Celebrate our community's deep pool of creative talent during Art Walk, held the first Wednesday of each month in Downtown Jacksonville. The Main Library stays open until 9 p.m. for the festivities - acting as one of the event's core participating venues. Street parking downtown is free on weekdays starting at 6 pm.
Joining us for the first time? Pick up a "Map & Guide to the Main Library" on your way in!
On Wednesday, Nov. 4, join us for:
- A Día de los Muertos-themed Art Walk
- 20-minute art tours of the Main Library
- Monthly meetup of local comic and zine makers
- Three local art exhibitions
- Short artist talks with Chaka Onfroy
Or, discover arts, crafts, and creator meetups at a library branch near you!
#Free Activities for Art Lovers
#Art Tours of the Main Library
. Did you know that works by Augusta Savage, Al Held, Kathryn Freeman, Lee Adams, Jerry Uelsmann are on permanent display at the Main Library? Come take a 20-minute docent-led tour during Art Walk and rediscover these remarkable paintings, sculptures, and photographs.
Tours start every half hour starting at 6 p.m.
Note: Since Special Collections is closed this month, there are a few changes. Tours will still include the Al Held mural in the Grand Reading Room and the Great Fire Diorama (which has moved to the fourth floor atrium) but will not include "Ribault's Landing" by Lee Adams or the sculpture by Augusta Savage.
#Monthly Zinester Meetup
Do you read zines? Make your own comics? Drop by Zine Zone on the first floor of the Main Library from 6 - 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 4. These monthly Zinester Meetups provide a space for creators of self published zines to network, learn skills, do group projects and make art.
Find more creator meetups in Jax:
- Drop Everything and Draw! at Willow Branch
- Drop-In Crochet Sessions at Highlands Regional
- Ex Libris Zine Collab at Murray Hill Branch
- Fellowship of the String at Regency Square Branch
- Full Zine Ahead at Southeast Regional
- Needlework Meetup at Willow Branch
- Saturday Morning Cartooning at Main Library
- Second Saturday Stitch at West Branch
- Stitch & Chat at Southeast Regional
- Sit & Stitch at Brentwood Branch
- Sit & Stitch at San Marco Branch
#Local Artists at Main Library
#1st Floor Gallery at Main:
Every year, the National Arts Program (NAP) partners with more than 80 venues across 30+ states to bring workplace exhibitions to life. City of Artists, Jacksonville's 1st Annual NAP Exhibition, features 164 visual arts pieces created by 91 City employees and their children.
Join the artists for an awards ceremony and closing reception from 5 - 7 p.m. on Nov. 4.
The exhibition is being curated by Jacksonville-based visual artist Cheryl McCain, with assistance from Cliff Buckley, Teresa Eichner and Heather Schatz, who are with the City. Each piece is evaluated by three Jacksonville-based visual artists, Jenny Hager, Erin Kendrick and Tony Smailagic. The National Arts Program provided materials and funding for this visual art exhibit, including awards totaling $3,450.
#Gallery on the 2nd Floor:
"Painted over five years. Carried much longer." The People We Carry: A Five-Year Retrospective by Chaka Onfroy is on display now through Nov. 30.
Note: The artist will be giving short talks about his work during all five Art Tours on Nov. 4.
#Betty Francis Art Gallery (3rd Floor):
Lara Boglo-Price is a visionary artist celebrated for her vibrant colored, culturally themed paintings and mixed media works, which were born from her rich African heritage. She draws inspirations from various subject matters like the environment and changing social cultural trends in society. Her main media of expression is acrylic on canvas and mixed media. Her new solo exhibition, Beauty of the Motherland, runs Oct. 7 - Nov. 14 at the Main Library and is sponsored by the Jacksonville Artists Guild.
Note: Lara Boglo-Price will give short talks about her work during both Art Tours on Nov. 14.
#Looking Ahead...
Starting Nov. 16 through Dec. 16: Current (and retired) Duval County Public School art educators show off their work in the 1st Floor Gallery. They work so hard to inspire their students and to help them move forward on their artistic journeys. It's easy to forget that these educators are artists, too! This exhibition gives them a chance to show off their own creative pursuits.
Starting Nov. 17 through Dec. 16: Enjoy Paintings Through Time, from Hither and Yon, an art exhibition by Douglas Johnson on the 3rd Floor. Though largely self-taught, Johnson has studied under Paul Ladnier, George Van Hook, Ken DeWaard, and Bill Farnsworth. Over the years, his loose impressionistic style has emerged, and numerous awards at regional and international shows have followed. His images have been published in several national magazines, and his artwork is represented in private collections throughout the United States, as well as in London, Paris, and Italy.
Want to exhibit your work at the Library? Apply on our website. Jacksonville Public Library has seven locations that offer temporary exhibit spaces. These exhibits may be educational, cultural, civic, or artistic in nature. All exhibits will be considered by the criteria for selection listed in the Library's exhibit policy.
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