New Digs for the Bastrop Fine Arts Guild, See it First Friday

The First Friday reception for April is a group show entitled, Old Bastrop.  There will be a variety of media, technique and artists.  The other art in the building is mainly about bastrop, too, as April is the month for Yesterfest, a weekend that takes us back to the good old days.  More about that later.

Friday April 5, 2013
First Friday Reception with refreshments.
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  
815 Main Street and all up and down the street and on Pine Street.  Restaurants are open with live music.  It is an interesting night to be in downtown Bastrop.  I hope to see you there!

 Bastrop Resident

Pastel on Pastelbord

5 x 7 inches

My entry in the group show is Bastrop Resident who is a resident on Farm Street where he is a protected rooster.

Yesterfest

Pastel on Colourfix Paper

10 x 8 inches

True Blues

Pastel on Pastelbord

8 x 10 inches

My regular pieces are Yesterfest, which I painted on the street a few years ago during the Yesterfest celebration.  True Blues are some bluebonnets under the pine trees along Highway 71.

The move is welcomed, but is filled with sentiment for the old space, too.  The Guild had been in the building at 1005 Main Street since about 1998.  Mary Voss opened up the hall and the back room for the artists to show their paintings and photographs.  The front window was used for the artwork of the featured artist of the month.  Greg Warner and Patty Green continued the generosity, the Guild rented more space and eventually had all the exhibit area filled with art.  We should  give many thanks to Mary, Greg and Patty.  Thanks to them, the Guild was able to have a presence on Main Street for all these years.  Growth would not have been possible without them.

I will personally miss the "old" space very much.  I had a studio for about three years in the room next to the back.  I shared it with Lea Cundy part of the time.  Then from March 2010 to March 2011, I had the front space rented for my personal Gallery.  Judy Hawes sold her jewelry and helped me with the gallery.  We had a great time in my studio gallery and the Guild held many artful receptions and saw so many different artists and artwork pass through the doors.  

Receptions were filled with music, food, conversation and art.  Many of the artists are musicians, too.  Charles Niswonger played the saw for receptions.   Diane Hundt-Smith played her accordion/music box and sang.  Mike Henderson got out his guitar and sang once in a while. 

Oh, if those old brick walls could talk!

Mike Casey and helpers build an old storefront for the Yesterfest days down at the park.  Kids painted and we all had fun.  Yesterfest has now moved uptown, well, downtown from the park.  Still fun!  It is on the last weekend of April.