Art Walk Returns After Year’s Absence
After a year-long hiatus, Ste. Genevieve’s 4th Friday Art Walk is back! On Friday, April 23, more than a dozen art spaces in the downtown area will welcome visitors from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
“We suspended the art walks due to COVID-19, and while we’re not out of the woods yet, a lot of people in our community have been vaccinated,” organizer Mary Peura said. “We consulted with the art spaces and decided we could resume the walks so long as people continue to take precautions.”
According to Peura that means some art spaces will require visitors to wear masks and some will forgo the usual practice of serving wine or food. “But the wonderful art that’s at the heart of the event will be on display and we have several new spaces participating,” Peura said. “It’s exciting to see it grow.”
Participating art spaces include Silver Sycamore Gallery of Fine Art and the Ste. Genevieve Art Center & Museum on the town square.
Brix Winery will be open on Merchant Street, as well as the Welcome Center and the Jean Baptiste Valle House on Main Street. (The Jean-Baptiste Valle House will be open from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Lewsi Winery, the 109 North Main Gallery, E•KLeK•TiX-J Rissover Art, Rust, Only Child Originals, Music-Art-Love, and Ali Cavenaugh’s gallery on North Main are all participating.
During this month’s Walk the Art Center will show work by the winner of the Ste. Genevieve Art Guild’s annual High School Scholarship and artwork by other local high school students will be on display, along with new works by Art Guild members.
The Welcome Center will feature an exhibit of art relating to the story of St. Mary resident Moses Riney, who moved from slavery to become a Union Army soldier, and later, a much-beloved freed-man and landowner.
The Jean Baptiste Valle House will show the City of Ste. Genevieve’s collection of Roscoe Misselhorn sketches, the Ste. Genevieve Woman’s Club collection of paintings from the Ste. Genevieve Art Colony, and rarely-seen works by Brother Matthew. In addition, works by Charles Rhinehart (including sketches of Ste. Genevieve and an impressive landscape painting showcasing his use of light) will be on display.
Brenda Thompson will be the featured artist at Lewsi Winery. Other artists will be represented at various locations.
“The 4th Friday Art Walk has been a local tradition for many years,” Peura said. “We’re very glad to be up and running again.”