'Back better than we were': Pueblo's First Friday Art Walks gear up for 2023

It's a Pueblo tradition that's survived a recession and a pandemic in its nearly 16-year history.

Each month since July 2007, the First Friday Art Walk has invited visitors to stroll along the Pueblo Creative Corridor to explore local art galleries and enjoy live musical performances on the first Friday of each month. The creative corridor includes parts of Downtown Pueblo, the Union Avenue Historic Commercial District and the Mesa Junction⁠ — areas where galleries, public sculptures and murals abound.

On Jan. 6, participating art galleries will open to visitors at 5 p.m. for the first First Friday Art Walk of 2023.

"It's really a fantastic opportunity for us to connect with the community on a continuous basis: not just during the warm months," said Bree Pappan, director of collections, archives and exhibits at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center. "We always have things that are going on, whether it's an art opening, specific exhibit opening or programming that will coincide."

The Sangre de Cristo Arts Center will celebrate the first Friday of the year by opening a show that features works from the Denver-based photography collective Photo Pensato. Admission to all galleries at the arts center will be free between 4-7 p.m. Jan. 6.

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Blo Back Gallery, 131 Spring St., is located southeast of the creative corridor's official boundaries, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming a staple of the First Friday Art Walk since owner Jeff Madeen set up shop five years ago.

"I do recall in the beginning, and it might have just been a novelty ... We had some really big crowds," he said. "It was amazing."

Madeen estimates his gallery has seen about 3,500 unique visitors during its time in Pueblo. However, attendance plummeted in 2020 — a year that included a First Friday exhibit opening with just one visitor, a pair of completely virtual exhibitions and an appointment-only holiday show. Attendance has since picked up.

This Friday, Blo Back will debut two exhibitions featuring local artists. Ashley Martin's "Rabbits, Rats, and Ripples" show will premiere in the gallery's Big Blo Space. Lise Swanson's "Retracing My Steps" will premier in the Original Gallery.

Like Blo Back, Steel City Art Works, 216 S. Union Ave., also experienced a decline in attendance during the pandemic. However, first Friday attendance was in full swing through 2022 and gallery manager Diana LaMorris said she's optimistic about 2023.

"There's a lot of support here in town and we're back better than we were before the pandemic started," she said.

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The First Friday Art Walk at Steel City Art Works this week will include, "It's a Blast," a history of the Pueblo steel mill with works from Sharon Orman-Rodman and Chuck McGee. Additional works from photographer Lizzy Wallen, abstract painter Scott Tomkinson and photographer Ray McCoy also will be on display, and Charissa Fryberger will be signing copies of her book, "A Breath of Fresh God."

John Deaux Art Gallery, 221 S. Union Ave., will showcase a diverse range of artworks from Joel Carpenter, David Caricato, John Mendoza, Teresa Vito, Barbara Yaeger and Darryl Halbrooks among others. Pueblo Arts Alliance will host a tenant exhibition at its gallery on 107 S. Grand Ave.

More information about the First Friday Art Walk and the Pueblo Creative Corridor can be found on the Pueblo Arts Alliance website.

Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached by email at JBartolo@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo First Friday Art Walks are back better than ever