What to expect during the initial post-pandemic First Friday
Brian Hinkle is calling this week’s first First Friday since COVID-19 related restrictions on gatherings have been lifted a “soft and squishy” reopening of Wichita’s monthly art crawl.
“It’s not going to be what many people think of when they think First Friday,” the Wichita painter said. “We’ve got to ease back into it.”
No gallery talk, no late night hours, no party atmosphere with music and refreshments, and no more than eight patrons at a time, who must be wearing face masks while inside the exhibit gallery at Reuben Saunders Gallery. Hinkle and gallery owner Reuben Saunders are considering this month a conscientious experiment to see if Wichitans are ready to venture out to see art exhibitions.
Hinkle was productive during the stay-at-home time frame, and he felt the time was right to help get Wichita’s art community together “in real life” again. He reached out to the gallery with the pitch to debut his “2020 If Only” exhibition featuring 15 new works.
“Everyone that we had scheduled to show during the shutdown, we put on hold,” said Saunders, who celebrated 42 years in business in May. “Brian approached us with a body of work that he had done during the shutdown. We thought this was an easy one to experiment with, and if it works then we intend to go back to the artists we had scheduled.”
While there’s nothing official listed on the First Friday Facebook page, we found four artists who are debuting exhibitions in Wichita this week. Here’s what to expect.
CityArts, 334 N. Mead
Two new exhibitions were up when CityArts reopened Monday: “Unusual Horizons” by Gregory Parker in the Main Gallery and “Summer Market” by Charlotte Patterson in the Boardroom Gallery.
CityArts is using First Friday to launch a virtual opening for both shows. Watch CityArts’ Facebook page for a video of each collection as it hangs in the gallery, along with words from each artist about their work. Each piece can also be viewed online, individually with sizes, prices and information on purchasing.
Parker is showcasing his newest paintings, which are expressionistic landscapes. He draws with acrylic paint; rather than using brushes he puts the paint in applicator bottles. Patterson, who is an instructor and the education coordinator at CityArts, is showing a collection of colorful paintings that evoke the warmth of the sun and the bounty of the earth.
Both exhibitions are on view through July 10. Galleries at the community arts center are free and open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (watch the CityArts Facebook page to see when it might reinstate Saturday hours). The city-run facility is limiting occupancy so you must call 316-350-3245 in advance for viewing availability.
Reuben Saunders Gallery, 3215 East Douglas
“Brian Hinkle: 2020 If Only” opens Friday with a bit of an open house feel versus an opening reception. Hinkle said he will likely make an appearance on Friday, but there isn’t a formal artist talk scheduled.
Visitors are encouraged to stop by between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The gallery is extending its temporary hours just that day to give folks who work until 5 p.m. a chance to stop by (since reopening, the gallery’s regular hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with Saturday by appointment only). Masks are required. Be prepared to wait if there are already eight inside the show space. There is no cost to view the exhibition, which runs through June 26.
Hinkle is known to slip between styles when creating his original oil paintings. The 15 works he created during the stay-at-home orders include contemporary cubist abstraction as well as Kansas landscape paintings. Saunders said the gallery team will create video and photographs to share on Facebook for those who want to view “2020 If Only” online.
The Fusion Restaurant, 1812 W. Douglas
The Fusion Restaurant’s First Friday features Wichita painter Bill Goffrier and looks to be the closest among the exhibitions to a pre-pandemic event. From 6 to 8 p.m., Goffrier’s paintings and prints will be on display on the walls of the restaurant as well as in front of the Delano eatery. The festivities also include performances by Amira Dance Productions and limited seating (to maintain social distancing) for a dinner menu and sampling of chef Eric Dug Dug’s new Mediterranean inspired gluten-free and vegan friendly menu.
The restaurant recently introduced a dual concept: chef-owner Shannon Johnson’s southwestern-style cuisine during the day and chef Eric’s menu at night. Make a dinner reservation by calling 316-558-5311; five names will be drawn to win a free Goffrier art print from among those with a First Friday dinner reservation.
While about 20 originals from Goffrier’s “Authenti-City” series of oil cityscapes will remain on Fusion’s walls through the end of June, Goffrier will be at the First Friday event with additional framed and unframed prints displayed outside.
“I was thrilled that Fusion not only survived but doubled the scope of its business via Chef Eric,” Goffrier said. “As soon as I saw that news, I asked Eric and Shannon if they thought it was too early, or would they like to be among the first to encourage the return of First Friday. They were and are quite excited about it.”
This story was originally published June 5, 2020 at 5:01 AM.