It was a hot and humid summer night in Gainesville, but an irregular breeze and large cumulus clouds offered those hitting the pavement an appreciated relief from the typical Florida mugginess we’ve grown accustomed to bearing.
Juxtaposed with the weather was the lively vibe adrift throughout downtown Gainesville last Friday night. The weekend buzz that usually encompasses the neighborhood was in effect but was further escalated by the presence of Artwalk Gainesville. A free self-guided tour from 7 to 10 p.m. on the last Friday of every month, Artwalk Gainesville has become a local event that brings the public together in celebration of local visual art talent.
Various artists from Gainesville and outlying regional towns come together to share their work in downtown galleries, nightlife venues and booths set up on Bo Diddley Community Plaza. The result is an unexpected mix of talent — a reminder of the truly infinite avenues one can take when seeking outlets for artistic expression.
Attendees can pick up a free map that outlines the various festivities taking place throughout town — available both at the Artwalk booth and the event’s website: www.artwalkgainesville.com.
Morgan Motes, a 15-year-old sophomore from Palatka High School, exhibited his artwork for the first time at Artwalk on Friday. Although he is years younger than many of the other artists at this event, Motes proved age does not matter in talent capability. His paintings demonstrate crossover influences of Surrealism and draft illustration and offer insight into the mind of a self-reflective teen.
“My art is all about high school angst,” Motes said as he stood beside a table that exhibited a portion of his portfolio. “Each piece has its own story that has to do with whatever’s going on with my life. I do about a piece a week and try to incorporate my life in each work — just make it flow.”
Though Artwalk attracts artists and supporters from all age groups -- proving that Gainesville social events extend beyond the traditional college town demographic — there was a noticeably large number of adults in their early twenties present at the event. Lindsey Jones and Trisha Thompson have attended a number of Artwalks in the past and noticed a difference between the summer events and those that take place during UF’s academic year.
“The youngins are out and about, and the area is small enough where you’ll usually run into people you know. Galleries like the Doris, Display and places on Main Street are good places to go,” said Jones, a 21-year-old UF film studies major. She and Thompson looked at their maps while on the corner of Main Street and First Avenue South, planning their route for the evening.
“Summer artwalks create a different kind of vibe. It’s a little more quiet and sleepy but still really nice to get out.”
