It's been an interesting beginning of the warm , summer months here in Dahlonega!
Lot's of great happenings are going on around town, and I wanted to give you the heads up.

We’re excited and proud to welcome the Kryder Gallery to the Dahlonega Square. Jeff has been a good friend since we purchased Hummingbird Lane, and a lot of people have asked me what my thoughts are on having a new gallery in town. Well, we could not be more pleased! The art scene here in Dahlonega is getting quite impressive, and Jeff’s new gallery is another great resource to all of my customers who are looking for local and regional talent. I was lucky enough to be able to step out of Hummingbird Lane this past Saturday to attend Jeff’s opening. From what I can see, Dahlonega and friends were just waiting for a gallery of this magnitude to open it’s doors. From artists and merchants, to locals and tourists, and most importantly customers, Kryder Gallery was hopping! It was VERY EASY to see that the gallery was just what we needed here! Jeff has done a great job featuring individual artists, which is difficult to do here at Hummingbird Lane. We plan on supporting Jeff in any way possible, and we’re all working together right now to have a great photography show in October. Supporting the arts here in Dahlonega is a demanding job, and we know Jeff is up to the challenge! Welcome (back!) to the Square, Jeff!

So, come to Dahlonega and experience for yourself the way the Arts come together to tickle all of your senses!

Check out their news: www.dahlonegaarts.org

Come visit Dahlonega’s new monthly Artist Marketplace located on Enota Street in front to the Olde Cannery Art Center and Old Jail just two blocks off the Square. The Artist Marketplace features works of art by local and regional artist. The Marketplace is the perfect place to find a unique gift for you, your home or that special someone’s special event! The Artist Marketplace will be held the first Saturday of every month through November from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, the Marketplace will be held inside the Olde Cannery Art Gallery. The Artist Marketplace is sponsored by the Dahlonega Arts Council and the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce. For more information or artists wishing to participate, call Dennis Hoover at 706-867-8134.

The Artist Marketplace coincides with the monthly gallery walk on the first Saturdays of the month.

We kicked off June with Jorgene West and Nancy Addison playing Celtic Music on the Stage June 7, 2008. We had a great time!

In July, we’re going to kick off the month with very special guests. While the whole town will be celebrating Independence Day, we’re kicking off the Christmas season by raising money for the Shop with a Cop program. We’ll be hosting a lot of critters from the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve. They’re bringing both small and large animals: lions and tigers and bears will be joining the baby leopards, alligators and lemurs. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to have your photo taken with one of the animals, and help the children of this community at the same time! Check out www.hummingbirdlaneartgallery.com for more information. The goal this year is to help twice as many children in Lumpkin County as we’ve been able to help in years past.

Appalachian Jam sessions are becoming a great habit for lots of folks in the area these days! There’s been lots of great pickers showing up, so ya’ll miss this chance to come and unwind on the Historical Square of Dahlonega. And don’t forget to come up and see the new work we’ve gotten in, as we’re adding new items every day!

I overheard a couple of artists talking this week, and I thought of you, my customers, immediately. The conversation was very similar to a lot of conversations I’m hearing lately: about the price of gas, the elections, the suffering economy, and the importance of putting their best foot forward right now in their work… Wait! That last part was unique, and I leaned in to listen more closely:

Margret Von Keiser and Mavis Buckley were having an in depth conversation about how important they felt their work was right now. Art is historically an expression of the times the artist is living in. Read any art history book, and you’ll see parallels in the works of the artist and the historical time they lived in. Now is no different. These two seasoned artists were pointing out how now is an important time in history, and that it is reflected in their own work and the work they see in their travels. “It’s very important for us to produce our best work now, and to price it reasonably so that the businesses who support us can make it through the rough times. If galleries continue to close due to the economics of our country, the work that is reflecting these times will have no outlet to be had by the collectors.” (I know of 5 galleries in North Georgia who have closed their doors this year alone.)

Margret went on to say, “When things are hardest for me, I feel more creative. I have to be creative in my own personal finances, time management, and in dialogue with the galleries who represent me. This creativity has turned something “on” within my work, and I see it getting better and better.” (I am lucky enough to be able to see Margret working, and she’s right: there is something very special about her work right now!) She went on to say, “I know now is not the time to raise my prices. Now is the time for me to celebrate the fact that I’m a working artist. We don’t know what’s around the corner, but we do have right now. And that’s the theme of what’s coming next in my work.”

So it’s an interesting thought process. Now is the time to enhance your collection – not the time to abandon your love of the arts. Whether you just show up at our gatherings, or you come prepared to shop, please come and see us. We now support over 200 working artists, most of them local to North Georgia. We feel that the work we do here at Hummingbird Lane is important, and as I listened to Mavis and Margret speaking, I felt even more so. I am one of the outlets for the artists who have felt their creativity growing, not shrinking, because of these times. And I’m proud to be able to offer you pieces for your collection. And I’m happy to say, that now is the time to enhance your collections, as the rougher the times get, the better the art work being produced.

See you soon!
Todd, Amy & Bonnie
Hummingbird Lane Art Gallery
www.hummingbirdlaneartgallery.com

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