First Friday in Calumet to offer art openings, basket making

CALUMET -- The first Friday of 2011, Jan. 7, will feature exhibit openings and art activity in three Calumet galleries.

Vertin Gallery to exhibit art by Ray Ellison

The Vertin Gallery presents the work of Ray Ellison in his show Ring, Rang, Rung: Communication…Past, Present and After Now!

Ray Ellison graduated with his Masters in Fine Art from Michigan State University in 1976. Since then he has been an active member of the Lansing art scene, co-founding galleries and doing art installations. Currently he is a Vertin Artist with a cabin in the Upper Peninsula and a desire to become a permanent resident.

Ellison’s show deals with the telephone and the changing way we communicate through it as it changes from a fixture at the corner store to something we keep in our pocket. He examines how society’s attitude toward the receipt of a phone call has changed and expresses regret over the loss of the event that a phone call used to be.

"The phone had a special place in the home. When it rang it was news (good or bad) from far away places. It brought voices that evoked emotional responses; news of births, deaths, special events that were taking place!" Ellison says. "Today there is no phone in the hallway; it’s in your pocket. The ring tones are as varied as the stars in the sky. This immediate contact is eroding personal communication skills in the young. Looking someone in the eye when you talk or shaking hands on a contract is a thing of the past."

Ring, Rang, Rung: Communication...Past, Present and After Now! will be on display from Jan. 7 through Feb. 2. An opening reception will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 7, with an artist talk at 7:15 p.m.

Located in the heart of downtown Calumet, the Vertin Gallery is one of the Upper Peninsula’s premiere galleries, featuring art across all mediums including painting, copper, jewelry, sculpture and fine woodworking. The work in the gallery changes frequently and, each month, premiers a new exhibit to feature fresh new artists of the highest quality. For more information on the gallery and upcoming events, please visit www.vertingallery.com or call (906) 337-2200.

Ed Gray Gallery to feature All Gallery Show

The Ed Gray Gallery features Gallery artists in an All Gallery Show during the month of January 2011. An opening reception will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 7.

For the February Miniature Show, the Ed Gray Gallery is issuing a call for entries, with a deadline of Jan. 26, 2011. This all media-juried show will be exhibited Feb. 4 - Mar. 3, 2011. Entries are limited to outside dimensions of 5 in. by 5 in. by 5 in. The opening reception for the Miniature Show will be held on Friday, Feb. 4, 2011.

Basket Making at Copper Country Associated Artists

Like Brigadoon, Copper Country Associated Artists (CCAA) are appearing from their winter nap just for this First Friday event on Jan. 7, 2011.

Participants will create a small basket that can hold, for example, napkins and stuff. Learn the basics of this art, and have an enjoyable time…for the evening and the rest of the winter.

Talented members will assist you as the evening, starting at 6 p.m., grows intense until 9 p.m. Materials are provided for the evening.

First Friday CCAA demonstrations are an opportunity to discover a variety of arts and fine craft techniques from some of the area’s most talented artists. The CCAA Gallery is located at 112 Fifth Street in Calumet.

For the winter, the Gallery will be open only for First Friday events. So,come visit and enjoy.

For more information about the CCAA call 906-337-1252 or visit ccaartists.org.