Arts in the Sunset holds soft opening and ribbon cutting to welcome back community

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
Updated ·4 min read

The Amarillo Art Institute (AAI) hosted a soft opening reception and ribbon cutting Friday afternoon for the Arts in the Sunset Center, now reopened to the public after two years of renovations.

Beginning at 1 p.m. Friday, AAI and Arts in the Sunset artists invited community members and fellow artists to view the new space, open to the public for the first time, following a ribbon cutting with the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce.

Amarillo Art Institute Executive Director Rachel Flores, members of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce and artists celebrate the soft opening for Arts in the Sunset Center, after two years of renovations, during Friday afternoon's ribbon cutting.
Amarillo Art Institute Executive Director Rachel Flores, members of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce and artists celebrate the soft opening for Arts in the Sunset Center, after two years of renovations, during Friday afternoon's ribbon cutting.
The Amarillo Art Institute and local artists celebrate the soft opening for the Arts in the Sunset Center, after two years of renovations, during Friday afternoon's ribbon cutting and reception.
The Amarillo Art Institute and local artists celebrate the soft opening for the Arts in the Sunset Center, after two years of renovations, during Friday afternoon's ribbon cutting and reception.

After the ribbon cutting, artists began setting up their studios and arranging for the public in preparation of the evening reception, where artists would be able to showcase their art even further.

"We are just ecstatic, over the moon. For two years, we have been working towards a vision that I think a lot of people couldn't see from the outside, and certainly not from the street, so to be able to have people come in and actually see what we have been working so hard on for the last two years really come to fruition is super exciting," AAI Executive Director Rachel Flores said.

The Amarillo Art Institute displays area artist submissions in the Arts in the Sunset Center's community art gallery, opened for public viewing during a soft opening of the center Friday afternoon.
The Amarillo Art Institute displays area artist submissions in the Arts in the Sunset Center's community art gallery, opened for public viewing during a soft opening of the center Friday afternoon.
First-time Arts in the Sunset studio artist Abigail Squyres creates art utilizing colored pencils at the Arts in the Sunset Center's soft opening and ribbon cutting held Friday.
First-time Arts in the Sunset studio artist Abigail Squyres creates art utilizing colored pencils at the Arts in the Sunset Center's soft opening and ribbon cutting held Friday.

First-time Arts in the Sunset studio artist Abigail Squyres spoke about her recent move to Amarillo from Seattle, approximately two years ago, and her excitement over the community support for the arts here "at the top of Texas."

"Moving from Seattle, and we have lived in several other states with the military, I did not expect to find such a rich art collection in Amarillo, because Sunset was closed mostly when I moved here. And now that it is opening again, it is going to be huge. It is going to be the center of art here," Squyres said.

"I have met such amazing artists here at the top of Texas," Squyres added. "I did not expect to find such talent and such encouragement here. As a younger artist who has recently become a full-time artist, mostly from the encouragement that I have received while here, it has just been so encouraging for me. Person after person has looked at my work, and we have talked about it. And then getting accepted here as a studio artist is something I did not expect. I feel embraced, and it is so encouraging. "

The Amarillo Art Institute and artists celebrate the soft opening Friday for the Arts in the Sunset Center after two years of renovations, which are nearly complete.
The Amarillo Art Institute and artists celebrate the soft opening Friday for the Arts in the Sunset Center after two years of renovations, which are nearly complete.
The Amarillo Art Institute honors the legacy of Ann Crouch with a display of her personal collection at the Arts in the Sunset Center, now open after two years of renovations.
The Amarillo Art Institute honors the legacy of Ann Crouch with a display of her personal collection at the Arts in the Sunset Center, now open after two years of renovations.

Although renovations to the new space were not entirely complete, that didn't stop Friday's attendees from ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the new space and all it has to offer.

The new space includes updates to the Learning Center, including the glassmaking, weaving and clay areas; an additional Ann Crouch gallery including her personal collection, as well as the well-loved collection at the east entrance; a community gallery where local artists can display and sell their art; a gift shop; and a new outdoor space for concerts and events.

"You will find that Ann Crouch's name is all over this building. Not only did we preserve her original formal gallery, we also preserved her artist studio," Flores said. "It still has all of her paints and everything the way that she left it, as well as her entire collection, which was over 1,000 pieces that she collected throughout her lifetime. As you move further down the mall, you actually see there are lots of tributes to her, including artwork by her, her name everywhere. She is the reason we are here, and we wanted to make sure we gave her proper homage."

The Soap Box artist displays her soaps, art, and more during Friday's soft opening, ribbon cutting and reception at the Arts in the Sunset Center.
The Soap Box artist displays her soaps, art, and more during Friday's soft opening, ribbon cutting and reception at the Arts in the Sunset Center.
The Soap Box artist displays her soaps, art, and more during Friday's soft opening at the Arts in the Sunset Center.
The Soap Box artist displays her soaps, art, and more during Friday's soft opening at the Arts in the Sunset Center.

In addition to all of the new things, there is also plenty of homage and old favorites visible in the skylight ceilings allowing for vegetation to grow, the crowd favorite popcorn machine, the piano in the foyer, the statue garden, and the iconic stain glass door entrance, among much more.

AAI stated that they are on track to have the final touches completed by the First Friday Art Walk on May 5, an event that is free and open to the public to view the new space and artists' work.

Arts in the Sunset's opening hours are currently Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will be extended once artists become more settled.

For more information about Arts in the Sunset, visit them online at https://www.artsinthesunset.org/ .

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Arts in the Sunset reopens after AAI soft opening, ribbon cutting