What’s up this week in Charlotte’s visual arts?
Each week, Grace Cote, Lia Newman, and Kati Stegall offer Observer readers a to-do list on immersing yourself in visual arts around town. Newman is director/curator of the Van Every/Smith Galleries at Davidson College, Cote is senior coordinator at Jerald Melberg Gallery, Stegall is Art-in-Transit program administrator at the Charlotte Area Transit System, and they collaborate on the blog HappeningsCLT (happeningsCLT.com).
For a seasonlong visual arts calendar, go to: www.charlotteobserver.com/entertainment/arts-culture/article100517602.html.
Where to go
The Gantt Center hosts monthly events called Gantt After Dark, and the Feb. 16 version – 6 to 10 p.m. – offers artist talks, live music, food, painting, drawing and short films. This is a great opportunity to also see the current exhibitions (“Jordan Casteel: Harlem Notes,” “Alison Saar: The Nature of Us,” and “The Future is Abstract”). We are particularly interested in checking out “Rough Cuts,” a monthly series that screens works-in-progress by local and regional filmmakers. Featured this time: short films by DaRemen J. and Will Jenkins. Although the overall event is free, advance registration is preferred and some of the activities require a small fee.
What to do
Sign up for an art class! Not only are you guaranteed to learn some new techniques, but art classes are also a great place to meet like-minded art enthusiasts. We suggest one of Clayworks’ beginning wheel courses, with several day or evening options beginning Feb. 21. Cost of $218 includes most materials for a six-session course. We also recommend The Light Factory’s Intro to Digital Photography classes, beginning March 8. TLF offers both daytime and evening classes to accommodate your busy schedule. Cost: $275 general/$220 members for a four-week program. Another interesting upcoming option: The Mint Museum’s four-session Introduction to Figure Drawing, beginning Feb. 15. Combining short gestural drawings with long pose sessions, you will hone your skills working with a live model. Cost: $120 general/$90 members. All classes require pre-registration.
This story was originally published February 8, 2017 at 11:31 AM with the headline "What’s up this week in Charlotte’s visual arts?."