Last Friday Art Walk boasts 15 venues for February

Snow left all but a few Last Friday Art Walk revelers at home after inclement weather hit Maryville on Jan. 29. Maryville Art Coalition executive director Katie Gamble said planners this month are hoping for better weather.

“We did get snowed out last time, but I feel like we’ve got a really big group of stuff going on this month so we will make up for lost time,” she said. “I hope folks are ready to get out and see what is new.”

Gamble said there are 15 businesses participating in this month’s art walk. “That’s a good turnout,” she said.

The organizer said MAC has also expanded the perimeter of the Last Friday Art Walk. “We are inviting new businesses in downtown to participate and host their own artists and we’ll be happy to help them promote their featured artists for the month,” she said. “As long as they are helping and supporting our artists we’re more than willing to help them.”

A new business, Tye Dye 4 Ink! in the former Palace Café location at 113 W. Harper Ave., will feature painting to music with artist Julie Costner and music from Music Jan.

“They’re new for Art Walk, and we’re excited to have them on board,” Gamble said.

Other venues and artists featured during the February Last Friday Art include:

Dandy Lions with sculptures by Billy and Terri Reynolds

All Natural Health Shoppe with paintings by Jan Jennings

Broadway Gallery/Preservation Plaza featuring paintings Roy and Kate McCullough

Southland Books featuring paintings by RaRa Schlitt

Razberries featuring paintings and student artwork organized by Blount County art instructor Yvonne Wells

Studio 212 featuring pottery by Sheldon Gram

ICMAS featuring paintings by Betti Green and Brenda Thomas

Boyd Thomas Clothing featuring paintings by Suzanne Terrell

Tomato Head featuring mixed media by Dale Mackey

Capital Theatre with music from the Streamliners Swing Band

FAB ArtSpace featuring multiple medias with the theme “What Women Want”

Palace Theater featuring mixed media by William Blount Visual and Graphic Arts students and organized by teacher Melanie Pritchard

Professional Hair Designs featuring art work by Cindy McDaniel

Clear’s Silat featuring performances and demonstrations

Village Tinker featuring furniture by Luther Hill

Gamble said MAC members will be promoting next month’s Masquerade Ball fundraiser for the organization. The event will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, March 5, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church 314 W. Broadway Ave., Maryville.

“What we’re really excited about is we’re going to have people dressed up promoting the masquerade ball fundraiser,” she said. “We’ll be selling homemade masks for the masquerade ball, and we’ll be floating around the street from location to location.”

Gamble said MAC members who plan to dress up and promote the event hope to visit all the Last Friday Art Walk venues, but they will make a priority to hit to visit the places where tickets for the ball are being sold: Dandy Lions, Razberries, Boyd Thomas Clothing and The Village Tinker. “Hopefully we’ll have four people at each location or we’ll be floating between those places,” she said.

Gamble, who spearheaded the Last Friday Art Walk from its inception, said the masquerade ball fundraiser is just another way organizers are working to keep the event fresh.

“The idea is for the Art Walk to not become stale. We want to give the public art and experiences they haven’t had before or seen before. Artwork changes and evolves,” she said. “And the Art Walk and our events have to evolve as well.”

For information about Maryville Arts Coalition, visit www.maryvilleartwalk.com.