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By CategoryJanuary Gallery Walk
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January Gallery Walkin New Smyrna Beach
2006-01-09
Article Written by: Charles Griffin
The nice thing about the gallery walk in New Smyrna Beach, an event that occurs every first Saturday of the month from 4 to 7 p.m. is that if you miss it, you can still see all the interesting work during regular business hours through the rest of the month. The bad thing is missing the chance to meet the artists, to hear live music and to snack on various delights and imbibe a variety of fruit of the vine.
Arts on Douglas featured a 10th Anniversary showing by some of the 23 original artists who responded to an invitation by Doris Leeper, the late founder of both the gallery and the Atlantic Center for the Arts, to a meeting at the center.
We asked some of the artists about that meeting.
Trish Thompson said Leeper “suggested that the group would enjoy a chance to get together once a month and see our friends...”
“With free food and wine,” said Bill Ross.
“It’s a place you know you’ll see all your friends and their beautiful new works of art,” Thompson continued.
“She called and said to come for some beer and pizza,” said Jerry Napoli, who works in sculpture, about the invitation ten years ago. “It’s like a New York Gallery, however. The best in the state. Just about everything I’ve placed here has been sold.”
While the show concentrates on the original 23 in the main gallery, there is something for every taste throughout Arts on Douglas. To the left of the main entrance is a mixed media piece by Christine Peloquin that is sumptuously multi-layered in color and meaning.
Thompson’s work is subtle and gracious. Napoli’s glass sculpture is intriguing and decorative. Gary Bolding’s work stands out with humor and cutting skill. But there were so many and so much different media, including photography that it is almost impossible to absorb it all in one evening. After all there were three more places to visit.
The Clay Gallery was full of people wandering in from the other shows. More food and wine was available, along with live music. The proprietress herself, Teresa Bowen, was animated and engaged in lively conversation with the browsers. The work in the gallery was not all clay based, as witness the cat and mouse in metal sculpture.
When we pointed the camera at her, Bowen threw her hands up in mock surprise. In the frame behind her, the sort of pottery that bring people to the gallery time after time was pleasingly exhibited.
Harris House was showing just one young man’s work. Albert Shelton, who comes from Ormond Beach, and whose earlier work shows the influence of growing up within the inspirational reach of the scenic loop.
Other of his work shows a slightly surrealistic view of the interiors of enclosed spaces and the flights of fancy that break the mold of those spaces. The piece called “Home From Class” is particularly thoughtful. His most recent work, influenced by his continuing study in New York is more photo-realistic like the piece he posed by.
Three blocks away on Canal Street, the Fine Craft shop was less frequented than the cluster near Arts on Douglas, but the proprietress, Jennifer Kerr-Marsch, and her featured artisan, Carole Meier were also having a good time. On hand were good quality wines and a rather delicious looking baked salmon.
At one point we asked that the two pose with what appeared to be a piece of clay sculpture, a dish with partially scooped out casserole. This brought a laugh from the ladies because it was a vegetable dip—but it looked so perfectly done that it could pass for art. Finally they agreed to hold one of Meier’s fired dishes between them for a picture that turned rather dishy itself.
Kerr-Marsch is having a blue dot-red dot sale, 25 and 50 percent off respectively, to clear room for the work she is expecting to bring home from a crafts and artisan show in the north.
All in all, the first Saturday of the month in New Smyrna Beach is a fine place to be. Much to look at and as Ross said, “free food and wine.” Especially if you like salmon.
Arts on Douglas, Fine Art and Collectibles
123 Douglas Street
New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168
Tel. 386 428-1133
Fax. 386 428-5008
Contact at: mmartin@artsondouglas.net
Check out: www.artsondouglas.net
Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Friday 11 – 6 pm, Saturday 10 – 2 pm and by appointment.
Contact: Meghan Martin, Gallery Manager
Atlantic Center at Harris House Annex
123 Douglas Street
New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168
http://www.atlanticcenterforthearts.org/geninfo/calofevents/aca_hh_calendar.htm
Atlantic Center for the Arts
1414 Art Center Avenue
New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168
www.atlanticcenterforthearts.org
Clay Gallery
302 South Riverside Drive
New Smyrna Beach, Fl. 32168
Contact Teresa Bowen
386-427-2903
http://www.clay-gallery.com/
Mosquito Mud Pottery, Fine Craft Gallery
141 Canal Street
New Smyrna Beach , FL 32168
Tel: (386) 409-7240
www.mosquitomudpottery.com
