Flyer Guide: First Thursday – July 2010

With August just around the corner, we’re closing in on the one-year anniversary of First Thursday Fayetteville.

This time last year, we were wondering just how well an art walk/movie/music night would go over on the downtown square. Now we know.

Here’s what we’ve dug up for this month’s event.

Fayetteville Underground

Located in the downstairs section of East Square Plaza, Fayetteville Underground will host four new art exhibitions.

Institute du LoopA Place to Drown
Hive Gallery

Institute du Loop presents its premier international exhibition, A Place to Drown, right here in Fayetteville during the month of July. This exhibition, curated by Fayetteville Underground artist Megan Chapman, comes all the way from Taipei, Taiwan. The Institute du Loop is the brain child of English born visual and sound artist, “Mr. Loop.” Mr. Loop has lived in Taipei for two years, and this body of work reflects his sense of being lost in a new city.

“There have been countless emails, chats, diagrams, photographs, writings, ideas, and questions sent back and forth from Taipei to Fayetteville and vice-versa in preparation for this exhibition,” wrote Chapman. “I received the exhibition via Fed Ex on two thumb drives with a Chinese stamp in order to sign the work. I will receive the artist composed soundtrack for the exhibition electronically as well.”

Kelly Price-ColstonThe Super Cute Show
Vault Gallery

Kelly Price-Colston is a mixed media artist residing in Farmington, Arkansas. She teaches mixed media collage classes at the gallery in her studio Wednesday nights at 6:45pm.

She has been published in the book We Feel Fine: An Almanac of Human Emotion and is a regularly featured artist in the magazine Sew Somerset Mixed Media.

This is her second solo exhibition at the Fayetteville Underground Vault gallery. Cupcakes, happy child-like illustrations and paintings will set the scene for this month’s show.

Matthew LymanPoor Traits & Land Scapegoats
Revolver Gallery

Matthew Lyman lives in the woods on the northern most outskirts of Northwest Arkansas. His unusual brand of mixed media paintings will be on display through July 31 at Fayetteville Underground.

When asked about his influences he names a cross section of his favorite nineteenth century scientists and twentieth century cartoon animators. When asked about his education he proclaims, “I didn’t know anything until I knew nothing.” In fact, the more you ask Matthew about his art, the more he makes it abundantly clear that art should be the last thing on your mind. For Matthew, this is simply an attempt at connecting.

Poor Traits & Land Scapegoats promises a selection of over thirty UV reflex paintings, an animated UV lighting installation, custom furniture, a surround soundtrack and, possibly, he said, some balloons.

Gailen Hudson – Pottery works
E-Street Gallery

“Clay is a fascinating thing to me,” said Gailen Hudson. “I enjoy the formless natural and primitive character of clay and its manipulation and creation into an entity of my choice.

Clay is a natural organic form which can be made into a coffee mug to hold and feel the transmitted warmth of the liquid it carries, a piggy bank to hold my pocket change, a casserole pot in which to cook my supper, or a sculpture to create and define a spatial identity in my home. Or it can be engineered into a design of a 3,200-degree fabric blanket for the space shuttle.”

“I like to think of myself as somewhere in the middle of this process,” he said, “but leaning more towards the coffee mug.”

Matt Miller Studios

Lauren Embry from l : e custom design will be showcasing new works of jewelry featuring recycled materials paired with rubies, emeralds, antique carved jade, and other fine jemstones at the new Matt Miller Studios space next to Jammin’ Java.

Gallery owner Matt Miller will also be performing live painting demonstrations.

On the street

Eighteen artists will be set up on East Avenue for this month’s street side art walk including Cate McCoy, Trena Ward, and Beth Woessner. Check out the full list.

Want to be on the list? Apply online or email the Fayetteville Visitors Bureau for an application.

The New Belgium charity beer garden will also return to the east side of the courtyard in front of the Town Center, and will be open from 5 to 8 p.m. Proceeds from the beer garden will be donated to Meals on Wheels.

The Music

This month’s music is provided by Fayetteville’s own Shannon Wurst.

Among her many recent accomplishments, Wurst was a finalist in the 2009 Kerrville New Folk Songwriting competition, Folk Alley Best Artist, and was named the winner of the Walnut Valley New Song Contest at the Walnut Valley Music Festival in Winfield, Kansas. Ever cooler, Garrison Keillor of A Prairie Home Companion picked her as semi-finalist for the program’s Talented Twenties Contest.

In addition to all of this she has been touring around the country in support of her latest album “What’s More Honest Than A Song?”

The Movie

An outdoor showing of the film The Blind Side is scheduled for this month in front of the loading dock of the Old Post Office at dark..

The film follows the story of Michael Oher, an NFL football player, beginning with his impoverished upbringing and on to his position as one of the most highly coveted prospects in college football.

For her performance in the film, Sandra Bullock won the Academy Award for Best Actress, as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. The film itself also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

For more information on First Thursday Fayetteville, visit firstthursdayfayetteville.com or call the Fayetteville Visitors Bureau at 479-521-5776.