If you’re looking for something to do on tonight, and you want to experience something different from a typical night on the Square, then this month’s Art Crawl might be the perfect place for you.
Art crawlers ride Oxford’s famous Double Decker bus. It takes them to the University Museum to see more of the featured exhibits. (Photo by Taylor Cook)
Once a month, the Yoknapatawpha Art Council hosts an Art Crawl down on the Square with various artists and exhibits. The event begins at the Powerhouse, and tonight’s will consist of artwork from Shea Hembrey’s exhibit, “The Secret Ingredient.” You can learn more about Shea Hembrey through his Ted Talk, “How I Became 100 Artists” which discusses his journey from growing up in rural Arkansas to becoming the artist he is today. The Powerhouse will not only have one-of-a-kind artwork but also free refreshments to enjoy during the exhibit.
Katherine Murphy, a senior at Ole Miss, attended last month’s Art Crawl for the first time. “I heard about the art crawl from social media, and I thought it’d be interesting to go to since it’s something different to do on a Tuesday night,” Murphy said.
Once you’ve gone through the exhibit at the Powerhouse, you can hop on Oxford’s famous Double Decker bus, which will take you to the University Museum to see more of the featured exhibits. The University Museum is hosting artwork by Jason Twiggy Lott, a native Mississippi artist. Lott is known for creating unique art like totems or shrines or various other spiritual items.
After visiting the University Museum, the Double Decker bus will be making stops on campus at Meek Hall, where Art Crawlers will get the opportunity to check out art created by Ole Miss’ very own faculty. Meek Hall will have incredible art, and stopping by is an awesome way to support student artists within the Ole Miss community.
After making your way around campus, the bus will take you back to the Square, which will be full of places and exhibits to visit. Some of the stops on the Square include Southside Gallery, which will have all sorts of artwork from artists Blair Hobbs, Susan Bryant and Billy Renkl. While on the Square, don’t forget to stop by High Pointe Coffee, as they will have work by Stephen Barnes.
Josie Lassen, an Ole Miss senior, attended a previous Art Crawl and shared her experience. “Just here in Oxford, people get caught up in Greek life and the bar scene,” she said. “So to be able to support something locally felt really great.”
The monthly Art Crawls are popular events among participants of various ages. If you can’t make this one, YAC hosts an Art Crawl the fourth Tuesday each month. This month’s Art Crawl will start at 6 p.m. and go until 8 p.m. The event is completely free and a great way to get more involved within Oxford’s art community.
