Gallery Walk to feature exhibits in 9 local galleries

Those more apt to hop bars than art galleries on a Friday night have a chance to shake up their routine.

At this Friday’s Downtown Bloomington Gallery Walk, nine area art galleries will open their doors from 5 to 8 p.m. to share new exhibits with the community.

Viewing art is not just for the hoity-toity or the art school crowd, said Ryan Dagley,
senior sales associate at the Wandering Turtle Art Gallery and Gifts.

“In fact, we’d prefer the snooty stay at home,” Dagley said.

Dagley said he hopes the Gallery Walk series will make visual art accessible to the Bloomington community.

“The word ‘gallery’ puts pressure on people,” Dagley said.

The Wandering Turtle routinely fields calls from anxious first-timers, who are met with a laugh when they ask about dress code. (There isn’t one.)

“In actuality, (the event) is very fun, very relaxed, very open,” Dagley said.

During the Gallery Walk, which occurs the first Friday of alternating months, the nine participating galleries in the downtown area showcase new exhibits during extended evening hours.

The Wandering Turtle features live music, refreshments and a generally casual atmosphere. Similar setups can be found at the eight other galleries, all within walking distance of one another in the Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District.

In Dagley’s experience, gallery newcomers are glad they participated in the event, and returning attendees often look forward to the new exhibits and special featured artists.

With each of the nine participating galleries specializing in varying types of art from different geographic regions, there is something new to see at each stop. The displays come in many forms, from photography to painting to mixed-media creations like The
Wandering Turtle’s sculpture carved from paperback novels.

Gabriel Colman, curator and owner of The Venue Fine Art & Gifts, said he tries to offer art as “original” as the people who stop in to visit.

A detriment to the abundance of art, though, is the time it takes to view.
Sharon Bussert, manager of By Hand Gallery in Suite 109 of the Fountain Square Mall, believes the entire Gallery Walk experience can barely be squeezed into the three hours allotted for the event. While she has observed that some people have time to visit By Hand twice in one night, she herself can’t complete the gallery loop in a single evening.

“I have a tendency to linger,” she said.

Gallery-goers are welcome to keep their brochures, complete with directions to and descriptions of the various venues, and continue exploring Bloomington’s art scene on their own schedules.

As the event name implies, the Gallery Walk is meant to be experienced on foot.
For those less than enthused to walk the round-trip from the parking garage to every single gallery, there is an option easier on the sole: The Gallery Walk Committee, in conjunction with the tour company A Van About Town, arranges for free shuttle service between galleries during the event.

Garages at Morton Street and Fourth Street as well as street parking are recommended for the event.

Visitors who prefer Bussert’s pace would likely appreciate Colman’s efforts through the Gallery Walk Committee to extend the official event hours. In lieu of that, he keeps his gallery’s doors open as long as there are interested browsers, sometimes staying in operation past 11 p.m.

Colman said he hoped to give visitors exciting, new and interesting art to keep them frequenting local galleries and purchasing pieces.

“This is a chance to be catered and pandered to,” Colman said.