It wasn’t cold. It wasn’t raining. It wasn’t dark at 6 p.m. Those three factors combined to bring a crowd Downtown for First Wednesday Art Walk.
This month’s tour of galleries and businesses that exhibit paintings, photography, sculpture and other disciplines of art had the theme of “Art Goes Green” in recognition of the role nature place in inspiring artists.
According to the head count at the Art Center, 1,611 people visited the cooperative gallery on West Adams Street and 214 visited the Art Center on East Bay Street.
Southlight Gallery on West Forsyth Street near Laura Street also had steady traffic all evening. It’s part of the “Off the Grid” program that’s a partnership among artists, Downtown Vision Inc., the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville and Downtown property owners that’s putting art galleries and studios into previously empty storefronts. Artist and gallery partner Michael Dunlap said discussions are under way toward developing a weekly daytime art tour to complement the monthly first Wednesday evening tour.
The next First Wednesday Art Walk is May 5 and will not surprisingly have a “Cinco de Mayo” theme.
Southlight Gallery on Forsyth Street near Laura Street is the largest “Off the Grid” gallery. This section of the space is referred to as the “Guggenheim Wall,” based on its reflection of the iconic New York City museum’s architecture.
Photographer Michael Cenci specializes in images of wildlife in North Florida. He also makes his own picture frames from alligator hides. Cenci is this month’s featured artist at the Art Center Cooperative at The Carling along West Adams Street.
Aisling Millar studies sculpture at the University of North Florida. Her senior thesis consists of scale models of her ideas for public art projects and they’re on exhibit at The Next Gallery on Laura Street.
There’s always something different at Art Walk. That brought Catherine Carey and Egon the boa constrictor from the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens to this month’s stroll around Downtown.
Art Walk is also about music and these drummers welcomed visitors to Hemming Plaza, one of the anchor points of the monthly event.