Be Here Now: Albany First Friday

Today is Albany First Friday! Art and music are all over town and there’s two separate trolley routes to get you there. Here’s the map (pdf) and here’s some of the shows that caught our eye:

Tomorrow’s Masters Today @ Albany Institute of History & Art, Albany. 50 original works by 50 emerging Capital Region artists, including Leif Zurmuhlen, John W. Yost, Tommy Watkins, Sarah Walroth, Eileen Rice Walker, Carl Voegtling, Marie Triller, Patricia Loonan Testo, Susan Stuart, Susan Sommer, S.M. Smith, Amy Shafer, Laurie Searl, W.O. Pettit III, Wren Panzella, Dorothea Osborn, Clifford Oliver, Gail Nadeau, Jessy Montrose, Catherine Wagner Minnery, Gary Masline, Sarah Martinez, Jason Blue Lake Hawk Martinez, Stacy Livingston, Christopher Lisio, David Kvam, Chloe Kettlewell, Jenny Kemp, Sylvie Kantorovitz, Tony Iadicicco, Mark Gregory, Brian Hofmeister, Theresa Hayes, Robin R. Guthridge, Audrey Grendahl Kuhn, Chip Fasciana, Jim Flosdorf, Stephen Honicki, Raymond Felix, Paul Deyss, Scott Donohue, Kristen DeFontes, John Connors, Peter Combe, Lorraine B. Chesin, Joleen Button, David Brickman, Gabrielle Becke, David Arsenault, and Michael Weidrich. The art will auctioned off at the 2010 Museum Gala on June 11. Opening reception: Friday June 4, 6-7pm. (Through June 27).

loose/tight @ Davey Jones Gallery, Albany. A diverse collection of organic abstractions saturated in color featuring Jenny Kemp, David Kvam and Sara Pruiksma. Opening reception Friday, June 4 6-9pm (through June 25)

Ransoming Mathew Brady: Searching for Celebrity @ Opalka Gallery, Sage College. Vibrant and colorful historical paintings by John Ransom Phillips focusing on Mathew Brady, the noted (and nearly blind) Civil War photographer. This show is mounted in collaboration with the Albany Institute of History and Art’s “Randoming Mathew Brady: ReImaging the Civil War that opens later this month. Artist reception Friday, June 4, 5-9pm. (Through July 30)

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Also noted:

Art and Design Faculty Show @ Esther Massry Gallery, College of Saint Rose, Albany. Recent work, including drawing, painting sculpture graphic deisgn and prinmaking by current members of the art faculty. Reception Friday, June 4 5-7pm (through Sept. 8)

Elemental @ Marketplace Gallery. Featured artists: Laura Meyers, Kevin Bruce, Jessyka Nietzel, Joe Augostino and Chip Fasciana, with Slick Fitty celebrating the release of their new CD, “Hot Action.”

People’s Choice @ Upstate Artists Guild, Albany. Group exhibit in conjunction with Art on Lark, including Kid’s People’s Choice and High School People’s Choice. Opening reception June 4 (Albany First Friday). (Through June 25)

4th Annual Pride Show @ Romaine Brooks Gallery (Facebook), Capital District Gay & Lesbian Community Council, 332 Hudson Avenue, Albany. (Through June 13)

There’s a lot, lot more going on – grab a map (pdf) at any participating venue and start your own culture hunt!