Local Art News:
Happenings from The Bothwell Arts Center & Downtown Art Studios: With big help from LVPAC and Jennie McGregor, a new monthly event in Livermore’s downtown is set for the second Thursday evening of each month, called “Art Happens”. Find our 6 month map/schedule in the lobby of the Bankhead Theater and at many locations downtown. www.bothwellartscenter.org
Our Downtown Art Studios is participating monthly, with at least one featured artist. And, during the month of January, artists from the Bothwell Arts Center and our Downtown Art Studios will be exhibiting at the Wild Vine, at 2187 First Street, and will show in Art Happens as well. For more information, see www.bothwellartscenter.org
The Bankhead Theater’s exhibition program is also curated and coordinated by the Bothwell Arts Center, and art sales benefit the Bothwell as well. The January exhibition in the lobby features works by the main participants in the Bothwell Arts Center’s Show & Tell/Critique group. In the Founder’s room, “Totally Textiles”, a special exhibition of textile art, is on view. A reception for both exhibitions is set for Tuesday, January 10th, from 6-8pm.
Opening of Figurehead Gallery: Just opened in November, and it’s a beautiful place for art. We really want to support this extra special effort by Ken Ball and Victoria Whyte Ball. They are located upstairs in the old Theater Mall, 2222 2nd Street see www.figureheadgallery.com for more information; stop by during Art Happens.
Monthly Open Studios at the Firehouse Art Studios: Open Studios and reception with studio artists Lynne Shephard, Claudia Willis, Valerie Daft, Regina Leyva, Linda Beach and Martha Eddleman during Art Happens. These notable studio artists, from the longest-running studio in Livermore, work in abstraction, mixed media, expressionistic figurative to encaustic and watercolor. Old Firehouse Building, upstairs on corner of McLeod and First Streets. One of my personal favorite art visits.
Try your Hand at Something New: Art Glass Studios at 174 So. L St. and Café Art at 1764 First St. (www.ceramic-cafeart.com) offer a try-it yourself night at reduced cost during Art Happens, and regular classes each week.
We also enjoy seeing what they are up to at Blacksmith Square, corner of Railroad and So. Livermore. Art hangs regularly at John Christopher Cellars, Swirls on the Square, and Artistic Edge always has something fun and artsy going on. They hold regular art events on Saturdays, with music in the afternoons, and Artistic Edge is planning fun things for Art Happens.
Many boutique shops such as Main Street Designs, Outside In etc., Proctor’s Framing, Way Up Art and Frame also display handmade art and artisan works for sale.
Outside Downtown:
There is a fairly new art exhibition space at the LARPD Rec Center on East Avenue, which rotates exhibits monthly.
Also, Livermore Art Association now lists several local exhibits on their website, which has really become a resource for artists and for those who love the arts, at www.livermoreartassociation.org. Better yet, become a member and get their portfolio monthly! Finally, LAA also runs a co-op gallery at the Carnegie Building on 3rd Street, between "J" and "K" Streets. They stay open late on Thursdays for Farmer's Market.