That's a wrap.

Was it fun? You know it!!

The 1st First Friday of the year had so many exceptional sights, sounds, and tastes--it was impossible to experience everything the night had to offer. Below is a peek into one fabulous show: "WordPlay," at The Foundry, featuring photography by The Shutter Clique.  (What a privilege to be part of this show!)

Having fun in the interactive photo booth created by MySortedAffair!

"That photo is so funny!" Shutter Cliquers Jen Williams and Jessica Frey share a guffaw.

Crystal "Chiili" Alvarez welcomes you to The Foundry. :)

LissaFudge loves playing with words...and pictures.

Shutter Clique... simply yummy.

1st First Friday of the Year!

Judging from the Facebook buzz, half of Bakersfield will be out at First Friday activities tomorrow night. If you've never been, you owe it to yourself to see that there are cool things to do in town! (There are actually a lot of cool things to do in town, but this is definitely one of the coolest.) Since First Friday isn't held in January and many people may have missed December due to holiday functions, the time is ripe for a party in the Arts District! There are tons more events that I haven't even had time to mention in a whole week of blogging but come out and discover some goodies for yourself. It's gonna be the place to be....

Finally, here is my entry for The Shutter Clique show, "WordPlay." Come see the rest of the group's photos at The Foundry, corner of Chester and Truxtun Avenues tomorrow night.

Anguish/Virtue

FOURsight: Quatrains of Intimate Perception

You didn't think that was it for First Friday did you? Oh no, there's much more in store for visitors to the downtown arts district on the evening of February 4th! What looks to be a gorgeous display of photography is set to open at Metro Galleries at 1604 19th Street. This is the typical "hub" area for First Friday activities so you will definitely want to stop by and check out this exhibit. Expect horizon-expanding, fine art photography; smashing live music featuring Kama Ruby; delicious hors d'oeurvres; and a buzzing crowd. Great shops and eclectic street vendors will surround the gallery so give yourself time to roam and enjoy.

For my random, only-slightly-related photographs of the evening, I have chosen two photos from my 2006 visit to Israel. Since it is my understanding that many of Wooten's photographs are taken in the Middle East, I thought this might be appropriate.

1st Friday events continued: ConTEXTual

Yet another (!!) awesome art exhibit which will be opening on First Friday, February 4th--this one at The Padre Hotel's Farmacy Cafe. ConTEXTual, a show about literacy, brings the talents of artists Barbara Reid, Claire Putney, Christine McKee, and Yvonne Cavanagh together for exceptional art and a great cause. I've been lucky enough to hang out with each of these ladies at one time or another and they are all lovely, gifted artists who excel in their medium. The show benefits First Book Bakersfield and is the second part of a year-long effort to bring awareness to various community issues through the use of creativity. The program, called "Creating Community" is presented by the Arts Council of Kern. Don't miss it!

And please see above for another of my quite randomly chosen personal photos which can nonetheless be construed as somewhat contextual. :)

Juliana's Art Studio & Gallery First Friday Reception

I hope you're starting to get the idea that there is a lot going on this First Friday, February 4th! Another email just came in letting me know that Juliana's Art Studio & Gallery will be featuring the work of jewelry designers, gallery artists, and a photographer with an exhibit opening from 5-8 pm on Friday. Juliana's is located at 501 18th Street, near Mill Creek Park. If you haven't been to this often-overlooked, but delightfully different gallery, I recommend that you stop by!

And speaking of First Friday exhibits, here's an update on my gnome progress (albeit with poor quality iPhone pics): 

My dreamy little fellow is coming along!