by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
“Comedy & Drama” is the theme for this month’s First Wednesday Art Walk. In addition to the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Off the Grid galleries and impromptu exhibits at Downtown businesses, there are many one-time elements for the seventh edition of 2010:
• Hemming Plaza Jewelers will display a collection of “Looney Tunes” illustrations and other serial art.
• The 2010-11 Artist Series season will be showcased at Visit Jacksonville’s welcome center on Laura Street.
• The Bee Gallery at the Landing welcomes the Theatre of St. Augustine and guest performer Paul Ramey.
• At Southlight Gallery, JCCI Forward will celebrate its 10th anniversary with wine, cake and music by Little Green Men.
Also, East Bay Street between Newnan and Ocean streets will be a hub of activity for Art Walk in July:
• Salon Gallery, the newest Off the Grid location, will have a soft opening.
• At Northstar Substation, the Crucified Saints will perform gospel and hip-hop.
• The Ivy Ultra Bar will feature local artist Callie Cline and happy hour all night.
Also on East Bay Street above the Ivy, the F13rce Dance Theatre will perform and offer an exhibit by two artists who have working studios in the dance group’s space.
The name “F13rce” (pronounced “fierce”) refers to the number of dancers in the group when it was formed four years ago, said artistic director and choreographer Mayra Fernandez. She’s a Jacksonville University graduate and teaches at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and LaVilla School of the Arts, the Duval County Public Schools arts magnet schools. The dancers come from her classes and several area dance studios. The group currently is in its summer program and performing for Art Walk visitors is part of the curriculum.
“These kids are just addicted to dance. They can’t get enough of it,” said Fernandez.
She also said having the studio space Downtown makes it convenient for her students to attend rehearsals during the school year and the urban landscape offers performance possibilities that aren’t available anywhere else.
“We might perform on the street or at the Landing,” said Fernandez. “We’d also like to perform on stage at The Florida Theatre for an Art Walk.”
Artist Matt Bennett paints while the dancers rehearse. He specializes in large-scale works, including life-size figure studies and the series of murals he painted at public schools.
“I generally go very big,” said Bennett, who added he’s found the Downtown creative atmosphere is a plus for his work.
“I have never been as prolific as I have been here,” he said. “It’s a great environment.”
Painter Dat Nguyen also works in the dance studio. He’ll be showing his latest series titled, “To go cups,” based, he said, on “items we use every day.”
Nguyen agreed being part of the urban core artistic scene has inspired his creativity.
“It’s growing and I’m lucky to be part of the Downtown arts community,” he said.
Fernandez said she invites local artists to participate in the studio.
“Dance is a living art and I want to keep this space alive. There’s plenty of wall space for artists to show their work. It’s an open house,” she added.
Art Walk is 5-9 p.m., rain or shine, and sponsored and produced by Downtown Vision
Inc. Visit www.downtownjacksonville.org or www.DTJAX.org on your mobile phone for event details.
Artist Dat Nguyen’s latest series is titled “To go cups”
Artist Matt Bennett often creates life-size drawings and paintings.
356-2466