Local art crawl set for Dec. 14

The art-filled walls at Two Black Sheep Restaurant will be just one of several Manchester sites for the first-ever Art Crawl on Dec. 14.

Trying to think of activities to fill the already-busy holiday season can be a challenge.

But it was one that Cheryl Coleman of Two Black Sheep Restaurant, and Steve Girbach of Manchester Underground Music & Arts, decided to take on. A couple hours of brainstorming later, they came up with the idea of a holiday-themed art crawl in downtown Manchester, featuring local artists and artisans.

“It can be really hard for local artists to get their work out there and seen,” Coleman said. “We thought this would be a good way for them to get some exposure and bring people to Manchester businesses as well.”

Participating in the crawl are Two Black Sheep, Frank’s Place, Over the Edge, All Thingz Green, Underground Music, River Raisin Antiques & Mercantile, and the Shoppes at Alber Mill. Each location will have a variety of art works by local artists–that you may or may not already have heard of!

Coleman added that she is happy that her vision of art-filled walls has come true with “her” artists at Two Black Sheep, and she’s eager to see how many other artists will come out to share their work with the community. “I’m surprised how many people will buy the artists’ work right off my walls,” she said. “It’s great, and the artists then continue to bring in new stuff, so the display is ever-changing.”

To participate, prospective artists may contact Girbach or Coleman via messenger on their business Facebook pages, Manchester Underground Music and Art or Two Black Sheep Restaurant. If you know where you’d like to be located, you may also contact the appropriate business owner directly.

Coleman concluded by saying that there will also be flyers available for distribution this week, at each of the locations mentioned above.

Mark your calendars now and come out for the First Annual Art Crawl on December 14. This is a great opportunity to get the art lover on your Christmas giving list a gift that they will enjoy for a lifetime.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.