Expand Your Artistic Horizons At Erie Art Museum's Gallery Night

Amanda Kochirka

Ember + Forge, which will celebrate its one year anniversary and host the work of Joel Quiggle as well as a u201cLatte Art Throwdown,u201d is just one of 16 participating locations in the final Gallery Night of 2018.

Friday, Dec. 7

Gallery Night is a hallmark of the Erie arts community, and regular patrons will be pleased to hear that the next installment will be packed to the brim with events worth attending. Headquartered as always at the Erie Art Museum, folks can expect live music, $2 beer, and an African Marketplace in partnership with the Urban Erie Community Development Corporation. Visitors to the Erie Art Museum will also be some of the first to see the museum's complete private collection hung in a salon-style exhibition, covering nearly every inch of available wallspace with works by artists like Chuck Close and Georgia O'Keefe.

From there, downtown will be your oyster, as citywide participation will span 16 locations, each offering something fresh and unique. Take for example 419 Artifacts, where vintage Christmas items will be showcased and accompanied by live piano music and caroling. Elsewhere, at B4 Gallery and Gifts, you can shorten that holiday shopping list while supporting The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Erie Beer and Presque Isle Wine Cellars will also be present, providing beer and wine tastings, respectively.

At the Renaissance Centre, on the tenth floor, "Architectural Details" will be presented, featuring recent works by artist Justus Cotterill.

Downtown coffee shop Ember + Forge will be celebrating their one-year anniversary, along with a brand new display featuring artist Joel Quiggle, as well as a "Latte Art Throwdown." Southward, another freshly-opened coffee shop, the Tipsy Bean, will showcase their coffee and cocktail combinations, along with photography from Nicole Cummins and music from Ethan Howell. Erie Art Gallery will see the opening of "Endless Possibilities" featuring work from the Photographic Arts Society of Northwestern PA (PASNWPA), and music from Acoustic Ear Candy.

Aside from exploring a world of artwork from a handful of the city's most talented creators, Gallery Night also provides a wonderful opportunity to network. Perhaps you'll meet your next work connection at BLOOM Collaborative, which will be representing over 100 artists — some of whom will be in attendance. Or maybe you'll meet your next client at Schuster Gallery, where Gannon Students have prepared a fascinating exhibition showcasing nostalgic advertising from the likes of Kohler Beer, Erie Insurance, Pulako's, and Hallman Chevrolet, among others.

Fortunately for the whole community, there is no shortage of variety spanning Gallery Night. Members of the community will have access to a barrage of artistic expression, from jewelry, various forms of paintings, and ceramic works to metal work and live music. We've only listed the tip of the iceberg here, so whether you're a repeat visitor or a first-time patron, there's something for everyone at the Erie Art Museum's Gallery Night. — Aaron Mook

7 p.m. to 10 p.m. // 20 East 5th Street // Free All-Ages Event // erieartmuseum.org/events-gallery-night