Unique Artwalk Event Highlights Hair Design

The Rosa B. Williams Center will be home to a high-energy, music-driven experience of high-fashion hair design and photography during Friday night’s Artwalk, which will take place at two dozen downtown venues.

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Artwalk Gainesville is no longer just about visual artists who work with paint, clay and photography. On Friday night, an Artwalk event at the Rosa B. Williams Center/352artspace will spotlight artists who work in hair and style.

An artistic team from Gainesville’s Mode Salon, along with photographer Albey Coronel, will work with live models to create the exhibit called NEON :: GRAFFITI HAIR as visitors move through a behind-the-scenes recreation of a high-fashion photo shoot.

Orlando-based hip hop artist Detric “Kovu” Frizell will make his Gainesville debut as part of the festivities, which take place from 7-10 p.m. The event is free. The Rosa B. Williams Center is located at 524 NW 4th St.

The overall theme for the event is “Go All Urban” and is being held in conjunction with the exhibit “UNCONTAINABLE: Urban Art from Vandalism to Movement” that is taking place at the Thomas Center Galleries through Sept. 9.

UNCONTAINABLE features a collection of work by 26 globally recognized urban artists, some of which has never been exhibited previously. The exhibit is taking place in both the Mezzanine and Main galleries of the Thomas Center. Friday’s hours are being extended until 10 p.m.

The artwork on exhibit in UNCONTAINABLE includes two collages by Brian Adam Douglas, a large-scale woodcut panel by Swoon, a rendition of the renowned Bowery Wall stencil piece by Logan Hicks, early silk-screen work by Shepard Fairey, a large canvas by Axel Void, as well as work by Retna, Revok, Invader, Os Gemeos, Etam Cru, How, Nosm and others. There’s also never-before-exhibited work by Michael Reeder and Juan Travieso on display.

(For more about the exhibit, please read our feature article: Thomas Center Showcases Work of Street Artists.)

Friday night’s Artwalk will take place at 24 galleries and art spaces around downtown Gainesville, making it one of the largest Artwalks in recent memory, according to organizer Frank Curtis.

The event will include the opening of Gallery Nun at 518 SE 2nd St., featuring the mixed-media work of Gainesville graphic artist Shawn Maschino. Meanwhile, the nearby Sequential Artists Workshop (or SAW) at 18 SE 5th Ave. will host author James Turek and feature the work of his graphic-novel students.

Another Artwalk highlight this month is the Hippodrome Gallery’s newest exhibit, “Resist and Rise: The Art of Protest!” held in conjunction with George Orwell’s 1984 on the theater’s mainstage starting Sept. 1. The exhibit includes protest signs, paintings, sculpture, bumper stickers, political buttons, t-shirts and personal memorabilia from across cultures and time periods.

Following is a complete list of participating venues for the August Artwalk, which takes place Friday from 7-10 p.m. (unless noted):

GFAA Gallery (1314 S. Main St.): The Gainesville Fine Arts Association presents an opening reception for its annual Member’s Showcase, featuring an array of original art by 40 GFAA members. The exhibit runs until Sept. 23. NOTE: Artwalk hours are 6-9 p.m.

First Magnitude Brewing Co. (1220 SE Veitch St.): Hosting a variety of artists and fun. Enjoy the atmosphere of a local craft brewery with indoor and outside displays of artwork and music. Howard Wapner and friends will be playing a live acoustic show from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Food trucks and beverages available.

Sequential Artists Workshop (18 SE 5th Ave.): SAW hosts James Turek, author of the Motel Shangri La (Avant Publishing, 2016) and Make My Day (Klett Kinder Publishing, 2013) and founding member of The Millionaire’s Club Comics & Graphics festival in Leipzig, Germany. Student work from James’ silk-screen class will also be on display.

Gallery Nun (518 SE 2nd St.): The first show in this gallery/studio features Shawn Maschino’s mixed media works. Focused on design and simplicity, he has described this show as an economy of words and time. Pieces include collage work, simple 3-D works and interactive installations.

Gainesville Art Studios (618 S. Main St., Suite B): Welcoming new house artist Daniel Velez-Clement. Photography by Kristin Koleskey and art by gallery owner Iris Coe Gross will also be on display. Located in the same complex as The Freewheel Project and LEJ Pretzels.

Hippodrome Gallery (25 SE 2nd Place): Featuring the new exhibit “Resist and Rise: The Art of Protest!” in conjunction with George Orwell’s 1984 on the theater’s mainstage starting Sept. 1. A variety of artwork is displayed, including signs, paintings, sculpture, bumper stickers, political buttons, t-shirts and personal memorabilia from across cultures and time periods.

