The first First Friday of 2018 falls on Jan. 5, and the year is starting off right with a wealth of diverse shows generated by talent both local and from farther afield. The diversity of shows opening this Friday set an encouraging precedence for the year ahead and all we can look forward to in our thriving galleries. A nice first stop in your First Friday datebook might be Hip Stitch (2320 Wisconsin NE), the Northeast Heights’ preeminent fiber arts shop. There, through the month of January, will be the unique work of Albuquerque’s Debbie Jones. Jones has pioneered a medium dubbed “fabric decollage,” a mash-up of collage and decoupage. In each of these distinct pieces, Jones uses numerous fabrics, some scavenged or bought, some hand painted to create vivid scenes and dreamy landscapes that depict everything from the bottom of the ocean to the mountaintops. Drop in to Hip Stitch between 5 and 9pm to take in these unique pieces, shake the artist’s hand and enjoy some light refreshments. If a visit to Hip Stitch doesn’t satisfy your cravings for contemporary fiber art, stopping in at Amapola Gallery (205 Romero NW) afterwards might round out your fix. There, in the small gallery, a show titled Stitched Witchery and Mud Magic will take center stage for a few weeks. Comprised of felted works by Annette Galvano and mud and metal sculptures by K.D. Fullerton (you can see where the show’s name came from), this show is full of unexpected beauty. The official opening reception runs from 4 to 7pm, leaving plenty of time to visit Old Town Albuquerque for this exhibition, and many others. For a change of pace, you might head up the street from Amapola Gallery to Albuquerque Photographers Gallery, where you will find works by three new exhibitors Kelly Haller, Christopher Sandberg and John Simmons. Within this cooperatively run gallery dedicated exclusively to photographic work, these three new additions to the collective will display their diverse work, and welcome visitors for the formal reception between 5 and 8pm. And this is just a small selection of the doors swinging open to art lovers on this chilly Friday evening, you can hardly turn a corner in our city without finding another exhibition waiting to greet and inspire wanders. Visit hipstitchabq.com, amapolagallery.com and abqphotographersgallery.com for more information about each of these shows and the artists exhibiting them.
Found Objects: First Friday
Art Openings For A New Year
2 min read
Debbie Jones
