IRWIN HOUSE GALLERY PRESENTS THE “GIFT OF ART”
affordable art exhibit promoting art giving & collecting this holiday season
Opening Black Friday
NOVEMBER 27, 2020 – Starting on Black Friday through the end of the year, Detroit’s Irwin House Gallery is encouraging shoppers to consider giving the gift of art this holiday season. Creating a safe, semi-private art-viewing experience across two floors at its West Grand Blvd. location, the gallery presents The Gift of Art – an affordable Fine Art exhibition featuring local talent from the Detroit Fine Art Breakfast Club (DFABC) and more. All works of art are priced from under $100 to no more than $500. And, while guests can drop in at anytime during business hours, the gallery is taking extra safety precautions by allowing no more than six visitors inside at a time, checking temperatures at the door, and honoring private appointments for those who request it, and offering the full exhibition on-line at irwinhousegallery.org.
The Gift of Art Exhibition is being organized by Artist Jonathan Harris, who led an indoor-outdoor pop-up exhibition at the Irwin House in mid-October. The event was attended by more than three-hundred guests and resulted in a near sell-out for all the artists. On the heels of this highly successful affair, Harris was offered an Artist Residency at the gallery, which encompasses future curated events (including this one) and support with the development of new work, and culminates in a solo exhibition in the Spring of 2021. A dedicated DFABC member, Harris drew from the collective’s extensive talent pool to pull together the core of the Gift of Art exhibition. Featured artists represent a broad range of genres, backgrounds, and themes and include Amanda Koss, Cameron Jenkins, Dawud Shabazz, Donald Calloway, Ellen Doyle, Errin Whitaker, Ese Alexis, Hosanna Kline, Izaiah Ford, Jonathan Harris, Judy Bowman, Kayla Childress, Kelly O’Neill, Kirah Price, Maliek Phillips, Mary Morekas, Melissa Vize, Scott McDuffee, Tawd b. Dorenfeld and Warren Wells.
In the world of high art, galleries across the country saw in-person art sales plummet during the first shutdown, even though on-line art sales soared for many establishments who made the option available. On local levels, however, Irwin House Gallery Director, Misha McGlown, reports noticing an increased interest in art during these uncertain times, noting the healing properties of art and an almost-feverish emphasis on home-making – since many were confined to the home and found that to be the only environment they could control. “People buy art as an investment – not only for financial gain, but as an investment in culture, memories, or careers of artists they believe in. But, people also buy art because it feels good; it is an investment in self-care. We are asking holiday shoppers to give that good feeling to the people they care about this season, or to start or enhance their own art collections here,” she adds. “The myth about collecting art is that you have to have a lot of money to do it, and you have to be knowledgeable about art. Not true. You start where you are (economically) and all you have to know is what feels good in your heart. This exhibition promises something for everyone.”
Starting Black Friday, November 27, 2020, hours of operation are Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm and Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Appointments are not required, but encouraged, during these hours. To visit on any other day/time or for a private tour, contact Curator, Jonathan Harris at 313.982.2067 or jonoraymond@gmail.com. All other inquiries, or for more information, please contact the Irwin House Gallery at 313.932.7690 or irwinhousegallery@gmail.com. The exhibitions runs through Sunday, January 3, 2020. Event details can also be accessed on Eventbrite HERE. Irwin House Global Art Center & Gallery, 2351 W. Grand Blvd. (between LaSalle & Linwood), Detroit, MI 48208 | http://irwinhousegallery.org FB + IG: @irwinhousegallery
Exhibiting artists Amanda Koss, Kirah Price, and Donald Calloway (top to bottom).
Event hashtags: #goa #artfortheholidays #buymoreart #supportlocalart