Portland Maine 1st Friday art walk January recommendations!

Yes it's a big deal.
Prepare for some culture!
Prepare for lots of peoples!
Remember Art Walk is about experiencing art, consider it an adventure and enjoy the journey.
This is easier said than done. A little reminder never hurt, it's so easy to get caught up in the fray you might not get a chance to smell the roses, I mean, actually view the art.  To help you I'm going to suggest a mini-tour that you can plug into your Art tour walking adventure.


There are 3 galleries on this simple tour and 1 eating & drinking establishment . It's starts right in the heart of the arts district;  one brand new gallery just opened in November ( Octopi Gallery) , the second gallery has been open only a few months it's name speaks of heat but it's body of work is so cool, like the underside of your pillow ( The Flat Iron Gallery) , the third gallery has been around a few years but it speaks to me of what art is all about for the artist (The Bridge gallery).

The Bridge has been open for several years and is the love of Painters Rhonda Pearle & Gary Pearlmutter At first glance there art is different,  a juxtaposed contrast in styles.I'll admit it,  I was confused, now I love their work and it all makes sense, it's being together that is.
Rhonda's work shares a duel passion of the texture of paint and the intense captivation of color. All with an up close person connection.   Rhonda has made me appreciate and love chickens more than I ever thought possible.  Her "Chicken portraits" were the works that pulled me off the street and inside the studio. Each one shows the unique character and personality with names like; Edna, Chester, Randell, Louise and Clara it's like I knew them. Or wanted to know them.  Her colors bold, life vibrant and present.  It's art that makes you breath.
  Now Gary's work is 180 degrees in the other direction. He is the uncrowned King of the still life,  his paint captures those moments in time and freezes them with a cell phone cameras quickness. Strong technically masterful work, I look at them and I'm immediately impressed with the level of skill that is required to depict life in paint so accurately.   By themselves interesting, together each becomes better, stronger and it starts you on the crazy mental journey of what are these two totally different styles doing in the same gallery.  That's why 1st Fridays are great you can meet Rhonda & Gary and ask them yourself.  The bridge Gallery located 568 congress, on the same side of Congress as Maine College of Art, walk up past Space Galley & before Startbucks. Look fro the big red paintings in the window , you can't miss it....  

The Flat Iron Gallery 2nd floor 594 Congress St.

Keep walking up the street toward the Portland Museum of Art and the Funky building that has Starbucks on first floor has The Flat Iron Gallery on the Second floor.  Enter through the door on the pointy end of the building go up the stairs   walk in get greeted by warm colors,  the sound of a pan steel drum ping'n,  it's boarder line dreamlike in dead winter of Portland Maine. Owner Artist Musician Matt Welch is a special cat, he's created a home for the unique and talented.  A "one flew over" for Portland's elite art hard cores and newby meca-motz-artists.  This could be my new favorite gallery in the P-city. A stop is totally recommended be prepared for great unique paintings, sculptures, furniture, jewelery & a warm vibe. 

The Third gallery is Located Across the street at 593 congress
it called the Octopi Gallery.  It's one small part of the OVE studio, offering dance, yoga and massage, a diverse blend of body happy activities and classes.  Add to the great chi flow some current art in the Octopi Gallery and you've got a recipe for mind expansion.  Speaking of mind expansion and perspective altering, the work of wood block artist Kyle Bryant is featured this month with an opening on January's 1st Friday Art walk.   I've talk about Kyles work before (June 9th 2011 The things we carry)  and his wood cuts are becoming a thing of legend here in Portland.  A throw back to the Massachusetts master artist Lenard Baskin,  Bryants work explores a world often darkened and over burdened, a theme often experience in many a 21st century lifestyle. Mind expanding concepts in art, yoga, massage & dance it's the full mind-body art enchilada. Ove Studio & Octopi Gallery.

Mort Todd's handy work

Speaking of Enchilada's quick Double back down the street to Taco Escobarr for a Margaritas Gangster or a La Poloma a Repossado, an original cocktail with grapefruit puree, lemon, lime juice and snappy soda H20 , understand no Blender on premises and food lest we forget the KILO BURRITO it is so massive be prepared to share!   Check out the Mexican Movie Poster art wall paper in bathrooms for great laughs.  Also Yarmouth high graduate and x-Cracked magazine editor-in-chief Mott Todd is responsible for the Taco Escobarr logo & wall art.  Wow that's a lot of art in 4 stops... Porland Maine whada con-tree!

Enjoy your tour don't forget free entry to the Portland Museum every Friday 5-8pm

Why go out for art in the Port City?

Experience the arts because, 

your good mind needs good art! 

The Gallery Talk is made possible by the generosity of the WMPG Radio listening community.  The blog is the text version of the art rant heard every Thursday at 7am, 5 & 9:30pm on WMPG college and community radio Broadcasting from the University of Southern Maine
90.9 , 104.1 and streaming on the web at http://www.wmpg.org/  

Note: WMPG 90.9 fm has increased it's FM signal strength from 1100 kilowatts to  4500 kilowatts! Thank you for making that possible. This means that you are now able to hear MPG on your car radio from Augusta to Dover , New Hampshire .  The station management, the University of Southern Maine & DJ's are totally pumped and excited about the ability to bring you fresh diverse live radio with a clean crisp sound!