Art Gallery 505
January is turning out to be quite a busy month. I’m displaying my baskets for the first time at Art Gallery 505, a cozy local co-op art gallery. This small Toledo gallery brings a surprisingly wide variety of local artisans together and features everything from fabric arts, painting, ceramics, woodworking, photography and now willow basketry!
As part of the coop I’ll be working in the gallery 1-2 days a month. Each time I come in I am inspired. One thing that I love about art is that even when something isn’t done with a medium you’re familiar with, it can spark ideas.
This month’s showcase opened on January 4 and I was surprised by a crowd of supportive friends and family. It is one of those beautiful reminders that no one does it all alone. We all have a team behind us. My team of family and friends showed up with a gaggle of small children. (My boys’ school friends and their siblings) At one point we had 8-10 kids ages 8 and under exploring the gallery, drawing their own art, and enjoying the showcase opening snacks. The life they all brought to the space was energizing and my fellow artists seemed to embrace it with open arms. All the children behaved beautifully and I think providing opportunities for kids to learn to behave in all kinds of different settings as well as take in all different forms of art is so good for them. What better time then when they are developing their little minds and forming their values.
The rest of the month is for planting prep, harvest, sorting, and getting more sticks in the ground! Let’s hope the weather holds and things go smoothly.