Appreciation. It’s just a hair away from admiration. So much less complicated than love, less cloying than adoration. In April, Albuquerque’s fine art galleries are exploring the confines and nuance of appreciation by showcasing thematic works that typify appreciation of the subject. From Downtown to the foothills, just as spring awakens us to a new season, painters, collage artists, photographers and other diverse talents remind us to tread the depths of a singular subject, that subject representing so much more than could ever meet the eye.At Blue Lily Atelier (3209 Silver SE), for example, David D’Agostino’s oil paintings delve into the experience of loneliness in the world’s wild places. This show, aptly titled Solitude, puts a new lens to the landscapes of the Southwest. D’Agostino’s works will be up at the atelier throughout the month of April, and for April’s First Friday ARTScrawl, the artist himself will be on hand from 5-8pm, with a painting demonstration happening at 6pm.What interests different people is also a source of fascination, yet, no matter the subject, when approached honestly, anything can be elevated and illuminated. As a bird lover myself, painter Nancy Hudson’s Fowl Ball at TAG Studio Gallery (4401 Central NE Ste. A) is at the top of my First Friday list. In addition to Hudson’s study of all that is feathered and fowl, other members will be exhibiting new work. Refreshments will be on hand while the gallery’s doors are open from 5-8pm.For something in a more classical vein, stop over at Art Gallery 606 (606 Broadway SE) for the opening of a new show, In Admiration of the Figures. These drawings, which will be on display for the entirety of the month, are figure drawings of live models by a number of notable local artists. Pick up something timeless for your personal gallery, or just enjoy the multitude of approaches these artists have developed to depict the human body. The First Friday open house runs from 5-8:30pm and many of the artists will be present to meet and greet.No matter where your First Friday night wanderings take you, hopefully you will turn an appreciative eye on your surroundings, attuned to the unique beauty in each landscape—whether the grime of a back alley passage through Downtown or the sublimity of the a sunset seen from the foothills. And no matter where you end up, there’s likely a gallery flinging open its doors for the evening; make it there if you can! For a full listing of Albuquerque’s ARTScrawl events, head over to artscrawlabq.org.
Gallery Preview: Art Appreciation 101
Varied Gallery Openings Explore Bird Life, The Human Figure And More
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