Greater Brandon's 4th Annual Gallery Hop Coincides With Artworks Awards

The Fourth Annual Gallery Hop kicks off Sept. 9 with a passport invite to visit 11 arts-minded locations throughout the Greater Brandon area before a final stop, celebration and raffle drawing at the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association on Sept. 10.

The annual event is hosted collaboratively by , the Brandon League of Fine Arts and the Greater Brandon Arts Concil, which in turn is an umbrella organization of arts-minded groups and organizations throughout the community.

The event aims to have townsfolk, "Find the Hidden Treasures of Greater Brandon."

“It’s been a very successful event over the past three years and we’re hoping for excellent weather and a good turnout this year,” said Anne Drewry, president of the arts council and a long-time league member.

The event, she added, “helps draw the community together and exposes people in the Greater Brandon area to all the opportunities there are to experience the arts and to see all the great talent that lives here.”

The event coincides also with the awards presentation for the annual Artworks juried and judged art competition. The entries are displayed this month at Center Place in the Mook Art Gallery, where the awards will be presented Sept. 10 at 6 p.m.

To participate in the art hop, visit any one of the locations noted below to pick up a passport to carry with you on your tour throughout town Sept. 9, from 5-9 p.m., and Sept. 10, from 10-4:30 p.m. (Note: Two of the 11 locations, the Brandon Ballet and Music Showcase, are only open for the hop Sept. 10.)

At each location, ask for a stamp to signify your visit; bring a fully stamped passport to Center Place for the closing night festivities, from 5-7 p.m., and be eligible to win a basket and a grand-prize basket.

Each participating business contributes a basket of goodies for the drawing. The grand-prize basket includes a donated item from each of the participating businesses.

At Center Place, too, there is a silent-auction drawing, sponsored by the Brandon League of Fine Arts, for bamboo plates handcrafted by artists with designs using a variety of media, including acrylics, pencil, beads, mosaic and pottery.

As long-time watercolorist Roxanne Tobaison put it: “Anything goes on this one.”

This is the third year the league has handcrafted art for the hop to in turn raise funds for scholarships for children in need to attend arts programming at Center Place. Last year art was handcrafted on cigar boxes; the year before, on desktop trash cans.

Activities have been scheduled at the participating locations, as noted below:

Bead Boutique — "We will demonstrate how to wire wrap, a technique used in many jewelry designs and the subject of one of our "Basic Jewelry Design" classes. Gallry Hop partcipants will be able to pick out free beads from a pre-selected inventory. We will then create a lovely pair of earrings to take hoe. Other beading techniques also will be shown."

Brandon Ballet — "Come in and view a Brandon Ballet company class and the beginning of our 'Nutcracker' season."

Laughin' Ladies — "Check out the various class offerings' examples and there will be some projects in progress."

Leonard Academy of Dance and Centre for the Arts — "We will have various dance performances."

Orange Home Accessories — "We will host jewlery maker Beth Kauffman. Make your own diachronic-choice pendant or earrings, for a $25 fee, approximately 30 minutes. A portion of the funds will go to scholarships."

The Pottery Patch — "We will be doing something hands-on and fun. Patin a holiday ornament for free."

Music Showcase — Saturday: "From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Music Makers Workshops, with instrument petting zoo and making tambourines. From 3-6 p.m., a musical theater rehearsal for, 'Aida.' "

The Way 2 Dance — Friday, 7 p.m., Club Swing and Slow Dance group class; 7:45 p.m., Dance Party, practice your moves. Saturday, 9:15 a.m., Zumba Fitness Class; 1:15 p.m., Tango Group Class; 2:15 p.m., Swing Dance Group Class; 3:15 p.m., Salsa Group Class.

White Rabbit — "We will have Patrice Pfieffer demonstrating crafting jewelry and works of art from clay."