Chattanooga is home to a myriad of eclectic art galleries and studios
So far this year, the state of Chattanooga’s Art Galleries has been like a train rolling down the tracks. Steady, smooth, and predictable, with the occasional stop for a cow. There haven’t been very many new galleries opening, and there haven’t been any significant closures—it has been business as usual, though definitely not boring.
Most of the galleries in Chattanooga are boutique galleries, exhibiting collections of works by multiple artists, with new work being added, but mostly the same art all of the time. This is great for tourists who have never seen any local art, as each gallery is like a museum with a permanent collection of indigenous masterpieces.
In-Town Gallery is the city’s longest standing artist co-op, and over the years they have established themselves as being one of the best galleries in the area. This September, they will be featuring the work of Miki Boni, whose surreal figurative paintings have recently been published in book form.
The original paintings will be on display, and the artist will be signing copies of the book, Figments: Visual Magic & Tiny Tales. The opening reception/book signing will be held on Friday, Sep. 1 from 5 to 8 p.m. at 26A, Frazier Avenue on Chattanooga’s North Shore.
Next door, it is a challenging time for the Association for Visual Artists. AVA has postponed their annual Gallery Hop, an event which has become a celebration of our art galleries, and a major boost to the local art economy.
That said, they are hard at work planning for the next Fresh: Emerging Artists show featuring first time artists, kicking off Sep. 9th.
Across the river, located in the heart of downtown, the Chattanooga Workspace has one of the best galleries in the city, with a different show on the first Friday of every month to coincide with their Open Studio Nights. On Sep. 1st they will be opening their “Makers of 6th Street” exhibition, featuring guest artists who used to reside in the Workspace, at 302 W. 6th Street.
A few blocks away, one of Chattanooga’s newest galleries, ErrSpace, offers a unique gallery space in the lobby of The Palace Theater. The space is mostly host to solo shows, with the occasional group show, like this month’s Cardboard Coverall Dreams, an exhibition of work by artists who helped with Wayne White’s local endeavors.
On Aug. 25, they will be hosting an artist talk from 6 to 7:30 p.n., and their next opening is on Sep. 1.
Over at the Bluff View Art District, the most exciting gallery show in town is happening inside the Hunter Museum, where Wayne White is presenting a remarkable exhibition of monumental to miniscule never-before-seen art. The exhibition will be at The Hunter through October.
Situated next to the Hunter Museum, the River Gallery is another one of Chattanooga’s most notable fine art establishments. They also curate and maintain the Bluff View Sculpture Garden. This month they are celebrating their 25th Anniversary.
Main Street has been a bit of an arts district for years now, hosting several noteworthy artist studios and galleries.
For over a decade, Gallery 1401 has been one of Chattanooga’s most prestigious galleries, and they have always been on the cutting edge of new trends on the arts. Recently, they have started to host openings on a weekly basis instead of monthly.
1401’s Emerging Artist Series features a new emerging artist every Friday. On Aug. 18 they will be showing the work of Kelsey Hamilton, and on Aug. 25, the work of Yulia Zaru.
A few blocks away is Area 61, another one of the city’s most prestigious galleries. They host the work of over 30 professional local artists and craftsmen, featuring fine art, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, furniture, and more. Their next event is on Friday, Sep. 1, at 5:30 p.m.
Across the street from Area 61 is the Hart Gallery, a charity that offers homeless and other non-traditional artists an opportunity to create and sell their artwork. They have a studio/gallery, and they provide art supplies and classes to other non-profit community organizations.
JumpstART is still curating exhibitions around town. The artist representation service is currently supplying art to the INCubator, Chambliss, Bahner, & Stophel, Elliott Davis Decosimo, the Historic James Building, Leitner, Williams, Dooley, & Napolitan, the Mountain City Club, the McCallie School, and Russ A. Blakely & Associates.
Their next event is an opening of new works at the INCubator on Sep. 1. And the Arts Building on 11th St is home to two learning institutions that also have galleries—the Townsend Atelier and Scenic City Clay Arts.
As you can tell, while it may be “business as usual” for local art galleries, business is very good. So go out, explore, and enjoy!