Art of all kinds take center stage in the Alamo City this Weekend.
We start off with two exhibitions worth noting, and both starting Friday night. Terry Allen Jones' “Progressions” opens at Adriana Cisneros' Gallery on Loop 1604, just east of Stone Oak Parkway. Allen's been painting for quite a while.
"I started taking art lessons from an eccentric lady who lived out in the country with her chickens in Uvalde when I was about 7 or 8 years old, and just never have put down a brush since," he said.
Nature is nearly always Jones' muse, and oils or soft pastels his choice of media.
"It's all nature except for the one of my grandfather," he noted.
A huge painting of a cowboy surrounded by goats in a rural setting has a curious origin — a tiny photograph.
"I think it was 2 inches square, so most of the painting is just imagination,” Allen said. “He ranched in the ‘30s up on the divide. It was rough country."
“The Divide” is the rocky, unforgiving high hills overlooking Kerrville. Allen calls his work modern art, but the 26 paintings he's showing also have a certain impressionistic feel to them.
"It starts at 6:30 and we're going to go 'til 9:30, and later than that if anybody wants to hang around," he said.
IF YOU GO What: Terry Allen Jones’ Progression Where: Adriana Cisneros Gallery When: 6:30 p.m. Friday Cost: free
Also Friday night, Cody Vance said an exhibition opens at Bihl Haus Arts.
"It's called 'Beyond Service.' It's an art show by veterans, doing art works for veterans and anybody else, of course,” he said.
He said there’s also another program which has spun off of Bihl Haus's veterans efforts.
"And we're also rolling out the inaugural of 'Forward Arts,' which is a veterans artist program that Bihl Haus has started," Vance said.
He said expression of the creative outlet is really important to those who come and create.
"We're not an art therapy type of organization; we just do art classes, but we're giving them the tools to do the art and therapy on themselves," he said.
Tonight's opening offers a mix of professional veteran artists and veteran students.
“It's going to be a very eclectic show— 'cause you're going to have everything from basic drawings to paintings to photography to stone sculpture,” Vance said. “There's going to be great music and food and everything because Bihl Haus always puts on a fantastic show."
IF YOU GO What: Beyond Service Art Show Where: Bihl Haus Arts When: 5:30 p.m. Friday Cost: free
Then Saturday and Sunday, Kathy Armstrong says don't miss Luminaria at Hemisfair.
"Throughout the park you will have musicians and bands playing either solo, or with their entire set," she said.
For those who haven’t been to the yearly event, Luminaria is the contemporary arts festival, with dance, visual arts, music, performance and more.
“When you come to Luminaria you'll be in downtown San Antonio. Luminaria has four entry points. There are no barriers because this event is free and open to everyone,” she said. “As you enter there will be an information booth and they'll give you a little primer on what you might want to see first.”
She suggests you come hungry and thirsty as there will be all kinds of food and drink. And you can even arrive on the San Antonio River by River Barge.
“In addition to Rio Cruises you can also take a Lyft ride, and they do offer a discount: it's Luminaria2019. Or you can take Via Metropolitan transit, who will be extending their services," she said.
Sunday features artists you can buy holiday gifts from, then an on-site performance at Mission San Jose to close it out. Armstrong waxed poetic.
"Have a night of arts that inspires you for the rest of the year!"
IF YOU GO What: Luminaria Where: Hemisfair When: 7 p.m. Saturday, varies Sunday Cost: free
