On the first Friday of every month Old Town Fort Collins transforms into a collective community that celebrates the local Creative Community with the First Friday Gallery Walk. There is a plethora of entertainment from live demos to live musical experiences along your self guided tour of art in the city.
We have participated in art walk since we opened our doors in August of 2012 and it is by far one of our favorite nights of the month. Each month we have live screen printing where we turn one of the artist's works into a screen printed design or print 1 or 2 of our newest designs. You can bring your own shirt and get it printed for only $10 or purchase one on site for $20. You can create a one of a kind t-shirt that only you will own, but the best part about the live printing is that $5 of each shirt printed goes directly to that month's featured artist!
This month's art walk has a phenomenal lineup so we wanted to share a few of our favorite stops.
We are hosting the beautiful glazes and pottery created by Twisted River Creative, aka Jordana Barrack. Inspired by nature and the fluid and turbulent motion of the waters, these glazes have a special soul factor to them. Jordana also creates dreamcatchers out of old bicycle wheels and paints original artwork as well. Her mix of art and everyday pieces is truly something special.
Come in to meet the artist, check out some art, get a t-shirt (or two) printed and enjoy a delicious beverage.
Linden street is the place to create and half a block of it is devoted to talented multi-medium creators at the Downtown Artery.
"Downtown Artery is a creative hub that caters to the revival of the working artist and fosters a community of creators and supporters."
The bottom floor has a live music venue, a cafe and whimsical nooks designed by local artists. The top floor host sixteen artist studios, a gallery, lounges of imagination, a patio with a gorgeous mural and Airbnb suites.
This month the opening reception is Visions of Medusa and had an open call for collaborations asking, "Who is Medusa to you? How do you understand her? How will you interpret her in your art?" This show with represent the voices of many artist and their perspective of Medusa.
UPSTAIRS
Opening Reception 6 PM - Late
Exhibition Dates: April 6 - April 27th
Gallery Hours Tuesday - Saturday 12 PM - 6 PM
DOWNSTAIRS
6pm-8pm first round Canyon Collected Ballet Youth Ensemble
8:30 PM - ? Live Music by We's Us and Hermit Commune Plus performances by DJ Echo
Wolverine Farm brings together makers, creators, and writers with a huge focus on making a difference in the community. We love this place so much. The question that is at the heart of the farm of creatives is, "how do you live most fully and still make the world a better place?"
The name comes from a small run down farm in Idaho that put an impression on the owner, Todd Simmons soul, Wolverine Farm.
Wolverine is a non-profit, a community space and a publishing company, Letterpress & Publick House. Print publications include Matter Journal and another serial, Boneshaker: A Bicycling Almanac, and books like Goat Trees: Tales from the Other Side of the World and Logodaedaly, or, Sleight-of-Words, as a community newspaper, Matterhorn. You can pick up copies at Akinz Harmony Makers Shops.
First Friday at the farm features artists of the visual and literary bent. This month they welcome Fort Collins artist, Dominique Montano and her work Fading Fauna. Dominique's work can also currently be found at our Front Range Village Store and she will be doing a live painting at the April 15th Sunday Funday Event!
"Utilizing various mediums from inks to watercolors to pastels, Dominique focuses on bold, surreal colors and subjects in dynamic poses to truly bring about the essence of the animal. Understanding the plight species around the world face, Dominique donates a portion of proceeds from her art to conservation organizations to combat habitat loss and species decline."
Wolverine has a cafe with local food and craft beverages downstairs and a meeting space and art gallery upstairs. They even have free popcorn.
Walnut Creek is historic and unique as it hosts a mix of artisans, crafters and goods. But upstairs is the true gem, The Merchant Room. The floors creak from the years of wear and celebrations had there. Everything is original and inspired from vintage Americana. The basement houses an Ink Tank Print Studio. This First Friday they are having a clearance art sale and we will not be missing it.
Local writer, Richard Bender will be presenting his second book Wild Wine Making.
We hope you get out and enjoy our creative community April 6. There is little hidden treasures within the big night of celebrations.
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