ARTWALK
Artwalk : Then & Now
On November 18 and 19 Alpine will celebrate the art and artists of the Big Bend with the 24th annual Artwalk . Tri-county hotels and motels will fill as thousands of visitors arrive for the event .
How It Began
In 1994 , gallery owner Keri Artz Blackman and her former ceramic teacher , John Davis , thought it would be fun for Alpine galleries to stay open late one evening and invite the public . Reaching out to fellow artists and gallery owners ,
Ray Wiley Hubbard they formed a small planning committee and ironed out the details for Alpine Gallery Night . Handwritten invitations were mailed and , on a cold December night , a collective open house of six venues welcomed 300 visitors .
Alpine Gallery Night was an instant success . “ It was the perfect social event . It was really cold that night and everyone dressed up – some in fur coats ,” Blackman recalls . “ It fostered a sense of art community .”
Initially , Gallery Night was a onenight event held twice a year . But it soon became a two-day celebration called Artwalk , held the weekend before Thanksgiving .
In 2005 , the planning committee became a 501 ( c )( 3 ) non-profit organization named Alpine Gallery Night Inc ., with Blackman as director . With funding from donations , corporate sponsors , grants and hotel / motel funds , and help from City of Alpine maintenance , parks and street crews , a core group of volunteers makes Artwalk happen each year .
Giving Back to the Community
Since its inception , Artwalk has supported local art programs and schools . In addition to promoting the arts in the region , Alpine Gallery Night Inc . uses Artwalk proceeds to provide scholarships to art students at Alpine High School and Sul Ross State University . An annual goal is to raise $ 5,000 to buy art supplies for area schools . They also bring artists to Alpine specifically to teach art to school children .
Artwalk 2016
This year ’ s Artwalk will feature all the cornerstone events of past years , plus some new offerings :
• Galleries open till 10 p . m . Friday and Saturday , offering food , drink , music , demonstrations and , of course , art
• The famous art-car parade , indoor handmade art market and a wide variety of food vendors in Arbolitos Park
• Live music evenings at Granada Theatre
• Sidewalk chalk art demonstrations
• Workshops taught by local and visiting artists offered all week long Many activities are still in planning . For the latest information and future dates , visit artwalkalpine . com .
- by Kay Plavidal
2016-17 Community Guide & Chamber of Commerce Directory | alpine TEXAS 9