The love for art is growing in the BCS community, and Third Thursdays are the place to be for art fans! Each third Thursday of the month in Downtown Bryan, about seven galleries open their doors to art lovers around the area. Visitors are able to walk around downtown and discover the various kinds of arts that are exhibited.
Although the idea for Third Thursdays has been around since 2005, and a similar event was held years ago, the festival used to be called Art Step. Greta Watkins, the owner of Frame Gallery, which is in the Parker Aston Art Center, spoke about the origins of Third Thursdays.
“First Fridays also started around this time, and they got so popular that it overshadowed Art Step, so it quickly went away,” Watkins said.
Around August of 2016, Art Step started coming back, on Thursdays this time, so that it would not interfere with first Friday. The event is gaining attention, and the organizers hope to encourage growth.
“We are still building on it, so the turnout has been pretty low key,” Watkins said. Those who really know about art and love it come out and show their support.
The featured galleries are The Frame Gallery/Purple Turtle Art Studio, The SEAD Gallery, The Village Downtown and Viz North.
During Third Thursdays, you will see visual art that is native to the area. Most of the artists that are featured in the galleries are local and love to talk about their work. Many of them are actually present during this event, which allows them to interact with the public and answer any questions that they might have.
“This is a great opportunity for someone to find art they might need to put on their wall at home, because many of the artist are there and love to talk,” said Watkins.
This art walk is diverse, with all the galleries bringing something different. “The kind of art that is showcased ranges from acrylic to oils to pottery to jewelry and even some wood work,” said Watkins. There is something for all needs, interests and even budgets. Most prices start as low as five dollars, but they can go up to several hundred dollars.
So, for any art lover looking for more interesting art or inspiration for their next project, Third Thursdays would be wonderful chance to come out and learn more about some great local art, while enjoying a quiet evening. The event is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., in historic Downtown Bryan.
For more information, you can visit the event’s Facebook page, where you can find pictures of the kinds of art showcased, as well as other useful information.
