Rain no match for art, music and bears

New Bern’s first downtown ArtWalk of 2010 had an uninvited old friend — rain. But, as has been the case on other drizzly Friday afternoons, the five-times-a-year showcase event for art still drew good crowds.

There was plenty of art, ranging from the professionals to Craven County’s children.

There was music in the air on Middle Street, where Craven Indoor Percussion — an ensemble of about 40 students from the county’s three high schools — scrapped plans for an outdoor show and found shelter and an audience in the Christ Church Family Life Center.

This being the 300th anniversary of the founding of New Bern, there were plenty of bears around.

Isaac Kirkman of James Smith Elementary fashioned some small black bears, which were among about 75 artworks by Craven students in the annual National Youth Art Month exhibit. It remains on display all month at the Bank of the Arts.

Kirkman’s bears caught the attention of 6-year-old John Mills, a kindergarten student at Bangert Elementary. But Mills wasn’t just a face in the crowd that packed the Craven Arts Council and Gallery. He was one of the guest artists.

He was asked if Kirkman’s bears were the best thing he had seen.

“They’re good. I knew they were New Bern Bears. The best thing is the one I did,” he said proudly, turning and making his way through the crowd to an artwork depicting the historic New Bern City Hall. That was his creation. Mills likes airplanes, so there is one making its way through the fluffy white clouds on a sunny day.

The venues for ArtWalk are diverse, with a number of art-related galleries and shops, supporting restaurants, the city’s oldest hardware store — Mitchell’s — and the Farmers Market.

Sculptor Mitch Lewis was among 20 vendors at the market, with a display of 300th anniversary bears that he and fellow New Bern artist Jim Bisbee replicated in various glazes from an original they created as a gift for the mayor of Bern, Switzerland.

Mary Beth Powers, who lives in Coopersburg, Pa., was visiting family and arranged her spring visit to coincide with ArtWalk.

“I had never made it (for ArtWalk),” she said, while making the rounds with her mother Ruth, a member of the Twin Rivers Quilters. “So, I came a week later to catch all the festivities.”

Along with the opening of the students’ exhibit at the Bank of the Arts, Friday marked the opening of a new exhibit by Julie Lawrence at New Bern ArtWorks.

Lawrence provided the cover art for this ArtWalk’s poster. Lawrence’s design includes paintings “Figure in Black Fedora” and “Figure in Brown Fedora.”

Upcoming ArtWalks are May 14, July 9, Sept. 10 and Nov. 12 — all Friday afternoons. 

Charlie Hall can be reached at 252-635-5667 or chall@freedomenc.com.