Art Around the Park returns to Morristown on Sept. 14 with new venues, sponsors

After taking the summer off, Art Around the Park returns to Morristown with a vengeance on Friday, Sept. 14.

With seven venues and seven sponsors, it’s the largest multiple exhibition since the quarterly series started in November 2010.

“I think it’s going to be sustainable,” said Harry Simon of the Simon Gallery on Bank Street. Harry and his wife Mary Ellen patterned the self-guided gallery tours after Philadelphia’s First Friday open houses.

Friday’s event in Morristown runs from 5 pm to 8 pm. All venues are within easy walking distance.

A free shuttle bus also will run throughout the evening, ending at the Hyatt Morristown, where a $25 prix fixe meal will be offered at the Eclectic Grill. (For reservations, call Maggie Mahoney at 973-647-1234.)

The Simon Gallery at 48 Bank St. will be showing abstract works by Matthew Craig of Philadelphia. The Hyatt’s Eclectic Grill, at 3 Speedwell Ave., features Santiago Hernandez of Austin, Texas.  Citibank at 30 w. Park Place will be showing creations by Marc Van Cauwenbergh of Belgium. David Moore of Boston will be the featured artist at J & K Steakhouse at 56B South Street. Sweet Lucy’s Bakery at 56A South Street has Laura McClanahan of Glen Gardner.

The steakhouse and the bakery are new to the series.

Works by multiple artists are on display at the Gallery at 14 Maple and on four floors of the Atrium Gallery at 10 Court St. Both of these galleries are curated by the Arts Council of the Morris Area.

Future versions of Art Around the Park will include talks by artists in and around the Gallery at 14 Maple, said Tom Werder, executive director of the Arts Council.

“These kinds of cross-sector partnerships with the arts and business communities are in alignment with the Arts Council’s mission, to engage and build community through the arts.  Art Around the Park is one more way that we contribute to making Morristown a thriving creative community,” Tom said.

The roster of sponsors for Art Around the Park now includes Citibank, the Grapeful Palate, Guerilla Fitness, J & K Steakhouse, Ryan & Co. Inc., the Silverman Group and Sweet Lucy’s.

If you can’t make Friday’s tour, you still can catch the exhibitions on weekdays during normal business hours until the next edition of Art Around the Park in December.  Note that a new exhibition, Giving Voice, opens at the Gallery at 14 Maple on Sept. 19 and a winter show officially opens at the Atrium on Sept. 28.

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