Most official locations are within walking distance in downtown Alpine. A free guide will be printed in the Alpine Avalanche’s weekly edition on the 17th of November.

Each location is responsible for its own “Opening”- expect many surprises and a wide variety of art.

 

Founded in 1994, Gallery Night was the brainchild of local artisans Keri Artzt and John Davis. Keri remembers how she, John, and others talked about the possibilities for an annual event. “We wanted to pool our resources to get folks into our shops, studios, and galleries, to see and interact with the art available locally. The art movement was happening all around them.” She cheerfully adds, “That first event changed things forever! Alpine’s Gallery Night was created for the community and its guests by creative people with creative imaginations.”

From a cool December evening ten years ago, Alpine’s Gallery Night celebration has taken on a life of its own. Now cosponsored by the Alpine Gallery Night Association and the Alpine Main Street Program, both the art community and those who appreciate their work eagerly anticipate the annual event.

A number of exciting events have been scheduled to enhance the festive atmosphere of the celebration. A parade down Main Street, a barbeque cook off, and a silent auction highlight the weekend’s activities.

The gala event of the celebration is the touring of the many galleries, shops, and studios and enjoying the crisp autumn evening air in the foothills of the beautiful Davis Mountains. Thirty-three shops and galleries will host their own unique open house with exhibits, refreshments, entertainment, and fun. While downtown Alpine will be the center of activity, many shops and galleries located in outlying locations are not to be missed.

Art creations on display will explore the realm of the imagination. Colors and shapes compete for attention in a profusion of the profound and whimsical, nostalgic and contemporary. There is something for everyone whether their tastes be pungent or perfection. Portraits, sculptures, jewelry, carvings, etchings, sketches, and crafts of all kinds are there for the beholding. Some are quiet and reserved while others shout and demand your contemplation. All reflect an expression of the human condition – the creative process.

The Alpine Gallery Night celebration provides artists from across the Big Bend region with an opportunity to display their work at official Gallery Night locations. Local craftsmen, students, and artisans of all ages participate in the celebration and are on-hand to greet visitors and discuss their creations. Their exuberance and dedication are at once exhilarating and contagious.

Gallery Night has also become a much anticipated social event for residents of the Big Bend. The downtown area fills with friendly folks from all walks of life, renewing old acquaintances and building new friendships. While strolling from shop to shop to view a myriad of art creations, the sights and sounds of a small town celebration fill the senses. It’s pure Americana, right out of a Norman Rockwell painting. It’s people enjoying people.

Food venders and entertainment complement the many shops and galleries. Street corners are transformed into forums of discussion. Couples wander the crowed sidewalks hand in hand, bathed in the soft glow of light emanating from the shops, while children delight in the creations aimed at the young and young at heart.