Maude’s Classic Café (101 SE 2nd Place, Sun Center East): Presenting “Stoopid Paintings for my Idiot Friends, Vol. 2.,” a collection of paintings by Shelly “Warren” Goodwin involving ridiculous turns of phrases, aliens, UFOs, lotuses, serpents, wizards, skeletons and much more. This collection is numerous and affordable.

Between Maude’s Classic Cafe and the Hipp: Spotlighting Ninozka K. Escudero (Nina), a self-taught Panamanian artist with a passion for flow art with acrylics and resin. She has been doing this type of art for two years to express her love of colors and emotions.

Artisans’ Guild Gallery (201 SE 2nd Place, Union Street Station): Annual Red Dot Sale titled “Endless Summer Savings.” Sterling silver and fluorite wire woven necklace by Penni Hauck. The gallery features hundreds of quality, handcrafted fine art and fine crafts created by regional artists. Sidewalk music courtesy of  Tierra Libre.

Black C Art Gallery (201 SE 2nd Ave., Suite 111): Featuring “Converging Perspectives: NYC” by Ani Collier. The exhibit showcases new digital collages created after Collier’s recent trip to New York City. Four pieces in the exhibit showcase a single section of the New York skyline from different vantage points.

Sweetwater Print Cooperative (117 S. Main St.): Featuring Valerie Aslakson-Jennings’ “How I Wonder.” The mixed-media collages in this exhibit reflect Valerie’s interest in experimentation. Show closes Sept. 27.

Tench Building, Lenny Kesl Artist Studios (115 S. Main St., Room 6): Drawings, paintings and digital photography by Nita Garland.

Tench Building Studio Gallery (115 S. Main St.): Larry Condra presents mixed media work in this solo show “Can Sunscreen Block Nuclear Blast Rays? Devils, Drawings & Drumpf.”

Eleanor Blair Studio (113 S. Main St.): New paintings by Eleanor Blair and live music with the Weeds Of Eden.

The Bull (18 SW 1st St.): Featuring Nathan Grimes, an interdisciplinary artist living and working in Gainesville. His body of visual work primarily explores avenues of nonrepresentational abstraction. He utilizes elements of chance, improvisation and repetition to create complex yet seemingly minimalistic compositions.

Hardback Café (211 W. University Ave.): Harold Gertner brings his big and bright artwork to the Hardback on for a month-long exhibit. Music for Artwalk will be performed by Bill Martinez.

Third House Books & Coffee (113 N. Main St.): Exhibiting the portraiture of Troid Brett. Troid moved to Gainesville with her husband, Don, after living on their sailboat with their two sons in the Keys for 20 years. She is a self-proclaimed chocoholic. Drinks and food available from adjacent Downtown Wine & Cheese.

E’lan Hair Salon (115 N. Main St.): Diana Diaz, also known as Feral Ursa, is a local first-grade teacher turned mixed-media artist. Featuring both random and deliberate geometrical images, line work, pieces grabbed from nature such as plants and insects, she employs creation as a means of therapy to transform daily/ life-long struggles into something positive.

Rosa B. Williams Center (524 NW 1st St.): Featuring “NEON :: GRAFFITI HAIR,” a high-energy, music-driven, behind-the-scenes experience of high-fashion hair design and photography. The Mode Salon artistic team transforms models into living artworks inspired by the neon colors and vibe of the UNCONTAINABLE exhibit on display at the Thomas Center Galleries. Albey Coronel and his team will stage and shoot the “art,” engaging visitors in an intimate look at the dynamic experience of fashion photography. Presented in collaboration with Mode Salon, GFWX and Albey Coronel Photography.

The Vine (627 N. Main St.): Photography by Jack Dickard: “Form, texture, geometry, silence and color are the elements of an image that I am most interested in capturing in a photo. I enjoy exploring some of my photos further in

The Thomas Center Galleries (302 NE 6th Ave. ): “UNCONTAINABLE | Urban Art from Vandalism to Movement.” See the exhibit everyone is talking about, featuring works by Shepard Fairey, Swoon, Logan Hicks, Doze Green, Michael Reeder and a number of street artists whose work appears as part of the 352walls/Gainesville Urban Art Initiative. See the exhibit that’s featured in the newest issue of Hi Fructose, take home a poster and get the brochure for the 352walls self-guided phone tour in Gainesville. NOTE: Extended gallery hours until 10 p.m.

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For further info, visit the Artwalk Gainesville website.