The May Culture Crawl will take place 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Saturday in downtown Hamilton with a full slate of art experiences for everyone.
Chapter One Book Store, located at 252 Main St., invites you meet author Kimberly Reyes at her book signing of “ABC’s of Turtle Island” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This special book honors the retelling of stories that have been passed down for generations providing a rich cultural history of Native America.
Explore the ARTS, at 701 Main St. Featured artist John Kennedy would steal a line from an Indigo Girls song, “I’m trying to tell you something about my life.” He feels that deep down so many of us share the same values, the same internal truths. If he can show you something that he created that touches someone, he feels that connects us. That is what Kennedy really wants in his art, and in his life. To connect with people who share some common values. He paints in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and wash, pencil, and in words.
You can find Kennedy making art in his home studio, and on the streets of the city. But he will tell you that the seeds of his art are often planted during his early morning run, a hike up a mountain trail, or a walk along a busy downtown street. On a good day Kennedy says art is like fly fishing — it commands his full attention. He’ll often talk about starting a piece with a hot cup of coffee and finding that it has gone cold.
“To be so engrossed in the painting or sketch that I lose track of time is the gift that art can give,” he said.
In his studio work he generally works from photographs he has taken in his wanderings. A scene will catch his eye that sparks something, and he’ll want to paint it, draw it, write it. Most of his urban art is done on location, sitting on a street corner or alleyway in the city. His urban work often includes text annotations, personal reflections on the scene, or the thoughts that the scene stirs in his imagination. A parsing of significant thoughts and feelings from the day. Kennedy will tell you that there are so many things to appreciate even on the most average day, beauty in everything if you really look closely enough. “Life, I’ve found, is a metaphor waiting to be discovered.”
Kennedy, from Billings, will be offering an Urban Sketching workshop at Explore the ARTS with one hour of classroom and two hours out on site June 7, and a Watercolor 101 for ages 12 and older on June 6. Bring a friend, sibling or youth and learn together. Register at www.explorethearts.art Workshop participants will be sketching on Main Street in Hamilton at 10:30 a.m. Meet at Bell McCall, 300 W. Main, and pick your point of view to sketch.
Explore the ARTS is also pleased to host Poetry in the Root from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. During this event a nature poem is read, and a naturalist focuses on nature interpretation. This event is entertaining and educational. If you would like to read a poem, please email mickilong@gmail.com. Everyone is invited to come listen and enjoy this free event.
Art City, 407 Main St., is a cooperatively managed gallery featuring work by local artists. It is located in an historic downtown Hamilton building and they are celebrating their 27th Annual Recycled Art Show. Art is made from reused, repurposed, discarded materials, found objects, leftovers, stuff artists have collected — a humorous and thoughtful take on our throwaway culture.
Clayworks in the Bitterroot, 325 W. Main, featuring Barb Mendrey a hand building ceramic artist. Barb has been experimenting with figurative shapes and surface design. Stop by and see the creations she has been working on in the Clayworks studio.
Pick up a punch card at any of the venues above and visit all for a chance to win the extra special gift basket this month. There is something for everyone to experience the arts at Culture Crawl.