First Friday December will be a little extra at Area 61 Gallery this week - a celebration of their years serving the Chattanooga arts community and selling the works of so many gifted local artists since 2009. The gallery will close at the end of December when their lease ends and there are no plans to relocate.
All of the gallery artists will be in the gallery to mix and mingle with loyal gallery fans, collectors and visiting guests. Gallery representatives ask that you take this opportunity to connect with them, learn about their process and how to continue being a part of their artistic career after the gallery closes.
First Friday December is also the opening reception for the latest featured artist show – "Painting the Emotions of Nature, A New Season," by Jaime Barks.
Ms.
Barks' artist statement says that her work is heavily inspired by her outdoor adventures — camping, backpacking and hiking. She said each piece represents real places, but interpreted in a dream-like state, conveying the emotional experience of being in nature, rather than just its physical appearance.
Gallery Spokesperson Keeli Crewe says, “Jaime’s spirit is as vibrant as her work and invites guests to take the opportunity to meet her during the opening reception. Ask her how she journals her outdoor inspiration to complete her paintings in studio afterwards.”
The opening is from 6-8 p.m. this Friday at 721 Broad Street (left of the Tivoli Theatre) in Chattanooga.