First Friday Art
Walk
It’s Alive! After so many months of
galleries and studios protecting visitors
and themselves from Covid 19 exposure
by limiting their open hours, we dare
to believe 2022 will be a safer year.
Those surviving the economic closures
welcome your return with new works
from favorite artists, and new artists too.
See what’s been cooking in all those
solitary studios, brought to you by
AGA Galleries. First Friday hours
begin at 5 pm. Closing times will vary.
Each gallery will post any Covid-safe
restrictions on their door.
The Art Walk was largely suspended
in 2020, the first time in 28 years. We’ve
been open through rain, wind and
snow, but it took a pandemic to close
our doors. Everybody needs art, now
more than ever. Plan ahead, find details
on exhibitions at ashlandgalleries.com,
hit Events button, FF.
Our Associate Members serve as
sponsors of the AGA mission, and
they sponsor artists by hanging shows
of their works. Your patronage is
appreciated.
As of this writing, we face the unknown
of the coming year. When in doubt, or
when asked, please mask up. We look
forward to seeing you in the Galleries,
Working Studios, and Associates’
spaces!
Open Studio Tours
Inside, Outside, All Around the Towns.
This is our 9th year of the annual
Ashland Open Studio Tour. In 2020,
opening anything was deemed too
hazardous. In 2021, we put together
an event at Ashland ArtWorks where
artists could show their studio work
under tents, on the grounds, for one
half a day. It was a temporary solution.
Now, in 2022, after we dodged a few
variants of the deadly virus, we will
once again invite you into artists’
realms. Some will be inside, some
outside, some both. Please honor each
artist’s safety measures.
It is their workspace they are opening
to the public, revealing sometimes
surprising processes. It is a place they
love to work. It can be solitary work for
many months, and having visitors bring
their interest and curiosity often brings
stimulation and new ideas.
Coming through pandemic circumstances,
many artists lost gallery representation
after permanent closures. Direct
studio sales on this day helps a lot while
artists continue to seek new outlets. The
Tour could also serve as a first studio
visit from a new gallery owner.
The Open Studio Tour can also be a
fun outing shared between friends on
the 3rd weekend of October. Abiding by
requests for COVID safety may include
providing proof of vaccination.
There is no charge to take the Tour.
Find Tour maps in AGA member
galleries, and look for corresponding
lettered signs. October 15 and 16, 11– 4.
photos left to right: Jhenna Quinn Lewis by Kara Q. Lewis,
Julia Janeway studio by Amy Michelle Kincaid, Cheryl Kempner by Ken Kempner photos left to right: Jennifer Nelson, David Lorenz Winston
Ashland Gallery Guide 17
/ashlandgalleries.com
