Arts in the Sunset prepares for January exhibit, grand opening in April
The Amarillo Art Institute (AAI) is making its final renovations at the Arts in the Sunset location over the next few months, in anticipation for its grand reopening to be held April 14.
The opening will be free and open to the public, as an opportunity for the general community to view the renovations made to the Arts in the Sunset center. The event will include music, art and interactive activities for attendees to enjoy.
"This will be a way for us to welcome people back into Sunset and also give us a chance to take to the stage and talk to people about why we did this and give thanks to those that have helped us along the way," said Rachel Flores, Executive director of AAI.
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On view at the Ann Crouch Gallery at Arts in the Sunset from Jan. 28 through Feb. 18 will be Dale Conner’s retrospective “The Madness of Man,” the first show mounted in the newly renovated space. The Amarillo artist and educator's exhibit will have an opening reception on Jan. 28 from 5 to 9 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
Conner is an American painter, master printmaker, and educator, and his media include oil on canvas and panel, watercolor, intaglio, relief, and drawing, according to a news release. "Speaking both to the aesthetic and the ethical, his work examines the depth of the human condition, exposing man’s inhumanity and injustice to his fellow human beings, to other living creatures, and to the planet, using the theme of war and the people who facilitate conflict as his subjects. Conner’s award-winning work has been exhibited at the Dallas Museum of Art, included in several Texas Fine Arts Association exhibitions, and a survey of his prints is part of the permanent collection of the Prints and Drawings Department of Texas Tech University (AP/RC)."
According to Flores, the Institute has also begun reintroducing the public to the space with the beginning of its art classes. Flores shared that almost all classrooms are completely renovated, allowing for instruction to begin last week with full enrollment.
Currently, the organization is working to complete some cosmetic updates and a few functional necessities, such as the flooring in the hallways and the adding of doors to the space, as well as the outside renovations, before opening it to artists. AAI hopes to welcome artists and allow them to move into the new space by the end of February in preparation for the grand opening.
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"Although our studios are fully booked at this time, we are still accepting applications as some spaces will become available within six months of opening. We also have a community art gallery where anyone can display their work, not only studio artists, and we are always accepting those submissions on our website as well," Flores added.
She said the grand opening timeline was delayed a few times during the renovation process due to supply chain issues. As previously reported by the Globe-News, construction to the art gallery was put on hold early in phase two due to steel and HVAC shipment delays. Recently, the main delay that the Institute has faced in preparing for the grand reopening is a shortage of laminate wood doors.
According to AAI, these renovations were made thanks to a donations and an endowment that supported the $11.5 million renovations. Flores states that although these funds made this dream a reality, the organization is still seeking community support and donations to benefit the Institute.
Flores stated that although not all renovations or art pieces will be completed in time for the grand opening, such as the legacy wall, some pieces — such as an owl mural created in honor of Ann Crouch and a mosaic — will be in view to demonstrate the legacy and potential for the space.
"We have had quite a few past students, past members, people who haven't been out here for three or four years come out, and getting to see their reactions when they see it for the first time is just incredibly exciting. Hearing others' excitement has been our motivation to keep going and get this finished, because people are seeing it as a revitalized space, and now it's not just an idea but (is) actually here," Flores said.
After the grand opening of the newly renovated center, AAI plans to begin its former tradition of First Friday Art Walks and add new attractions such as its first concert series held on in the new concert plaza, set to begin in May.
For more information, to make a donation, submit your artwork or apply for studio space, visit AAI online at https://www.artsinthesunset.org .
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: AAI prepares for Grand opening of Arts in the Sunset to be held in April.
