Over the past year, drivers on Baker Avenue have watched the lawn at The Walking Man Frame Shop and Gallery sprout with stone and steel sculptures. Ripe from the imagination of Danny Kraus, the sculptures have attracted attention to the Arlee artist whose show opens this Thursday at The Walking Man.
You can meet Kraus during this week’s Whitefish Gallery Nights—the town summer art parties on the first Thursday of every month from 6-9 p.m. Sampling hors d’oeuvres and wine, art lovers wander through 14 galleries chatting with friends, neighbors, strangers, and gallery owners, but most of all meeting artists in person.
“It’s fun to bring people in the shop and to have a business excuse to have a party once a month,” said Peter Edland, who co-owns The Walking Man with his wife Michelle. This Thursday, June 7, they host the opening reception for Kraus along with Bill Ohrmann, an 88-year-old retired rancher from Drummond known for his one-of-a-kind paintings. A show at Stumptown Art Studio also launches with drawings, paintings, collages, prints, pottery, and sculptures from 100 students. Mako Gallery will be showing Linda Katsuda’s paintings.
Pick up maps at any gallery—especially to locate new galleries. Recently opened, Art and Invention features steel and concrete sculptures. While The Purple Pomegranate has been around since 1998, the gallery showing fine arts and crafts from over 180 artists joined the Thursday celebrations for the first time this summer.
Now in its third season, gallery nights continues on July 5, August 2, September 6, and October 4. “It’s been gaining a steady head of steam,” said Edland. “A lot of us are showing local artists, so it attracts a lot of locals—especially friends and family.”