The Next Wilmington Art Loop 2022 Opens Tomorrow, Friday, April 1

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki, City Cultural Affairs Director Tina Betz, and Jerry duPhily of Out & About Magazine [outandaboutnow.com] invite City residents and art lovers from around the region to the next Art Loop Wilmington on Friday, April 1. The popular FREE art exhibition, now in its 34th year, is a partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Out & About. Nineteen galleries in and around Wilmington will participate in this month’s Art Loop. A complete list can be found in the April issue of Out and About.

Wilmington’s Redding Gallery [cityfestwilm.com], located at 800 North French Street, continues to present the work of acrylic painter Erica “E.Lizé” Jones [elizeofficial.com], who returns with bigger and more beautiful pieces for her April exhibit. The new works are inspired by self-reflection and continue to highlight women in Black history that have paved the way for generations to come.  Join us for a Meet the Artist reception featuring light refreshments and a paint-and-sip activity hosted by the artist. For more information visit www.elizeofficial.com [elizeofficial.com].
 
Other featured establishments in April include The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery, The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, Old Swedes Historic Site, and the 2^nd & LOMA Leasing Office.

The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery [arts.delaware.gov], located on the second floor of the Carvel State Office Building, at 820 North French Street, will present a selection of new paintings by artist Mia Muratori [arts.delaware.gov] – Painting in the Presence of Change – from April 1 through April 29, 2022.

Muratori is an abstract creator, named a 2022 Established DDOA Fellow in the discipline of Painting. Born in Germany, she has lived and worked in both New York City and Los Angeles. She earned her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Delaware in 1996 and moved to Delaware permanently in 1998. She began her artistic endeavors in clay media, switching to painting around 2001. Her current work — a mix of media including oils and encaustics — reflects her day-to-day experiences but also illustrates what she sees in the psycho-socio-politico-metaphysical world.

Muratori says she’s invested in capturing both the familiar and non-ordinary. “…that which is seen with the third eye, neurological imagery,” she says. She finds it most rewarding to visually capture thoughts, emotions, the zeitgeist: “…recording essences of persons, things, places, space, and time.” “I create to make something visually arresting, satisfying, and meaningful to myself and to others,” she says. “Making thoughts visible and the workings of the mind is what I find most compelling.”

You are invited to a free opening reception on Friday, April 1 from 5 to 7 p.m.

The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation [kalmarnyckel.org], at 1124 East Seventh Street, invites you to join the Kalmar Nyckel crew for an evening reception at the Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard on Friday, April 1 from 5 to 8 p.m. This event, the Creative Crew of the Kalmar Nyckel [kalmarnyckel.org], will take place in the Copeland Maritime Center and highlight the creativity and skills of our volunteer crew members—with an assortment of arts and crafts ranging from photography, painting, quilting, dioramas, and more!
 
The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, which operates a full-scale replica of the Kalmar Nyckel that landed in modern-day Wilmington in 1638, is showcasing the art of several talented volunteers who bring decades of expertise. Their mediums of choice vary from painting to photography to fabric, and more. The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation preserves and promotes the cultural and maritime heritage of Delaware and the Delaware Valley for the education and enrichment of all.
 
Wine, beer, and other beverages, as well as light fare, will be served at the Friday reception. This exhibit Is open for one night only.

Old Swedes Historic Site, at 606 Church Street, invites you to a reception on Friday from 5 to 8:30 p.m. to meet local historian, author, and artist, Kennard Wiggins Jr., author of more than half a dozen books on local and regional military history. You can enjoy wine, beer, and lite fare in the Community Center Gallery where Wiggins will sign copies of his latest book, “America’s Anchor: A Naval History of the Delaware River and Bay, Cradle of the United States Navy,” [amazon.com] available for purchase In the Old Swedes gift shop. The book, nearly five years in the making, is a comprehensive naval history of the Delaware Estuary that spans three centuries, from the arrival of Europeans to the end of World War II. A trained artist, Wiggins created over 40 illustrations for this work, though only a handful was used in the final product. His artwork will be exhibited and on sale throughout the month of April.

2nd & LOMA Leasing Office, located at 211 North Market Street, invites you to view the artwork of local artist James “Y.It” Wyatt at a Happy Hour on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. Wyatt’s Pop-Up Shop Bud + Butta includes homegrown, heirloom, hemp apothecary, botanical skincare and solutions. Live “Good for the Soul” music will be provided by Jimmy Jimmy Live. (Entrance Is on Orange Street between MLK Boulevard and 2nd Street.)

COVID GUIDELINES
All visitors are expected to confirm and follow COVID guidelines as determined by individual galleries.
 
Patrons are encouraged to take advantage of the Art Loop shuttle, which will leave the parking lot of The Delaware Contemporary, located at 200 South Madison Street, at 5:45 p.m. The shuttle provides round-trip transportation to either Downtown Art Loop venues or locations in Trolley Square and venues north of Downtown and is a convenient way to meet other art lovers. The shuttle driver will be on-hand at The Contemporary to answer questions and help art enthusiasts navigate the many offerings of Art Loop Wilmington. Reservations are not required.

The Wilmington Art Loop is a self-guided exhibition of visual art displayed at galleries, studios, museums, and alternative spaces in and around Wilmington. The FREE event draws local and regional art lovers to the Downtown District and greater Wilmington area on the first Friday of the month except for Independence Day Weekend in July. Many venues offer opportunities to meet the featured artists while patrons enjoy refreshments, and, in some cases, live entertainment is scheduled.
 
Art Loop Wilmington’s website – a hand-held guide to the Loop that is easily navigable by gallery location, artist, or type of venue – is mobile friendly and features the monthly lineup at least two weeks prior to the start of each Art Loop. The site can be accessed at www.artloopwilmington.org [artloopwilmington.org].  People can also join the conversation on social media by using #ArtLoopWilm or visit the Facebook Page [facebook.com]. The next Art Loop will take place on Friday, May 6, 2022.