For the first time since step three of Ontario’s reopening plan went into effect, First Friday Peterborough — the monthly art crawl in downtown Peterborough — will return to its usual format, although with pandemic protocols in place.
The art crawl, so named because it occurs on the first Friday of every month, will celebrate the return to in-person events and gatherings by offering people the opportunity to visit several local artists’ studios to view and purchase art, with the ReFrame Film Festival participating for the first time with a free documentary screening.
The art crawl runs on Friday (August 6) from 6 to 11 p.m. at several locations in downtown Peterborough. COVID-19 protocols such as capacity limits and mandatory face coverings will be in place at each location.
Here’s a summary of what’s on offer during the August art crawl:
Minty Vintage Pop-Up at Kit Coffee
Venture into Kit Coffee (144 Hunter St.) to shop at an after-hours pop-up vintage shopping event.
Minty Vintage will be joined by fellow vintage retailers Electric Lady Land Vintage and Kin Vintage between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. for a collaborative pop-up shop.
To add to the fun, guests can purchase an artisanal refreshment to elevate their shopping experience. Between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., cocktail creative Little Miss Drinky Poo will be making and serving their liquid treats to customers.
Open Gallery at Meta4 Contemporary Craft Gallery
As part of First Friday, Meta4 Contemporary Craft Gallery (164 Hunter St. W.) will be hosting an open gallery until 8 p.m.
Meta4 Gallery is a fine craft and original craft shop and gallery that carries works by more than 120 Ontario artists.
The gallery opened its Peterborough location in downtown Peterborough in November 2017.
su-per-nu-mer-ar-y: Juried Exhibition at Atelier Ludmila Gallery
Atelier Ludmila Gallery (129-1/2 Hunter St. W., second floor) will be debuting the new juried exhibition ‘su-per-nu-mer-ar-y’ on First Friday.
Works for ‘su-per-nu-mer-ar-y’ were selected from submissions of emerging, mid-career, and established visual artists working in painting, sculpture, textile, book art, pottery, mixed media, and more.
The exhibition, featuring 23 Nogojiwanong-Peterborough artists, will run from 6 to 10 p.m. on First Friday, and will continue at the gallery until August 28.
Juxtaposition: A Mixed Media Series at Blue Frogs Legs Studio
Kelly Albin of Blue Frogs Legs Studio (393 Water St.) will debut her exhibition ‘Juxtaposition: A Mixed Media Series’ from 6 to 10 p.m. on First Friday.
The series uses a combination of materials, mediums, colours, and imagery to tell a story where the viewer can decide the ending.
Albin works in several mediums such as watercolours, acrylics, charcoal, pencil crayon, pencil, chalk, oil, photography, and various sculpture media.
Madderhouse Textile Studios’ Breezy Garb Product Launch at Watson & Lou
Madderhouse Textile Studios — a screen printing, dyeing, felting, sewing construction, and paper arts textile studio — will reveal their first line of breezy summer tops on First Friday.
Customers can drop in at a pop-up at Watson & Lou (383 Water St.) to shop the clothing line. If you miss the First Friday debut, the pop-up will continue at Watson & Lou on Saturday.
The summer tops, made from a lightweight hemp and organic cotton blend, are available in four designs and sets of colours and in four sizes.
Hand printed at Madderhouse, the breezy garb clothing line was produced with support from the Newcomer Sewing Crew, a group of newcomer women living and working in Peterborough.
‘Water Stories’ documentary film screening at Artspace
For the first time ever, ReFrame Film Festival is participating in First Friday with a free screening of Water Stories, a collection of short films that debuted earlier this year during the virtual film festival.
The six short films all feature a connection to water: Gichitwaa Nibi – Sacred Water (Water Teaching with Elder Dorothy Taylor) by Sacred Water circle, River Queens by Jeremy Lurgio, Headwaters to Hearts: Education in Action by Karen O’Krafka, Sing Them Home by Cara Mumford, River Guards by Aaron Kalischer-Coggins, and Starborn by Olivia Mater.
The screening, which takes place at 8:30 p.m. at Artspace (378 Aylmer St.), is already fully booked. If any additional spots are available tomorrow, they will be filled on a first come, first served basis.
The free screening is made possible by a partnership between ReFrame, First Friday Peterborough, and Peterborough GreenUP’s Wonder of Water program.
‘Empty Oceans: An Exploration of Coral Reefs’ at ACME Art & Sailboat Company
Joe Stable is hosting a exhibition by Christine Jaros at ACME Art & Sailboat Company (129-1/2 Hunter St. W., second floor) beginning at 6 p.m.
‘Empty Oceans: An Exploration of Coral Reefs’ features new metal works by Jaros, who will be in attendance.
As always, Stable will also be showing his latest works, including in the Copper Closet.
Paintings by John Climenhage at WeDesign Group
Works by Peterborough artist John Climenhage will be on display during First Friday at the WeDesign Group studio (129-1/2 Hunter St. W., second floor).
Climenhage has been painting, teaching, and exhibiting throughout Canada and the U.S. since 1989.
His studio practice and en plein air landscapes experiment with post-modern approaches to abstract space, based on contemporary philosophy and quantum physics.
Organized by a group of local artists, stakeholders in the arts community, and local arts-based businesses, First Friday Peterborough is dedicated to showcasing the immense artistic and musical talent in the Peterborough community. The free downtown art crawl is supported by a grant from the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA).
For more information on First Friday Peterborough, visit firstfridayptbo.com.
