Two of the surest signs of autumn in town are the Durango Art Galleries Collective’s annual Fall Gallery Walk and the Durango Autumn Arts Festival. The walk, to be held Friday, offers art enthusiasts the chance to pop into local galleries to see what’s new, hear a little live music and meet an artist or two.
The Autumn Arts Festival, now in its 25th year, will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday outside on East Second Avenue.
Here is what some of the galleries have planned for the Gallery Walk:
Create will feature Deborah Sussex, who will have a talk starting at 6 p.m., and she will answer questions throughout the evening. Sussex will share her stories from her studies in Japan to grow and develop her art. She has become interested in the study of Wabi-Sabi. “Wabi-Sabi” – the beauty of imperfection and impermanence. As described by Andrew Juniper in the book, “Wabi-Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence,” “Wabi-Sabi challenges us to unlearn our views of beauty and to rediscover the intimate beauty to be found in the smallest details of nature’s artistry.”
Local jewelry artist Gretchen Magwitz, who will be in attendance, will show her new work. Organic designs featuring unusual stones, 18K gold and oxidized silver are her trademark.
Along with tonight’s Gallery Walk, DAC is getting ready to throw its annual weekend-long party on East Second Avenue. A fundraiser for the DAC, the free Autumn Arts Festival features fine art and fine craft by makers from around the country. Jurors will select award winners based on visits to booths Saturday morning. Awards will be announced on Saturday afternoon from the music stage. There will also be the Creation Station, which will provide hands-on activities for all ages; and live music, including performances by Robby Overfield, Pete Giulianni, Eddie and Betty Box, Tanaya Winder and Jon Chavarillo, and musicians from iAM Music and Stillwater will be offered. A fully stocked food court will provide you with the energy you need to keep up, and the DAC theater will host a full bar that will include Steamworks beer. There will also be tea provided by Create Art & Tea. For more information, visit www.durangoarts.org/2019-daaf.
Acrylic painter Amy Hutto will be on hand for an evening of art and conversation. Hutto’s subjects, which are often traditional in nature, are presented in an unconventional way. In her work, you will find whimsical purple cows, smiling pigs or charging bison – nothing is off limits for her colorful menagerie of animals.
Gabaldon will feature her new giclee’ prints on metal – “A Playful Day at Baker’s Bridge” and “Blessings Animas River.” Also check out Patricia Locke’s jewelry trunk show.
The Rochester will host the art of Bradley Kachnowicz in the lobby for the annual Autumn Arts Festival. He combines abstract and representational styles and uses natural materials such as sand and dried herbs to make his work unique as texture brings it alive. In the R-Space, Megan Kelly celebrates the two things in her life that have been her foundation –dogs and art. She creates art using just about every medium known.
Scenic Aperture features fine-art nature photography of the Four Corners. The gallery showcases the photography of Frank Comisar, Durango’s own internationally collected nature photographer. During the Walk, meet the artist, and there will be special event pricing, food and live music by JR Cook and Jade Robbins.
“Timeless West” art features the work of two artists – painter Jim Rey and sculptor Star Liana York. An opening reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m.
An opening reception for “Everyday Wings: New sculptures from Shawn Lotze” will be held from 5-9 p.m. Lotze has recently become a member of Studio &.
The gallery will feature a collection of work that was owned by one of the most famous and influential Navajo Indian Traders from the first part of the 1900s. Sallie Wagner Lippincott and her husband, Bill, purchased the Wide Ruins Trading Post in 1932. She was responsible for the explosion in the use of vegetal dyes and the evolution of the Wide Ruins, Chinle and, later, the Modern Crystal styles in Navajo weaving. After leaving Wide Ruins after World War II, Sallie moved to Santa Fe, where she became a mentor of many Pueblo artists and worked closely with Robert Ortega at the Ortega Weaving Mill in Chimayo to put together a collection of his weavings. The collection includes Wide Ruins weavings, Chimayo weavings, a Nativity set by Helen Cordero, a first phase concho belt and more.
katie@durangoherald.com
If you go
What:
Fall Gallery Walk.
When:
5-8 p.m. today (Friday).
Where:
Downtown Durango.
More information:
Visit
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