Jerome AZ (September 21, 2016) – Enjoy the fall evening in Jerome during the October 1st First Saturday Art Walk. Once again, the magical mountain town will be hosting a night filled with art, music and refreshments galore. Art Walk is the only night that galleries are open from 5 to 8pm. Members like Nellie Bly opening a show by John Johnston, Patrick Lincoln in The New State Motor Company and The Mark Hemleben Gallery in the Old Jerome High School all bring a fresh energy to the vibrant art scene in Jerome. With 22 participating galleries and studios and many sponsoring businesses and restaurants offering specials, this is a festive night in Jerome.
Jerome ArtWalkAfterHours continues at Caduceus Cellars on Main Street. Stop by for an evening of film shorts beginning at dusk at the fabulous local wine tasting room. Enjoy wine by the glass specials until 9pm. The Spirit Room once again welcomes The Johnny Lingo Trio on Art Walk night beginning at 9pm. Visit Jerome Art Walk on the first Saturday of every month from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. A free shuttle transports visitors from one end of town to the other throughout the evening. For more information visit www.jeromeartwalk.com or call Donna at (928) 649-2277.
Nellie Bly Kaleidoscopes and Art Glass will feature Prescott artist John Johnston who premieres his collection of fascinating creations which are both functional and fanciful. Stop in to see motorized mechanical steampunk artwork by this innovative artist. John Johnston has traveled an interesting path, taking many jobs and learning many trades. On a motorcycle trip across the United States, he found his real passion. After taking a job painting murals in Columbia South Carolina for some extra cash, he discovered he was happiest while creating art. Although not a mechanic, John was taught the skill of genuine metal work by doing 8 years of vintage truck restoration. Exploring the gears and inner workings of the old vehicles brought him to his current creations of mesmerizing work. Nellie Bly Kaleidoscope and Art Glass will host a party from 5 to 8pm on October 1st to welcome John to this amazing and entertaining space filled with magical delights of wonder. Stop by for F & B and the visual treats provided by this talented artist.
Yes, Made in Jerome Pottery will have music by Dave Hall, Pat Jacobson and friends. The potters are gearing up for the busy season and there will be plenty of new work to get excited about from functional and decorative ceramics to small paintings, prints and jewelry. There is a huge selection of Horse Hair Pottery by Natalie Jetter.
Firefly will be featuring the new work of local artist Ann Metlay. Ann is a Verde Valley artist at her studio ‘A Drift, Desert Wood Assemblages’. Ann uses and arranges materials of nature. She works with local wood, minerals and papier-mâché to create and enhance the simple beauty of nature.
Jerome’s Jewelry artists have been hard at work creating some extraordinary jewelry designs. Father-and-son team Rick and Ricky Hernandez, as well as 3 other featured Artists, April Hernandez, Sarah Yount-Moser and Fredda Psaltis. Master Jeweler Rick Hernandez has been fabricating spectacular custom jewelry for over 20 years, usually in 14kt gold and sterling silver. Rick’s recently been working with Arizona Fire Agate and Azurite- Malachite from Jerome. Rick has had the personal honor of gifting Joe Perry of Aerosmith an Awesome Skull bracelet and ring. Recently Carlos Santana and his wife Cindy Blackman-Santana were given a Fabulous Hand Crafted Arizona Fire Agate Hat Pin & Pendant.
Rick’s son Ricky has followed in his father’s footsteps, and specializes in the art of handcrafted silver work. Ricky has designed some very inspired pieces with a medieval artfulness. However, several of his popular designs are quite contemporary. Ricky’s wife April has been building a unique line of jewelry using keys and gears with a Steampunk flair. April has also created a wide variety of cameo necklaces, chokers, and rings.
Zen Mountain Gallery welcomes Susan Moody and Stephen Moody as featured artists for October Art Walk. Susan has a spectacular selection of colorful kiln-formed glass work Susan offers a full selection from smaller and very affordably priced pieces to larger stunning dichroic bowls and other art pieces. Stephen Moody will debut a new selection of night photographs of Jerome, which offer unique perspectives of the shimmering night lights of this small town of artists to the lights of the Milky Way shimmering over the town. Please join Zen Mountain Gallery for a glass of wine as we welcome these two artists to the gallery from 5-8pm.
Pura Vida Gallery will be showcasing the slumped glass artwork of Mark Hines of Prescott during the October 1st Jerome Art Walk. Modern and functional, Mark produces large and varied pieces that provide interior designers with elements that either accent or showcase a space. Mark’s designs have been shown in Architectural Digest and his pieces are in collections worldwide. Join Pura Vida for chocolates and champagne during the evening of the Art Walk and meet Mark and see new available designs.
“Signatures: Art Lettering by Sid Freeman” kicks off with a reception at The Jerome Artists’ Cooperative Gallery on Oct. 1st from 5-8 pm, during Jerome’s First Saturday Art Walk. Refreshments will be served. Sid Freeman uses calligraphy to make art. As a simplified example, if she were to paint an image of a ball of yarn, it would look like a ball of yarn from a distance; yet when examined up close, one could see that the image is actually composed of tiny calligraphic words, written repeatedly, such as “knit, knit, knit,” until the image of a ball of yarn develops. From this start, experimentation led Ms. Freeman to using relevant words and symbols to create visual stories with calligraphy. Her most recent work, “Anchored Innocence,” depicts the story of Romeo & Juliet. To create it, Sid combined calligraphy, color, and historical references and symbols to achieve a masterful piece of artistic calligraphy. Ms. Freeman refers to her new work as “image poetry.” The gallery is located at 502 Main Street.
Yester Day’s Fine Art Gallery, located in the lower business district at 509 Main Street in Jerome, will feature the ghostly images of this enigmatic town by photographer James Stamsek for October’s Art Walk. Empty stairways leading nowhere, lights glaring on a midnight street, claw shaped lightning striking an aging building—are all examples of James’ mysterious finesse with the camera. A resident of Phoenix–where one can hide in the hustle and bustle of city life—James, a self-professed introvert, claims roots to this very small town of Jerome honestly. At Yester Day’s, we believe the call James received to exercise his muse here came from his late great uncle Joe Stamsek, who was born and raised in Jerome, only to lose his young life in World War II in faraway Europe while serving in the U.S. Army. Something of the resulting void resonates in the rawness of James’ photography of his ancestor’s hometown, and the fragileness of the images are strangely haunting to all of us who have loved and lost.
Gallery 527 in Jerome opens another blockbuster show of new work by encaustic artist Ardis Harsche. From the Badlands of North Dakota to Jerome Arizona, by way of Herron School of Art in Indianapolis, Ardis has created a body of work inspired by the symbols and spirituality of the southwest. Her paintings are filled with imagery of shamans, primal animals, primitive ancestral figures and anthropomorphic creations. Her technique includes working with palette knives and her fingers.
The artist describes her process, “I start with a blank board surface, Using a palette knife, I apply layers of pigmented wax. I use a heat gun to adhere each layer. I can apply more heat to bring previous colors to the surface. The weight of the pigments varies so the heavier ones will sink and the lighter colors will rise. This floating and mixing of the colors adds another dimension to my art. The symbolic images I paint are applied by hand and palette knife. Negative painting is then used to refine the detail. The final layers are usually scumbled on the surface. This adds texture to the piece. “ The show opens during first Saturday Art Walk on October 1st. Janis Paul will play her jazzy keyboard repertoire for the opening from 5 to 8pm. For more information, contact Donna at 928.301.3004.