VISUAL ARTS + MUSEUMS

Galveston Arts Center is pleased to present a group exhibition of Galveston-based artists with an ArtWalk opening reception on Saturday, May 30 from 6 to 9 pm. A gallery talk with curator Clint Willour and participating artists will occur at 6 pm. The exhibition will be held at GAC’s temporary location in Nefertiti Boutique in the historic Panama Hotel located at the corner of Rosenberg Avenue and The Strand. The exhibition will be on view through July 5, 2009.

Featuring new and recent work, re-create: Celebrating Galveston Artists will include work by Milton Ausherman, Eric Avery, Ellen Christie, Alain Clement, Robert Clepper, Susan Eckel, Mark Greenwalt, Janet Hassinger, Penny Lemmon, Marie Leterme, Martha Terrill, Stephanie Thomas, René Wiley, Ann Wood and others.

“As we get closer to getting back into the Arts Center’s building, we are taking the chance to thank those artists in our community who have been supportive of GAC and our restoration process,” notes Clint Willour, curator. “Many of these artists lost not only their studios, but also bodies of work that can never be replaced. We wanted to showcase work from Island artists, including pieces that survived the storm, or in some cases have been created in response to it.”

Galveston Arts Center will operate during the summer months “in exile” from a temporary downtown gallery space—the site of the former, and future, Nefertiti Boutique located on the ground floor of the historic Panama Hotel at the corner of Rosenberg Avenue and The Strand.

“Proprietors Connie and Frank Dryden have graciously donated the use of the space to GAC for exhibitions and ArtWorks retail space,” says executive director Alexandra Irvine. “We are very thankful for their generosity and are thrilled to be one more piece of downtown that will be open for visitors and tourists this summer.”

The gallery will be open to the public Wednesday through Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm.

Other venues participating in the May ArtWalk include: Galveston Art League, René Wiley Studio and Gallery, The Water’s Edge Studio and Gallery, J. Bangle’s Silk Stocking Gallery, Local Color, DesignWorks Gallery and others. A flyer listing all participants with times and locations can be downloaded from GAC’s website at: www.galvestonartscenter.org.

ARTWALK

For over 18 years, the Galveston Arts Center has produced ArtWalk on Saturday nights in the heart of the historic downtown district. Now spreading to other parts of the island, ArtWalk occurs approximately every 6 to 8 weeks. Not a street festival, ArtWalk takes place in existing commercial galleries, non-profit art spaces and “other walls,” restaurants, businesses and retail stores. ArtWalk promotes visual art and artists, offers alternative places to see and learn about art while introducing newcomers, as well as return visitors, to the island’s art community.

SUPPORT AND SPONSORSHIP

Funding for GAC’s exhibition programs is provided by The Brown Foundation; Houston Endowment, Inc., Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund, The National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, the City of Galveston through the Hotel/Motel Tax Fund, and the generous support of the community, volunteers and an active membership. GAC’s Art for All Education Program is supported in part by the Permanent Endowment Fund of Moody Memorial First United Methodist Church, The Smothers Foundation, Brown Foundation, Inc., Fondren Foundation, Alice Taylor Gray Foundation, Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund, Target Stores, and Texas Commission on the Arts.

LOCATION AND HOURS

Galveston Arts Center is located on the corner of Strand and 22nd (Kempner) Street in historic downtown Galveston. The building is currently closed until further notice for repairs to damage from Hurricane Ike. We anticipate re-opening in November 2009. For more information, call 409.763.2403 or visit www.galvestonartscenter.org.  The administrative offices are temporarily located in suite 710 in the Frost Bank Building located at the corner of Market and 22nd Street. The mailing address for GAC remains the same: 2127 Strand, Galveston, TX 77550.

Galveston Arts Center in Exile is located at 202 25th Street, Suite 101, Galveston, TX, 77550. For information, call 409.765.0400.