By Hannah Rivers
Photos by Cameron O’Brien
Dec. 5, 2016
It was unsurprisingly cold for December’s First Friday, but that didn’t stop people from flocking downtown Lincoln to see the art. Layers were worn and subsequently removed in the heat of crowded spaces. Faces with shining eyes and wine-warmed cheeks searched rooms for objects of interest. The art displayed itself willingly, while the artists conversed with strangers and friends alike.
It was still early as my fellow KZUM interns and I walked into the Burkholder Project at 719 P St. and we had yet to venture into any of the rooms. The first room held two people from StoryHook, who were waiting for people to come in and decorate gingerbread cookies. The gingerbread men sat on the table waiting to be decorated, but slowly people were trickling in — curious looks on their faces and hands itching to pipe frosting.
Downstairs was practically empty. Just the art sitting on the walls, waiting to be seen. Upon wandering into a back room, we met Julia Kappenman — who was listening to the Beach Boys and painting a picture of Yoda. Her work ranges from social commentary to pretty swirls to one of a dead duck lying in a pool of oil.
Unlike other galleries, the artists at the Burkholder Project weren’t hanging out in their studios waiting to talk to passersby. Everyone had free rein to wander in and out of rooms, check out hallways that never seemed to end and go up a different staircase than the one they had used to go down.
Gallery 9, 124 S. 9th St. #4, was a bit more hopping. Most Lincolnites had finished their other evening plans and were flocking to the free snacks, wine and, of course, the art. The majority of people were older, but there were a few children and young adults. There was even a corgi, which made me notice the prominence of animals in many of the pieces. Upstairs we walked into a studio called Eleanor: all white walls and contrasting sparse decor. It was their first First Friday event and it was different from most due to their nontraditional form of art. Instead of paintings or sculpture, they do artful branding. It was a welcome break, something unexpected.
View the full photo album on KZUM’s Flickr.
Stella Collective, 101 N. 14th St. #7, always looks flawless. The clothes themselves are works of art. With it being December, there were comfy knit pants, soft winter coats and scarves that went on forever. In addition, there was dinnerware that had a distinctly vintage feel. Orange 60’s chairs sat around a table piled with Mexican terracotta plates and cups. Clear glasses with gold accents of all sizes were cluttered upon a table like a scene out of Mad Men. It was hard to tell what was put there as art and what was just there as part of the store.
Moss-covered wreaths put a woodland nymph vibe on the ongoing Christmas theme, while the presence of several cactus plants conjured images of warm weather. One wall was dominated by paintings and photographs of flowers, which perfectly matched the feel of the place. Stella didn’t really have a theme, but even so all the disparate parts seemed unified. The roughness of the wooden chairs clashed in the most harmonious way possible with the clean lines of the triangular shelf upon which sat adorable sets of dinnerware.
Parrish Studios, 1410 O St., never fails to bring the party, as evidenced by the first room we ventured into. Music that was both tribal-like and vintage-inspired flowed through the space. People of all ages crowded the narrow hallway, though admittedly those in their 20s were in the majority. Oddly enough, it was the HellYeahx7 show that I had written a previous article on. Not being an art fanatic, I was surprised that I had recognized the style of the artists I had interviewed.
In the Blueberry Center Gallery, the naked paintings were gone from when I had gone there to interview the owner, Josie Karre. But this time, Karre wasn’t showing any art. Instead, there were two artists being featured: Patricia Davis and Lisa Guevara. From what I could see between the shuffling bodies, there was a painting of cake adjacent to a graphite drawing of a tooth–which made me wonder if that was a purposeful juxtaposition of if it was simply by chance. Next to those was a piece bearing the somber yet captivating title “ioweyouiloveyou.” As always, First Friday provided viewers with something to think about.
We got less lost than we did at the Burkholder Project, but Parrish Studios is still a definite maze. Hallways led to rooms, rooms led to hallways and staircases seemed to appear out of nowhere. A favorite Beatles song of mine, “A Hard Day’s Night,” emanated from Voufalou and it called me in. That particular room held clothing and hats and patches for jeans. It was just as artistic as canvases on a wall.
The Bourbon Theatre, 1415 O St., was a completely different story. In the area that is normally reserved for music shows, there was a series of booths that showcased all manner of artistic pursuits. Black and white prints, galactic paintings, beautifully blown glass, shining pieces of jewelry. Not only was it an interesting location in which to view art, but it was also set up in a peculiar configuration. Booths were placed around the perimeter, the artists directly behind them — ready to talk to interested viewers. It wasn’t a maze of interconnected rooms like Parrish Studios; it was simply an open space with all its beautiful objects set out on display.
The 1867 Bar, 101 N. 14th St. #6, was many things before it assumed its current identity. But this is definitely the most popular use of the space. Bar and video games in the front, bar and music in the back. Tonight, on December’s First Friday, the lineup consisted of Walk By Sea, blét and the Hottman Sisters. We walked in as blét was rousing the crowd with some carefully stroked guitar chords that was reminiscent of Death Cab for Cutie. I had never seen blét play, but I had seen their name enough to know that they had a presence in the Lincoln music scene. I enjoyed their harmonies, both vocalists being male, and I also was captivated by their sound, which was at once soft on the ears and true to the core.
The mood at the 1867 seemed more laid back than at other places. People just stood around, waiting patiently for the next band to start. There was no pressure, no expectation. It was all so very casual, but there was also a certain curiosity among the crowd. When the music started up, they immediately flocked to the stage — ready to absorb the sounds of the Hottman Sisters. During their set, I noticed the small things: the pianist’s foot tapping as she was revving up the keyboard, the lead singer introducing the song and then playing a guitar solo before heading up to the mic, the pianist joining up with her to make a melody that I couldn’t get enough of. I had seen the band once, but to me it was like a new experience. They had a fill-in drummer, who had practiced with them only a few times. But it seemed like the band was completely in sync, or maybe their music was just that good.
Hannah Rivers and Cameron O’Brien are two of KZUM’s tireless fall interns.
