Have you noticed artists at work along 3rd Street? Friends of Midtown has sponsored a fire plug painting contest, and now it is your turn to pick the winner.

Visit the Friends of Midtown website to cast your vote.

12 artists are competing in the plug painting contest. Winning designs will receive a cash prize. Winners will be announced at a block party on Susquehanna Street between Harris and Hamilton streets the evening of September 24. Voting closes at noon on September 24.

Enjoy no cover events at Mangia Qui / Suba starting at 9 pm.

Saturday, September 10 – The Humblers
Friday, September 16 – Hemlock Hollow
Saturday, September 17 – Camela Kraemer
Friday, September 23 – The Whispering Tree
Saturday, September 24 – Batida
Friday, September 30 – Bryan Herber

DUE TO THE STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED BY HARRISBURG MAYOR THOMPSON, WE ARE POSTPONING GALLERY WALK TO SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18.

PLEASE DO NOT COME TO HARRISBURG THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, FOR GALLERY
WALK!

BUT PLEASE PLAN TO COME NEXT SUNDAY, SEPT. 18, FROM 11 AM TO 6 pm, FOR
GALLERY WALK!

The Art Association of Harrisburg (AAH ) announced the details of the 23rd Annual Harrisburg Gallery Walk to be held on Sunday, September 11, 2011 from 11 AM to 6 PM in Pennsylvania’s Capital City . The free event sponsored by The Patriot-News  and WXPN  88.5 FM will include twenty-two exhibition sites. A complete map & gallery listing  is now available online and at all participating sites.

“Gallery walkers can begin their adventure at any location on the map,” said Carrie Wissler-Thomas,

President of AAH. “But we have suggested a route to insure first-timers find their way and enjoy the day. There truly is no wrong way to experience the walk, except to miss it.”

Here is the route organizers suggest for those new to this event:

Start at the Art Association of Harrisburg located at 21 North Front Street for the Fall Membership Exhibition “Red Hot” complemented by music performed by the Andy Mowatt Trio. The day includes an awards ceremony at noon and light refreshments.

Then stroll south on Front Street to the John Harris & Simon Cameron Mansion  at 219 South Front Street for the contemporary exhibition depicting Dauphin County on the eve of the Civil War.

The historic townhouse of McKissick Associates Architects on Front Street will be hosting various works by area artists reflecting the 10-year anniversary of September 11, 2001. Proceed to Market
Square to enjoy the oil plein air landscapes of Susan Benigni-Landis at Penn National Insurance.

Next, Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts  located on Market Street showcases a retrospective of the popular works of Earl Blust.  The Third Annual CASA Alumni Art Show is next door in Strawberry Square Shopping Center and Food Court .

South on Third Street to the Salem United Church of Christ is where the Mechanicsburg Art Center School & Galleries artists will be exhibiting and demonstrating.

The Gallery at Walnut Place  at 413 Walnut Street is hosting a mysterious exhibition promising it “will turn you upside down!”  At Gallery@Second , next to Firehouse Restaurant , enjoy paintings by David Bottini and Maaike Heitkonig.

At Pine Street Presbyterian Church, mixed media artist Thom Kulp will display his vibrant works. Then, continue onto Mangia Qui Ristorante & Suba Tapas Bar  at 272 North Street for a light lunch and to delight in varied works by Walter C.C.Diehl and Elide Hower.

After lunch walk across the street to The State Museum of Pennsylvania  presenting The 2011 Art of the State Exhibition and a special showing by DOSHI Gallery called “Latent Images.” The Susuquehanna Art Museum’s  VanGo! Museum on Wheels will also be on hand in the State Museum’s North Street bus zone.

Visit The Hodgepodgery , a new boutique on Third Street featuring hand-made wares by local artisans before continuing onto the Midtown Arts Centre – Stage on Herr  next door.  The Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Cafe  is next with Mantis Collective Gallery in the adjoining property.

HACC’s Contemporary Crafts Marketing Program at Reily and North Third Street will offer creations of all kinds by students.

New this year is Four Winds Gallery at 1430 North Second Street, owned by Re DeSabres, displaying ceramics and works by Martin Plaut, Christine Goldbeck, Sherryl Heberlig and Mindy Deardoff.

