By Julie Lindsay, Guest Columnist
Hard to believe it’s a full year since artists at the Murphy Art Center gathered their artworks and marched across town to their sparkling new venue in the center of town.
If you haven’t seen this place yet, where the heck have you been?
Since the move last Halloween, the MAC has welcomed over thousands of customers from near and far who all discover a blissful sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind.
What a difference a year makes. Sixty-plus artists with the Valley River Arts Guild have expanded their offerings, housing a stunning variety of art from large metal sculptures, beautiful paintings, charming pottery and cozy quilts to jaw dropping photography and impossibly detailed scratch-board tiger and owl etchings. That’s just the half of it.
Outside, a team of tireless volunteer garden artistes have created beautiful seasonal displays with glorious flowering plants encircling the former downtown bank. A brand-new stunning art piece is being unveiled at the First Friday Art Walk.
Also being unveiled was the notoriously haunted MAC vault. Be afraid, be very afraid – just kidding. The space that once housed treasure in safety deposit boxes now houses a different type of treasure. You’ll have to come see to find out what. (Some pieces literally cost a dollar!)
Speaking of the Art Walk, this MAC-generated event has put Murphy slap-dab at the center of the art world in our gorgeous corner of the universe. Thousands of art lovers, and plain old party-goers, have now experienced this thriving event that happens every first Friday of the month, pausing briefly for a winter break. Everyone is welcome to share a glass of wine and a homemade cupcake from a smorgasbord of food provided free of charge by the gallery hospitality board.
Not known for resting on its laurels, The MAC is constantly innovating and looking for other ways to put Murphy on the art map. Right now, a brand-new addition is being built at the rear of the building – exploiting the old bank drive through. Gilded by white columns, this space will likely house large art works or provide a special showcase for up and coming artists. Watch this space!
It’s hard to miss the gorgeous art that’s also displayed all around town. These are winners of The MAC Xplosion contest. By the way, you don’t have to be a MAC artist to enter.
If your little ones are showing signs of being the next Picasso – or if you just want to keep their grubby hands busy for a hour – come sign them up for a kids class, making everything from pottery gnomes to space art.
By the way, there are adult classes, too!
Coming up this spring, watch out for a brand new exciting addition: The MAC SMArt studio art tour. It’s scheduled for the last two weekends of April 2024 when you get to glimpse artists at work in their own studios as they create everything from woodwork to oil paintings.
Inspired yet? You’re welcome. This gallery is your gallery … enjoy!
The writer is a resident of Cherokee County.