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Featuring 20-plus participating galleries located throughout Downtown Annapolis and peripheral neighborhoods, such as Eastport, Hillsmere, and West Annapolis, the Annual Annapolis Art Walk offers the opportunity to engage in the arts while strolling through the city’s center, listening to live music and enjoying refreshments. A truly interactive event, attendees can interact with artists on site at many of the galleries, as they create new masterpieces. Students, meanwhile, may find inspiration from the colorful atmosphere. But what makes this year’s art walk special is that there will be three new galleries, both of which specialize in photography—the Tyler Mitchell Galleries, Lisa Masson Photography, and Russell Cather Levi Photography Gallery.
Having recently opened her gallery in Eastport, Lisa Masson says, “I am looking forward to sharing events with the Annapolis art community and the Annapolis Gallery Association [the event's parent organization]. It's a wonderful opportunity to let the community know about local art. Being in Eastport, and a little off the beaten path, I am hoping to gain more exposure and expand the reaches of quality fine art in the Annapolis art scene.” On the other hand, Jean Opilla, co-owner of Aurora Gallery, is a returning member of the Annapolis Art Walk. She described the night as, “an evening for locals and visitors to see each gallery's outlook on the arts.” Opilla is planning on showing Jeanne Norton Hammett silk screens, one of many wonderful styles of artwork in her eclectic gallery.
The Annapolis Art Walk always has a variety of pieces in different medians and styles. Over the years, impressionistic plein air painting has been most popular during the artist demonstrations, but this year, when one ventures into a gallery, they'll also see artists veer off the beaten path and experiment with tonalist and watercolor painting styles, among others. Paula Stark, in particular, does encaustic paintings, taking an old medium and mixing it with new interest. Also new this year is the 2011 Imagination Show. The McBride Gallery is hosting the activity, during which young artists, ages three to 18, can ing in one work of art on paper before the start of the event—August 15th, 16th, or 17th from 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.—and have it shown during the Annapolis Art Walk.
With such diverse art, Cynthia McBride, Annapolis Art Walk coordinator and owner of McBride Gallery, says, “It is an evening escape into Annapolis where walkers get lost in the art, while meeting neighbors, watching painting, and conversing; there is a unique camaraderie among the annual art walkers.” In addition, Discover Annapolis Tours will transport attendees between the galleries free of charge. So come take part! You may start at any gallery you wish and there will be a map and guide to all the other galleries taking part in the event. Yellow balloons and a yellow banner will be posted at all participating galleries. Call 410-267-7077 or visit Artinannapolis.com for complete details.
Participating Galleries
• Annapolis Marine Art Gallery
• The Annapolis Collection Gallery
• The Annapolis Pottery
• ARTFX
• Atlantic Arts, Inc. Fine Art
• Aurora Gallery
• The Circle Gallery, Maryland Federation of Art
• The Eastport Gallery
• Easy Street Gallery
• 49 West Café & Gallery
• La Petite Galerie
• Lisa Masson Photography
• Liz Lind Editions
• Main Street Gallery
• Maria's Picture Place
• McBride Gallery
• The Mitchell Gallery, St. John's College
• Quiet Waters Park Gallery
• Russell Cather Levi Photography Gallery
• The Galleries at Maryland Hall
• Tyler Mitchell Galleries
• West Annapolis Art Works
• Whitehall Gallery
• Wynn Bone Gallery/Casa Nova
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