Turn your Gallery Walk into a short drive for the final leg of your tour.  Visit the Governor’s Residence at 2035 North Front Street for selected works by Ron Donoughe and Patrick Ruane and artists painting in the gardens. The drive continues to the final destination at Mitrani at Home located at 3535 Walnut Street (Route 22), where treasures from the Middle East and beyond will entrance visitors. This gallery will also feature artwork by additional artists.

For more details, please contact the Art Association of Harrisburg at 717-236-1432 or visit www.artassocofhbg.com .

What is the Bal Masque?

Established in 1926, the Art Association of Harrisburg is the greater Harrisburg area’s first fine-arts institution. In 1940 the Art Association premiered what was to become it’s signature fund raising event, the Bal Masque. This society fancydress dinner-dance was patterned after the 16th Century, pre Ash Wednesday, Venetian Carnivals, which are held to this day in Italy, and the Beaux Arts Ball given by the students of the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris every spring. Every year the Bal Masque attracts the most creative and elegant party goers from the area. Whether people come to compete for best interpretation of the evening’s theme, or just dress elegantly for an evening of cocktails, dinner and dancing, everyone always has great fun in support of Harrisburg’s oldest fine arts organization where creativity history and the future meet in elegant liaison!

2012 Theme, “CREATURES of the NIGHT! (Night!…Night!…Night!) This year’s costume theme conjures up a wide variety of images from history, literature, theatre, film, video and music. From Edgar Allen Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death to Warren Zevon’s Werewolves of London this party will offer a Monster Mash of creative horror-couture possibilities. Our night creatures can Time Warp back to the origin of Bat Man or review the Labyrinth of good, bad, ugly and beautiful characters that have embodied this theme for centuries. Don’t be Cross with yourself for making the Grave error of not buying your tickets early! The spooktacular 2012 Bal Masque is bound to be a Thriller! The costume competition will be judged in anumber of different categories including, but not limited to: Best Individual, Best Couple, Best Group, Most Elegant, Most Amusing and Most Bizarre.

Mark Your Calendar! – The next Art Association Mardi Gras gala is scheduled for Saturday, February 18, 2012 at the Appalachian Brewery, 50 North Cameron Street in Harrisburg. The Party begins at 7:00 pm with non-stop fun and games until 12:00 midnight.

Dancing All Night! – “The Marquee De Schulz” (DJ Chuck Schulz) and “The Undertaker” (DJ Jonathan Frazier), will keep the party moving with everyone’s favorite party and top-40 hits.
Professional dancers will be on hand to lead group dances for everyone to follow, so no one will have to “dig up a date” to enjoy the night’s fun. Of special interest at this year’s Creatures of the Night event will be group dance versions of The Time Warp and Thriller offering all the boys and ghouls a chance to have monstrous fun on the dance floor!

Silent Auction! – In addition to great food and dancing, Bal Masque revelers will be able to bid on a wide selection of unique jewelry, services, wines, restaurant discounts, art and much, much
more in the Silent Auction area.

More Fun Than a Barrel of Bats! As in years past, popular psychic Dr. Edward North, will be on hand to perform palm and tarot readings. For a lasting memory of the nights fun you will be able to take home a permanent record of your costume or group with a photograph by Paul Vasiliades printed on-site for an additional fee.

Tickets! – Event tickets are priced at $50 per person for Open seating throughout the Abbey Bar and Dance Floor area and $75.00 per person for Reserved table seating in the Rear Gallery where the dance music is played at reduced volume. Ticket prices include event admission,
appetizers and dinner entries. Micro-brewed beers and mixed drinks will be available from the cash bar.

Tickets are available at AAH Gallery, at all AAH events, by phone and on-line at www.artassocofhbg.com.

Sponsorships and Program Advertising! – Corporate, Table and Costume Prize Sponsorships are available in addition to printed program advertising.  Sponsors receive Bal tickets, program ads and media exposure at varying levels.

Interested companies and individuals should contact Carrie Wissler-Thomas at carrie@artassocofhbg.com or call (717) 236-1432 for more information.

Sunday August 28, 2-3pm at the Midtown Scholar – Love Harrisburg Live: Benefit for Bridge of Hope

Love Harrisburg Live, sponsored by Second City Church, provides a unique opportunity to learn about and celebrate the efforts of neighbors and organizations working hard to make Harrisburg a beautiful city. Bridge of Hope is creatively working to eliminate homelessness for women and children in Harrisburg.

This event is open to the public and features a live performance on banjo by Midtown Scholar’s Greg Albright. Donations are politely encouraged and gratefully accepted. FREE SHOW