I’m both thrilled and intimidated by the 2nd Saturday Art Hop, which happens tonight in Redding. We’re on the sixth Art Hop, and it’s kind of hard to believe that half a year has flown by since it started.
I’m thrilled, because look how much art has been highlighted in that time. Founders Troy Hawkins and Adam Mankowski have been tireless in their energy to sustain this great event.
I’m intimidated, because there are 40 businesses participating in tonight’s Art Hop and, obviously, there’s no way to get to all of them between 6 and 9 p.m. I won’t make a third. But the Art Hop, thankfully, transcends one evening because the work remains on display all month long.
It’s nice to have a plan for tonight (there are at least three places I know I’m going) but be able to fall back on the Art Hop map to visit other businesses later on. I hope those participating businesses are seeing a good amount of this spin-off effect.
Enjoy Magazine is the place to find the map of the Art Hop, with short descriptions and small insert photos of what art is being displayed. The magazine’s Web site has the map available for download, and the hard copy of Enjoy devotes five pages in the back to the event.
As for making recommendations, it’s tricky, because I don’t want to make the appearance of elevating any one artist over another. As everyone knows, art is subjective. I am a neophyte of art knowledge, anyway.
But here are some scattered thoughts that hit me as a look around at those pages in Enjoy. Gingerbread contest with Andrea Charroin at the Whole Family Chiropractic (260 Hartnell), yum, that woman can bake. Garrett Viggers has a good thing going with hammer dulcimer music. He’s at Backyard Destinations (2948 Bechelli Lane).
You kids may enjoy marionettes by Nadia Robbins (Traveling Bohemians) at Sweetspot (930 Hilltop). I’m curious what my friend Gwen Walker Strahan is displaying at Prestige Home and Gifts (1177 Prestige Way off North Market and Caterpiller). I’ve always wanted one of Gwen’s landscapes from the desert. Phil Fountain is a fablous cartoonist and he’ll be sketching at the Enjoy Magazine offices in a benefit for Good News Rescue Mission. Area art teachers are displaying their works in a group show at the Vintage Restaurant and Wine Bar (1790 Market St.). Patrick Curtain painting and music by Joey Curtain sounds darn interesting at Abba’s Child Learning Center (1640 Tehama St.).
I’m not sure where Gini Holmes will be. The Art Hop kick off event is from 5 to 6 p.m. at Old City Hall (where Gini works as director of the Shasta County Arts Council), but her mixed media work is across the street at Posh Mama Boutique. 2008 Redding Idol finalists will be singing Christmas music at Old City Hall.
So many options and so many other outstanding works being displayed. Remember: It’s tonight, but also throughout the rest of December!
