A busy night for whimsy for this First Friday
| Wednesday, Feb 02 2011 05:28 PM
Last Updated Wednesday, Feb 02 2011 06:28 PM
First Friday
A full list of events on Page 30.
'Wordplay'
When: Reception from 5 to 8 p.m.
Where: The Foundry, 1700 Chester Ave.
Information: 301-3283
'Contextual'
When: Reception 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Farmacy at the Padre Hotel, 1702 18th St.
Information: 324-9000
'The Gnome Project'
When: 5 to 8 p.m.
Where: Spotlight Theatre, 1622 19th St.
Information: 636-0490
'Observation'
When: 5 to 7 p.m.
Where: Spindt Hall at Bakersfield High School, 1241 G St.
Information:
Ann Sullivan watercolors
When: Reception 6 to 8 p.m.
Where: Bakersfield Art Association Art Center, 1817 Eye St.
Information: 869-2320
Emily Mbong
When: Reception 6 to 8 p.m.
Where: Dagny's Coffee Co., 1600 20th St.
Information: 634-0806
Reception
Who: Jewelry designer Tom Little Wolf Luparello, artist Monica Nelson and photographer Tony Bijeaux
When: 5 to 8 p.m.
Where: Juliana's Art Studio & Gallery, 501 18th St.
Information: 327-7507
Guild House First Friday
With live music, light appetizers, dessert and wine
When: 6 to 8 p.m.
Where: Guild House, 1905 18th St.
Admission: $5
Information: 325-5478
Mutt Masterpieces
Featuring art for and by dogs. Proceeds go to H.A.L.T. Rescue.
When: 6 to 9 p.m.
Where: Biscuit Boutique & Doggy Spa, 1617 17th St.
Information: 321-9602
Images
Jen Williams' submission, "Calm/Hate," for The Shutter Clique's "Wordplay" exhibit, which opens Friday at The Foundry.
"Feel With Me" by Claire Putney, part of the "conTEXTual" exhibit, opening Friday at Farmacy in the Padre Hotel.
"Dreams & Things" by Barbara Reid, part of the "conTEXTual" exhibit, opening Friday at Farmacy in the Padre Hotel.
"Portal" by Christine McKee, part of the "conTEXTual" exhibit, opening Friday at Farmacy in the Padre Hotel.
"Building Strength" by Yvonne Cavanagh, part of the "conTEXTual" exhibit, opening Friday at Farmacy in the Padre Hotel.
"Gunfight at Sundown" by Art Knight will be on display at Flying Moose Studios on Friday.
"No Legs" by Art Knight will be on display at Flying Moose Studios on Friday.
"John on Horse" by Art Knight will be on display at Flying Moose Studios on Friday.
A work by Houston Wesley Prior that will be on display at Flying Moose Studios on Friday.
BHS senior Stephanie Aranda's work "Trip to Disneyland" will be on display at the "Observation" exhibit Friday at the school.
Ceramic cupcakes will be for sale at the BHS student exhibit "Observation" Friday at the school.
Ceramic bowls will be for sale at the BHS student exhibit "Observation" Friday at the school.
If love is in the air this month, plan to spread some of that downtown tomorrow at First Friday, which comes to life for its first event of 2011. With numerous art exhibits, Oscar-nominated film "Winter's Bone" at FLICS, a Wild West Gershwin musical opening at Spotlight and various shops and restaurants on board, this one's going to be a busy night.
'Observation' at BHS
Before you head into downtown, stop off at Bakersfield High School, where intermediate and advance art students will display pencil drawings, paintings and ceramic works for "Observation." The brainchild of BHS instructors Yvonne Cavanagh, Linda Hyatt, Lisa Rudnick and Michelle Bilik, this exhibit is the second of four planned for the year -- and all timed to First Friday.
Cavanagh said tying the exhibits to First Friday paid off in terms of attendance for "Identity," the first exhibit held in November.
"The turnout was excellent. Many patrons stopped in before heading downtown for the other First Friday events. I think First Friday is a great event, and the more art openings that are happening the better," she said.
Ceramic bowls will be for sale to benefit the Bakersfield Homeless Center. Other ceramic pieces will be available with proceeds going to the BHS ceramic department.
'ConTEXTual' at Padre Hotel
Cavanagh is making a strong showing for the arts on Friday, both with her BHS students' show and as a guest artist for "conTEXTual," the latest offering from Creating Community, which opens at Farmacy at the Padre Hotel. Organized by the Arts Council of Kern, this artists' collaborative, formed to raise awareness of social topics, last presented "Ebb and Flow: Kern's Vanishing Water" in August.
This time around, returning artists Barbara Reid, Christine McKee and Claire Putney (along with Cavanagh) tackle the issue of literacy, a topic close to the educator's heart.
"I am very aware of its importance not only in the life of a student but in that student's self-esteem and whole way of being," Cavanagh said.
The partner in this event, First Book Bakersfield, will receive 25 percent of the sales from the event. The nonprofit, which distributes new books to children from low-income families, will be conducting a book drive at the event.
'Wordplay' at The Foundry
A love of words is also at work for The Foundry's latest exhibit "Wordplay," presented by the Shutter Clique. The photography club's president, Jennifer Williams, said that members randomly chose two contrasting words -- one positive, one negative -- from a hat and were asked to interpret them simultaneously in a photo. She described the assignment as "complete creative freedom."
"With the words being random, some people had really difficult photographs ahead of them," Williams said. "I am so proud of everyone who participated and didn't let this unconventional theme scare them away."
Williams' photo -- "Calm/Hate" -- illustrates the theme through the eyes of a housewife, who looks on as her two small boys prepare to wage war at opposite ends of a table, while her husband remains unaware.
Vote for your favorite image, then join in the fun at the photo booth provided by event designer Therese Dozier of My Sorted Affair, which will take photos randomly during the event. Foundry curator Nicole Browning also said they will be raffling off photo shoots for $5 a ticket or five for $20, with a portion of the proceeds going toward the club's planned scholarship program.
Support your local artist
In search of lively art? There are many options on Friday. First up is Flying Moose Studios, which is showing works from a quartet of artists. Owner Art Knight said his latest works are a mix of funny and serious works evoking spaghetti Westerns like "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."
Also on display will be the plein air paintings of Knight's sister-in-law Sheryl Knight and works from surrealist Deon Bell and contemporary artist Houston Wesley Prior. Art will be displayed on the sidewalk as well as the gallery, where Prior will be painting during the event, according to Knight.
The West lives on at Spotlight Theatre, which opens the musical comedy "Crazy for You" on Friday. Also on display will be works from the Gnome Project, a collaboration between Bakersfield Emerging Contemporary Artists and Maya Cinemas related to the animated film "Gnomeo and Juliet," which opens next Friday.
More exhibits on Friday include watercolors from Ann Sullivan at the Bakersfield Art Association's Art Center, Emily Mbong at Dagny's Coffee Co. and Juliana's Art Studio & Gallery, which will feature jewelry designer Tom Little Wolf Luparello, artist Monica Nelson and photographer Tony Bijeaux. Check out as many shows as you can, said Art Knight from Flying Moose, who espouses a "buy local" motto.
"This is a great community and we have a lot of great artists in town," he said. "People should appreciate what we have and support them."
