May Art Tour
Just in time for the start of warmer weather, May Art Tour starts a new tradition for experiencing art in Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, and surrounding communities!
“This is a new event with several artists from November’s Art Studio Tour participating,” says Church Street Gallery co-owner Eric Snyder. He explains that the idea for doing an Art Tour in May came from a discussion held amongst members of the event’s parent group of artists in the Stones River Crafts Association. After chatting about the exciting potential of doing a fall event in the summer as people are getting outside after a year of COVID-19, the leadership decided to introduce an Art Tour during warmer weather this year.
The event, taking place this weekend (May 1-2), will feature several scheduled guests from many of the Art Studio Tour’s beloved stops from 10 a.m. ̶ 5 p.m. on both days. The Church Street Gallery, Studio S Pottery, Henry’s Florist, M&J Home, and the Art Center of Cannon County are all stops and will surely contribute to the fun this year. Added to the roster of to-do’s is Saturday’s pop-up event in Graffiti Alley. Hosted by Church Street Gallery, the pop-up will feature a small number of artists in the open green space near the intersection of Church and College Streets, just off the Square. As an outside event, it will have the look of a mini-arts fair with patrons able to navigate freely through this space. They’ll be able to take in some great artwork and also experience the visual delights of Murfreesboro’s famed Graffiti Alley.
“We wanted to do the pop-up event to show what’s in Graffiti Alley, and how this weird little area behind an art gallery can be just as much of a showing space as any museum or public works installation,” Eric explains. “And since we’re looking to make it intimate, we felt that having the pop-up as a one-day feature would do the trick.”
The Arts Center of Cannon County hosts artists Kay Currie and Deb Wellborn, while Henry’s Florist showcases Henry Phillips, Elizabeth Bray, and Becky Dickovitch. Studio S Pottery features Eric and Lewis Snyder along with Phyllis Razo and Suzanne LeBeau. Church Street Gallery’s pop-up includes Mark Jackson, Ginny Togrye, Mary Veazie, Rj Hadle, and the artwork of MTSU’s students and faculty from the Department of Art and Design, with MTSU sales funding student scholarships.
“I think there are multiple elements to MAT that are exciting,” Eric adds. “This is a different type of line-up for a Tour, with a different purpose. The Art Studio Tour focuses on the element of demonstrating the artist process of each studio involved. MAT is a coming together of a variety of businesses and artists that seeks not only to highlight our community’s vast wealth of artistic talent but also to say that when you think of art and want to support buying local, Murfreesboro is emerging as an artistic Mecca.”
In addition to local creativity on display at some of Murfreesboro’s favorite shops, visitors to the May Art Tour will be able to enjoy the fresh air and convenient parking around the Square for Henry’s Florist, M & J Home, and Church Street Gallery. The Arts Center and Studio S have parking on site. Visitors are reminded that a piece of art might make the perfect Mother’s Day gift, as would something from one of the local venues.
Social distancing and the use of face masks are encouraged while attending. For further information about the May Art Tour, contact [email protected] or visit www.MayArtTour.org.
