gallery hopping

okay...so i belong to a rather large arts collaborative called VineArts (you can read more about who we are as you scroll down the page on the right side bar of this blogsite).

and each month some of us gather together for a field trip to experience the art culture of Boise by attending the First Thursday Art Walk downtown. once a month the art galleries stay open late. many serve refreshments, and some hire live musical entertainment. it's like a city-wide gallery opening reception. it's a great way to connect with the art culture of Boise and to be inspired by the creative efforts of others in our community.

we begin our evening adventure by meeting up at the Boise Art Museum (BAM) which has free admission all day on First Thursday. BAM usually has new art exhibits to walk through and enjoy. the city also provides a free trolley shuttle service (a hop on-hop off bus) that will drop you off at the various art gallery hot spots throughout the city. we like to utilize this for a quicker trip to the galleries we've chosen to check out.

once at a gallery, we meander through the exhibits and allow ourselves to dialogue about the art we're seeing. as we discuss the concepts, the techniques of medium, and perhaps even meet the artists and creators of the art, we get the opportunity to step outside of our own artistic endeavors and connect with those people and ideas that are shaping the world around us.

i don't know if your city offers this sort of cultural experience...but if it does, i encourage you to take part in it on a regular basis. gather some of your artist friends and take a field trip in your own city. you'll be surprised at how much you'll learn and grow artistically through the experience.