to join our efforts in promoting this local event. If you are looking for a way to get involved in the community, becoming a Crawl Companion is an excellent way to support your local art scene.