If there was a metaphor for the diversity of art involved in Friday evening's Gallery Walk, it would be the refreshment tables -- salmon pâté next to candy corn.\nDuring the appropriately named "Downtown Gallery Walk" event, nine downtown art galleries collaborate to show their collections in a three-hour block of time. Friday evening, the public was allowed to tour Bloomington galleries from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The open house gave each gallery a chance to showcase its uniqueness, as well as the extremely creative handmade works of local and regional artists. \nThe Gallery Walks are expos of downtown galleries, where people can see cool things in Bloomington, said Miah Michaelsen, interim director of the John Waldron Arts Center. The artists are often present, and patrons can talk to them, Michaelsen said.\nThe following is a series of brief profiles of five of the nine galleries; those not covered are: Fossil Rain, Bellevue, Textillery and TOP Galleries. For more information about all the galleries, visit:
www.artlives.org
\nBy Hand Gallery\nHidden in a back corner of Fountain Square Mall, By Hand Gallery features every kind of art imaginable, from functional pottery to hand-painted bookmarks. A co-op that has been in existence for 26 years, the gallery is owned by nine artists who display their work. Using By Hand as a studio front, the owners also feature about 60 other non-local artists' pieces.\nCharter member Suzanne Halvorson has been with the gallery since its beginning, watching it thrive at six different locations. She described By Hand as a great place full of hidden treasures -- a place many people might miss because of its semi-hidden location inside Fountain Square Mall. \n"(At the gallery), world-class art is available locally," Halvorson said.\nEverything in the gallery is handmade, including the wide selection of metal and stone jewelry. \nCo-op member and artist Ruth Conway displayed her fired wood mugs, pots and dishes.\n"I want my work to be functional. If someone puts it on a shelf, it's a failure," Conway said.
John Waldron
\nArts Center Galleries\nHousing educational classes and the Bloomington Area Arts Council, in addition to an active gallery program, the John Waldron Arts Center features a great deal of modern art. The gallery focuses on watercolor paintings and pottery, while the gift shop features handmade stained glass, wooden picture frames, jewelry and more eclectic pottery. Knitted scarves and fabrics are also abundant.\nRunning 12 to 13 shows a year, the gallery (adjacent to the gift shop) mainly displays Bloomington artists. Some artists remain affiliated with the Center for many years, taking advantage of its courses and artistic opportunities.\n"I taught Spanish and American literature here and wanted to do a show here. Bloomington has a very lively art scene, cultivated by places like Waldron," local artist Frances Wyers said.\nThe John Waldron Arts Center is located just south of Fountain Square Mall at 122 S. Walnut St.
Gallery North
\non the Square
\nUpon walking into Gallery North on the Square, one is immediately struck with its originality. A plastic head sits in front of an iron trumpet, a contraption actualized as a fountain only when one catches sight of water spilling out of the trumpet's bell. Three-D paintings protrude from the walls and face other mediums, as wisps of cotton clouds cover a bright round sun, metal sculptures of tribal faces and pitch forks line the opposite side of the gallery. All the while, rock music blares from a stereo on the floor.\nLocated just north of the courthouse at 116 W. Sixth St., the gallery is cooperatively owned and run by its featured artists. \n"(The gallery has) all types of art; there are no restrictions," Brown County artist Anabel Hopkins said.\nArt is selected for the gallery by a jury process, during which members vote on the art they wish to be featured.\nIn addition to a wide variety of paintings and sculptures, there is an abundance of pottery. Gallery President Jackie White is a featured potter, though her techniques are becoming increasingly rare.\n"I use coils, not a potter's wheel -- there are not as many hand-built potters," White said.\nWhite's pots range from the size of a small hand to the size of a small person.
The Wandering Turtle
\nLocated at 224 N. College Ave., the Wandering Turtle mixes art, gifts and music. Selling mainly cards, trinkets and CDs of local artists in the foreground of the store, the gallery portion is located toward the back of the shop.\nBoth the shop's unique handmade products and its gift items draw loyal customers.\n"This place is amazing for gifts, (especially) for students looking for (gifts for) their parents if they're going home. They should look at galleries because it's a way to support the community and get something unique. I never get my cards anywhere else," said local jewelry artist Mari Dagaz.\nDagaz said her jewelry is not currently featured at the Wandering Turtle, but would be soon.\nToward the back of the store, the more gallery-like portion has a distinctly East Asian feel. A statue titled "Take," the Japanese word for bamboo, portrayed a bird made from only metal scraps and chains. Hand-dyed silks (not originating from Bloomington) sport Japanese lettering and proverbs such as "In the end what matters most is ... how well did you live, how well did you love, how well did you learn to let go," and "Embrace silence."
Prima Gallery\nAn aesthetically pleasing two-level gallery, Prima combines functional art with art for pleasure. The gallery features artists Marcy Neiditz and Martha Opdahl, each occupying one level of the display area.\nNeiditz's work is comprised mostly of pottery, show plates and functional plates. Her work is done in all colors -- making use of many textures and patterns. A wide range of diversity is evident in her work.\nAfter receiving her Master of Fine Arts from IU, artist Martha Opdahl engaged in a rare form of art, many of the principles of which she designed herself. Sewing white organdy (a stiff form of cotton) onto black acrylic, Opdahl creates geometric pieces that have a classic look. By piecing and layering the fabrics together, Opdahl strives for the goal she explains in her artist's statement: "A paradox in my work is that I seek wholeness through fragmentation."\nStrikingly original, Opdahl explained how she conceptualized some of the ideas for her work. \n"I was interested in lines (and thought they) would show up best if there was something behind them (to) make the fabric translucent. It evolves," she said.
