Submitted by Melissa Howsam — Correspondent
It's not your first Friday, but it's First Friday! Here are our picks for this month:
BUSY BEE: First Friday with Tim Lee, 6 p.m. - 2 a.m. Runs the entire month of December.
"'Mix together 50s cartoon-Modern art, pop-culture, relationships, sci-fi, music, cubism and landscapes, and you'll see what I was thinking at that moment,' says featured artist Tim Lee. As always, we'll also have free Counter Culture drip coffee from 6-10pm, as well as Merlin and Spcl Gst in the Hive at 10 p.m."
— David Lockwood, co-owner, Busy Bee Cafe/The Hive | busybeeraleigh.com
RALEIGH CITY MUSEUM: Portraits of Raleigh 2: Series Two, 6-9 p.m. On display through March 25, 2011.
"This second series of photos is a great compliment to the first as it provides even more to the story of Raleigh. The images do a beautiful job of capturing a city that not everyone expects to see. It's not a collection of 22 photos of the Capitol, but scenes, old and new, that are subtle nuances that make the city special."
— Ladye Jane Vickers, curator, Raleigh City Museum | raleighcitymuseum.org
NICOLE'S STUDIO AND ART GALLERY: It's a Colorful Life: A year-end gallery event at Nicole's Studio featuring paintings, jewelry, art, glass, crafts and more, 6-8:30 p.m. Both exhibitions will be up through December 31.
"Our clients tell us we have the best artwork in town, and Nicole's Figurative works were recently highlighted in "American Art Collector" magazine. Nicole's Studio also represents over 25 local artists, and shopping local for original artwork is a great 'mall-ternative' this holiday season. We have a great selection of arts, crafts and jewelry for $200 and under--great gift ideas! All artwork will be exhibited and available for purchase through January, 2011."
— Nicole White Kennedy, owner, Nicole's Studio and Art Gallery | nicolestudio.com
LOCAL COLOR GALLERY: Sisters IV, 6-9 p.m. Runs Dec. 3-31.
"Sisters IV is the fourth-annual December show featuring sisters Virginia Owen and Mary Beth Owen-Zdanski who grew up a few miles from the gallery. 'We have a variety of types of work--paintings, pottery, jewelry and wall art made from clay that are priced within reach for gift giving. The December show always draws a large crowd and will feature live music just outside of the Carter Building, as well as works from all of the gallery artists. Something for all lovers of art!"
— Adrien Montoya, manager, local color Gallery | localcoloraleigh.com
VISUAL ART EXCHANGE: Sale for the Season, 6-9 p.m. The exhibit will run from Dec. 3-23.
"Sale for the Season is the best opportunity for Visual Art Exchange members to make their art available for purchase this holiday season and for shoppers to get original, thoughtful gifts! All art is priced at $300 or less!"
— Meredith Burgess, director of exhibitions, Visual Art Exchange | visualartexchange.org
DAPPER STYLE HOUSE: December Nightingale Series, 5-9 p.m. Featured until the next First Friday.
"Dapper has a recurring monthly First Friday celebration for the Nightingale Series. The series will release three new photos each month during a First Friday celebration. The photos are taken by local photographer Greg Myers and include 12 local models wearing Dapper's clothing. The cool thing about the Nightingale Series is the stories behind the photos. They chronicle the tales of the 12 different characters by telling one piece of the story each month in the three photos."
— Betzi Hekman, operator/buyer, Dapper Style House | dapperstylehouse.com
THE MAHLER FINE ART: Annual Holiday Exhibition Opening Reception, 6-9 p.m. Runs from Dec. 3-31.
"In putting together our holiday show, we wanted the exhibition to reflect the depth and breadth of our artists. It is our only show that features the collective work of all the gallery artists, which makes it special and something that our customers look forward to each year. In keeping an eye on price, this year we have a number of works on paper, including work by Peter Butler, Jacob Cooley, Henry Link, Philip Levine, Ann Conner and Richard Garrison, just to name a few. If you miss First Friday, The Mahler is also hosting a Holiday Open House, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010, 10am-4pm. Kicking off the holidays in downtown, the gallery will offer early bird specials (10am-noon) and daylong discounts in conjunction with Shop Downtown-A Taste of Retail."
— Megg Rader, co-owner, The Mahler Fine Art | themahlerfineart.com
REBUS WORKS: Via Penland: Shane Darwent, 6-10 p.m. The show will be on display through Jan. 29, 2011.
"Rebus Works is pleased to announce the eighth-annual Via Penland exhibit, featuring the work of artist Shane Darwent. Additionally, five bookmakers--Kathy Steinsberger, Robyn Raines, Beth Schaible, Marianne Dages and Andrew Hayes--have collaborated with Darwent, each creating a handmade book inspired by Darwent's photography. Via Penland also presents works from all mediums by over 30 other Penland-connected artists. The Penland School of Crafts has influenced each artist in this exhibition--some are current students, some have taught or resided at Penland, and all have taken classes at school. While not directly connected to the school, this exhibition seeks to celebrate Penland's contributions to the world of art, design and craft and to share the great spirit of community and creativity espoused by the school with the Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill community. The opening for this exhibit will also feature live acoustic music by visiting musician Michael Roberts."
— Sarah Blackmon, in-house graphic designer, Rebus Works | rebusworks.us
