Nineteen galleries from Wilmington and surrounding areas will participate in this month’s event
I am cool by Erica Jones
Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki, the city’s Director of Cultural Affairs Tina Betz, and Jerry duPhily of out and about Magazine invite city residents and art lovers from across the region to the upcoming Art Loop Wilmington on friday april 1st. The popular FREE art exhibit, now in its 34th year, is a partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and out and about. Nineteen galleries from Wilmington and surrounding areas will participate in this month’s Art Loop. A full list can be found in the April issue of out and about.
from wilmington Redding Gallerylocated at 800 North French Street, continues to showcase the painter’s work in acrylics Erica “E. Lize” Jones, which returns with larger and more beautiful pieces for its April exhibition. The new works are inspired by self-reflection and continue to shine a light on women in black history who paved the way for generations to come. Join us for a Meet the Artist reception with light refreshments and an artist-led painting and tasting activity. For more information, visit www.elizeofficial.com.
Other establishments featured in April include the Mezzanine Gallery of the Delaware Division of the Arts, the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, the Old Swedes Historic Site and the 2n/a & LOMA rental office.
Vigilant (2021) by Mia Muratori
The Delaware Division of Arts Gallery Mezzaninelocated on the second floor of the Carvel State Office Building, 820 North French Street, will feature a selection of new paintings by the artist Mia Muratori – Painting in the presence of Change – from April 1 to April 29, 2022.
Muratori is an abstract creator, named a DDOA Fellow established in 2022 in the discipline of painting. Born in Germany, she has lived and worked in New York and Los Angeles. She received her Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Delaware in 1996 and moved permanently to Delaware in 1998. She began her artistic pursuits in clay media, transitioning to painting around 2001. Her current work – a mix of media including oils and encaustic – reflects her everyday experiences but also illustrates what she sees in the psycho-socio-political-metaphysical world.
Muratori says she was invested in capturing both the familiar and the unordinary. “…what is seen with the third eye, neurological imaging,” she says. She finds it very rewarding to visually capture thoughts, emotions, the zeitgeist: “…recording the essences of people, things, places, space and time. “I create to do something visually arresting, satisfying and meaningful to myself and others,” she says. “Making thoughts visible and the workings of the mind is what I find most compelling.”
You are invited to a free opening on Friday April 1 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Landing of New Sweden by Paul Schragger
The Kalmar Nyckel Foundationat 1124 East Seventh Street, invites you to join the crew of Kalmar Nyckel for an evening reception at the Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard on Friday, April 1 from 5-8 p.m. This event, the Kalmar Nyckel Creative Teamwill take place at the Copeland Maritime Center and will showcase the creativity and skills of our volunteer crew members – with an assortment of arts and crafts ranging from photography, painting, quilting, dioramas, and Moreover !
The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, which operates a full-scale replica of the Kalmar Nyckel that landed in present-day Wilmington in 1638, features the art of several talented volunteers who bring decades of expertise. Their mediums of choice vary from paint to photography to fabric, and more. The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation preserves and promotes the cultural and maritime heritage of Delaware and the Delaware Valley for the education and enrichment of all.
Wine, beer and other beverages as well as light meals will be served at the Friday reception. This exhibition is open for one night only.
morning worry by Kennard Wiggins Jr.
Ancient Swedes Historic Site, at 606 Church Street, invites you to a Friday reception from 5-8:30 p.m. to meet local historian, author and artist, Kennard Wiggins Jr., author of more than half a dozen books on the local and regional military history. You can enjoy wine, beer and light fare in the community center gallery where Wiggins will sign copies of his latest book, “America’s Anchor: A Naval History of the Delaware River and Bay, Cradle of the United States Navy,” available for purchase from the Old Swedes gift shop. The book, which ran for nearly five years, is a comprehensive naval history of the Delaware Estuary spanning three centuries, from the arrival of Europeans to the end of World War II. A skilled artist, Wiggins created over 40 illustrations for this work, although only a handful were used in the final product. His works will be exhibited and put up for sale throughout the month of April.
Soufflé by James “Y.It” Wyatt
2nd Rental Office & LOMAlocated at 211 North Market Street, invites you to discover the works of local artist James “Y.It” Wyatt during a Happy Hour on Fridays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wyatt’s Pop-Up Shop Bud + Butta includes local produce, heirloom, hemp apothecary, botanical skincare and solutions. Live music “Good for the Soul” will be provided by Jimmy Jimmy Live. (Entrance is on Orange Street between MLK Boulevard and 2nd Street.)
COVID GUIDELINES
All visitors must confirm and follow COVID guidelines as determined by individual galleries.
Guests are encouraged to take advantage of the Art Loop Shuttle, which will leave the parking lot of the Delaware Contemporary, located at 200 South Madison Street, at 5:45 p.m. The shuttle provides round-trip transportation to locations or venues on the Downtown Art Loop . in Trolley Square and venues north of the city center and provide a convenient way to meet other art lovers. The shuttle driver will be on hand at The Contemporary to answer questions and help art lovers navigate the many offerings at Art Loop Wilmington. Reservations are not required.
The Wilmington Art Loop is a self-guided exhibition of visual art presented in galleries, studios, museums and alternative spaces in Wilmington and surrounding areas. FREE event draws local and regional art lovers to the Downtown District and greater Wilmington area on the first Friday of the month, excluding Independence Day weekend in July . Many venues offer the opportunity to meet the featured artists while patrons enjoy refreshments and, in some cases, live entertainment is scheduled.
The Art Loop Wilmington website – a portable guide to the Loop easily navigable by gallery location, artist or venue type – is mobile-friendly and features monthly lineup at least two weeks before each Art Loop begins. The site can be accessed at www.artloopwilmington.org. People can also join the conversation on social media using #ArtLoopWilm or visit the Facebook page. The next Art Loop will take place on Friday, May 6, 2022.
COMMUNITY AND MEDIA INQUIRIES:
John Rago
Deputy chief of staff
Mayor’s office
Mobile: (302) 420-7928
Email: jrago@wilmingtonde.gov
