Gallery Night is one of Racine’s premier events, drawing hundreds of art lovers to Downtown Racine.  Come Downtown and enjoy the galleries, studios and workshops along Sixth Street, Wisconsin Avenue, and Main Street. View new exhibits while enjoying refreshments and entertainment.  Gallery Night is a free event, open to the public.  The 2009 Gallery Night dates are: Saturday, February 6; Saturday, April 17; Saturday, July 17 and Saturday, November 20.

DOWNTOWN GALLERY NIGHT WILL BE HELD ON July 17

Downtown Racine will host the third of four Downtown Gallery Night events on Saturday July 17, from 6 to 9 p.m. Gallery Night has become one of Racine’s premier events, drawing hundreds of art lovers to Downtown.  Enjoy the 14 galleries along Sixth Street, Wisconsin Avenue, and Main Street as they celebrate summer and the fine arts in Downtown Racine!  View new exhibits while enjoying refreshments and entertainment. 

Gallery Night is a free event, open to the public.  Maps detailing the gallery locations and exhibits are available at all participating galleries, as well as the Downtown Racine Corporation office at 425 Main Street.

Gallery Night Participating Galleries:

Artists Gallery, 401 Main Street -- Artists Gallery will be featuring the work of multimedia artist Marie Abbott. This will be your last chance to see works by member artists before the Augustgallery changeover with all new works. Refreshments will be served.  www.artistsgallery.org

Art Metals Studio, 332 Main Street -- Join Christopher Sklba and his staff in welcoming back Racine native Natasha Wozniak for an artist reception.  Natasha is a nationally recognized Jewelry Designer and Metalsmith whose  work features sinuous, organic aesthetics influenced by metalsmiths of Nepal  where she lived and studied traditional Nepalese Buddhist statuary techniques and style through 3-D wax carving and casting. Experience a wonderful evening surrounded by beautiful sculptural jewelry pieces and an engaging new artist. www.artmetalsjewelry.com

Avenue Gallery & Frame, 402 Main Street -- Avenue Frame & Gallery features the largest selection of framed and unframed artwork by local and nationally recognized artists.  In addition to this large selection of paintings, we also feature art glass, pottery, sculpture and wood turnings. www.avenuegalleryframe.com

Cobblestone Ltd., 415 Sixth Street -- The Cobblestone is pleased to host jewelry designer and fashionista Trish Poole, known for her beaded treasures and custom painted jackets.  In addition, Cobblestone continues to house the bulk of paintings from legendary watercolorist Sherman Groenke. www.cobblestoneltd.com

Design Partners Gallery, 336 Main Street -- Design Partners, Inc. is proud to participate in the Gallery Night Celebration and will be presenting an eclectic mix of artwork from its staff, including jewelry, paintings, etchings, furniture and sculpture. Also, get a glimpse into the business of graphic design featuring some of Design Partner's award-winning work. This display will be located in the former Grotto Building at 336 Main Street. Music and sweet treats will be offered.

Elements, 409 Sixth Street -- Elements is the personal studio and gallery of Racine artist Jeff Shawhan. The gallery showcases his ceramic works and also features other national artists in a variety of media. www.theelementsgallery.com.

Funky Hannah's Beads & Art, 324 Main Street -- Funky Hannah’s will present Wind and Water:  Paintings of Marj Lacock and blown glass of Amanda Paffrath.  The two artists have been friends for over a decade, admiring each others work and often commenting how their creations really work together!   This show features a collaboration of paintings and glass which reflect the artists’ inspiration and use of wind and water! Ongoing work in the gallery includes paintings by Chicagoan Rick Smith, local sculptor Bill Reid and beaded jewelry designed by the creative team at Funky Hannah’s. Also featuring new encaustic paintings by John Zehren. www.funkyhannahs.com

Hot Shop Glass Studio & Gallery, 239 Wisconsin Ave -- Glass Artisan and co-owner Doug Chaussee’s latest glass garden art is unveiled during Gallery Night.  Local glass artists will be doing glass blowing demonstrations all evening.  Visit the hottest spot downtown, meet the artists and learn about their popular glass blowing classes. www.hotshopglass.com

Mathis Gallery and Conservation Framing, 328 Main Street. -- Featuring Theodore Czebotar, 1911-1996, ‘Nightfall On The Olympic Peninsula’ : Works of Art on Paper 1940's-1970's. A Racine native who broke into the New York art scene at the age of 21 with good reviews who went on to exhibit nationally in his early years only to withdraw and travel with his wife to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state almost annually well into the 1970's. Also featured will be Racinesinger-songwriter, Nina Ferraro, performing with her guitar throughout the evening.

Northern Lights Gallery, 423 Main Street -- Northern Lights Gallery presents artist, storyteller, musician, Don Nedobeck.  This is a unique opportunity for an up close meeting with this very special artist. Nedobeck’s artwork is collected worldwide, his books are well known, his music memorable. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to meet the artist, have a book or print signed or just stop by to say hello. It’s likely to put a smile on your face. Jim Christiaansen, who plays guitar in Nedobeck’s band, will be providing the background music for this event and perhaps accompany Don on one of their songs if the inclination so moves him. www.uniquenorthgalleries.com

Photographic Design, 411 Sixth Street -- Jessie Mainland, a senior at Prairie School, will be the featured artist/photographer.  Jessie's passion is nature photography with a special emphasis on close-ups.  Her exhibit, entitled "A Closer Look at Nature," is a collection of her images which illustrate her keen eye in selecting subjects often overlooked by the less observant.  An artist's reception will be held from 6-9 p.m. to meet Jessie and view her work.  www.photographicdesignltd.com

Plumb Gold Ltd., 322 Main Street -- Plumb Gold Limited will present a must-see collection of spectacular rock and mineral specimens to compliment their hand-made jewelry. This will be an amazing combination of nature and craft at their finest! www.plumbgoldltd.com

Racine Arts Council, 316 Sixth Street -- A pair of musical acts from Chicago will appear in front of The Racine Arts Council.  Rob Reid, a solo artist who mixes world music and Americana sounds, will be playing along with the duo Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray. Reid uses a looping station to layer vocal, guitar and percussion elements to tell his stories. Miss Shevanghn and Yuma Wray are an Americana/Folk duo also based in Chicago.

M&M, Mud and Metal art show continues at the Racine Arts Council. Mud artists showing are Mark Hyde, Gerhard Kroll, Tony Macias and John Murphy. Metal artists are Rob Fritchen, Lauren John, Mona Semerau and Richard Wiegel. The exhibit runs through August. www.racineartscouncil.org

Racine Art Museum, 441 Main Street -- Enjoy FREE RAM admission from 5 to 9 p.m. Stop by RAM at 7 p.m.  to go behind-the-scenes with artists Betsy Youngquist and R. Scott Long. Together, they've created mythical insects for “Eccentric Insects” that sparkle with dazzling glass beads in RAM's galleries. www.ramart.org