That’s right, folks. Tonight marks the end of yet another Halloween season and the beginning of another hot weekend of art to keep you warm during this brisk seasonal transition. To end this Halloween with a BANG, be Bill Davis’ guest and visit The Basement tonight at 9pm to listen to some real undead Hard Rock Zombies! I can’t think of a better way besides watching old Halloween movies with your friends as you all ‘Flick or Treat’ thru the night than dressing up and throwing down with the Hard Rock Zombies (I hear Easy E is going to be there too). In fact, I’ve heard from some of the Hard Rock Zombies today saying that ‘somebody better dress up like an air conditioner because they are going to melt faces!’
So if the sun doth rise tomorrow and you still have your face and wits intact, I have a plethora of events to fill out the rest of your weekly schedule. I will first jump ahead to Thursday, November 3rd. If you are itching to get out of town for your kicks, you can drive to Austin Peay State University’s Downtown Gallery (116 Strawberry Alley) in Clarksville, TN to catch the opening reception for Extensions of a Point: Amanda Dillingham and Ben Vitualla. This Thursday, from 5-8pm at said location, the two Nashville artists will be there to display their latest work and answer any questions you may have at the moment. As most of you know, Ben Vitualla, on top of being an artist, is also a key component of Blend Studio– which just so happens to also have an opening reception taking place this weekend too. This Saturday, as part of the First Saturday Gallery Crawl, you can venture into Blend from 6-9pm and talk to Ben again about the exhibition called This is Not a Feminist Theory on Motherhood: by Carrie Ruckel. Ben is very cordial and a super nice guy. He can offer you insight more so on the featured artist, Carrie Ruckel, than on Motherhood, but I know it will be a good time. And speaking of motherhood, you can also check out some interesting tidbits about art, motherhood, and technology at the Sarratt Student Center Panel Discussion on BioMedical Ethics at 5pm with an opening reception for Take Care: Biomedical Ethics in the 21st Century following. Many of the contributing artists Kristina Arnold, Monica Bock, Sher Fick, Annette Gates, Jeanette May, Lindsay Obermeyer, Sadie Ruben, Libby Rowe, and Adrienne Outlaw will be present and showcasing their art on the subject matter. BUT, I digress.
This Thursday, November 3rd, before I get ahead of myself as usual, marks the monthly Hillsboro Village Art Walk from 5-8pm. At Fire Finch you can find work by Marisa Ray. At Hot & Cold you can find work by Eliza Hemmings. At Fido you will find the work of Jim McGuire and Lindsay Shepherd. At other shops you stumble around you will also find fascinating works, but I am most looking forward to Zeitgeist this coming week for a few personal reasons on the side. First, Zeitgeist welcomes the San-Francisco based artist and illustrator Ward Schumaker. Schumaker has assembled a selection of his Geography works on paper and handmade/handbound books for his second solo show at Zeitgeist. The work strives to offer a platform of free association with thought and emotion combined with Schumaker’s familiar light, deft touch with inks and skeins of delicate washes on paper. Secondly still at Zeitgeist this Thursday night, in correspondence with the Hillsboro Village Art Walk from 5-8pm, I and others will be on hand handing out the latest issue of the regional art publication called Number: Because Lain York and Zeitgeist Gallery has been such a strong advocate for the publication in the past, I couldn’t think of a better time and spot to unveil the most recent issue to the masses of Nashville in person. Number: 69 includes a fresh collection of reviews, interviews, and retrospective art stories written by and about some of the most cutting edge artists in the tri-state region. It is not only back on track with a printing schedule right on time, it is also FREE! So get your butt on over to Zeitgeist on Thursday night and get yourself and your friends a copy to see what it’s all about!
And once you’ve made an effort to pick up the new issue of Number:, you might as well go check out something else new and fresh in town close to downtown. For one night only, this Saturday, November 5th, marks the One Night Only Exhibition: featuring the Fine Art of Solomon Behnke and Paul Fly. From 6:30-10pm at West Light Studios (162 Rosa Parks Blvd.), food, wine, music, and tons of art will be provided and on display from some very talented artists new to town. Serendipitous and ironic how both Number: and Solomon have arrived at the same time to Nashville from their recent Memphis base together in sorts. I am excited about both if you can’t tell.
Yet another one night only painted installation art event called the Installation Show, part A will be taking place with a few familiar local artists traveling out of town to No Egrets Tattoo Studios (1128 College Street, Clarksville, TN). It is there where 7 talented visual artists (Brandt Hardin, Jeff Bertrand, Ricky Cavaness, Charles Bennett, Mike Coriatty, Chadd Spann, and Jay Mean) will bring painted installation and art while 2 talented DJ’s set the good vibes for your hearing and viewing pleasure. Each artist will hang a few of their art pieces on a wall with empty white spaces separating them all in between. Then each artist will grab a brush, paint or can and install paint onto the empty spaces between each art piece while bridging a flawless story board which will flow from one work of art to the other. At the end of the night the artists will take down their original pieces and leave the empty spaces on the new mural for all those to see in person. It should be an awesome trip. There will be cupcakes, and Anjeanette Illustrations will also be on site with her photo booth handy too.
Back to Nashville on Saturday night, there are ample amounts of other shows opening in The Arts Company, COOP Gallery, twist, and others around downtown. I suggest you park close to some of the events mentioned above and drop in for the opening receptions and artists alike. I will give you more insight into some of these shows next week when I drop back in this thing but I don’t want to throw so much at you all at once to flood your memories of what and when everything is going down this weekend. That said, you should definitely stop by Tinney Contemporary as it blows up a party for The Man Who Shot Rock. Although the exhibition runs through mid-November, Saturday, November 5th, is the only time you will catch the internationally recognized photographer and musician Jonathan Postal playing with his band at the gallery! If we’re lucky he might even bring his dog, Hank Williams IV!
So that is a solid week of art and Nashville fun in a Halloween hand bag for your delight. Do with it what you will.
Happy Halloween!
much love,
examine this... 