Every once in a while you stumble into a neighborhood or self-contained fold of urban landscape that you didn’t know existed. If you’ve never been on the 2500 block of Broad Avenue, when you first see it, you’ll be immediately struck by the distinct identity of the strip of buildings there. You can tell this neighborhood has lived an interesting life. But any melancholy felt for the loss of those times is more than matched by excitement over the potential that it still has.
Some good people see that potential too and have been working to turn Broad’s frown upside down. This Friday, October 13th, will be a lucky day for the street and for visitors as the Historic Broad Business Association presents the first Broad Avenue Gallery Walk. Anyone who remembers what South Main was like years ago — and how exciting and amazing it is when gallery tours are held there today — will have a sense of what this night means for Broad.
Jerry Coulliard will show off his metal furniture and architectural pieces at his studio MetalWorks. At Material, work by Nashville artist Ben Vitualla can be seen in “Target” (part of the Target series shown above) and artist Larry Patton will open his own studio a few doors down. Adam Shaw, known for his comics — Dead in Memphis and Bloodstream, among them — and his paintings — which are kind of a Gen-X Edward Hopper — will open his studio and show “Luck of the Draw,” featuring work by cartoonists such as Greg Cravens, Mike Norton, and Lin Workman.
Broad Avenue Gallery Walk, Friday, October 13, 6-8 p.m.; MetalWorks, 2537 Broad; Adam Shaw Studio, 2547 Broad;
Material, 2553 Broad; Larry Patton Studio, 2571 Broad