You’re tired of movies, sick of parties and don’t want to keep throwing money out of your wallet. A fun Friday night can be tough to find, and while it may not seem like it, the Bethesda art walk is a great way to stimulate your mind and save you money.
On the second Friday of every month, 10 local galleries open their doors from 6 to 9 p.m. The free Bethesda Circulator Trolley will bring viewers to each gallery, or, if they choose, viewers can walk the scenic route through downtown.
If you have difficulty navigating through downtown Bethesda without your GPS, or if you’re just looking for a more enhanced experience, there’s a guided tour that leaves from the Bethesda metro station.
The art walk is the second of three walks that take place in the D.C area monthly. The first Friday of every month is the Dupont Circle walk and the third takes place in Georgetown galleries.
Ten galleries may be too much art to look at if you’re not an art enthusiast, so choose only a few of the galleries that you want to see.
Discovery Gallery, conveniently located across from Bethesda Row, is a must see. It has art of all different mediums, including paintings, handbags and jewelry.
“We have about 75 different artists in here right now,” senior art consultant Alexis Greenberg says. “We’re always switching our inventory.”
The gallery also showcases work from Whitman graduates Gavin Glakas (‘93), Glen Kessler (‘94), and Jackie Jouvenal (‘00).
Alice Maguire, the manager at nearby gallery Discovery Too, believes that the art walk is useful in getting the word out to those unfamiliar with the galleries.
“It’s a relationship-building experience,” Maguire says. “They come in and they get to know the gallery, and perhaps later on they’ll come back and look again.”
Art teacher Jean Diamond took her National Art Honors Society club members to the art walk several years ago, and found that the experience was very worthwhile.
“It gave the kids an opportunity to know what was right in their own backyard,” Diamond says.
Art Honors Society member junior Emily Acker participated in the art walk after hearing positive remarks from a friend.
“I think it will encourage people to go to galleries more, because no one really knows how many galleries there are in Bethesda,” Acker says.
The vibrant atmosphere makes the art walk a must-see for all aspiring artists.
“The doors were open, which made it very inviting for the kids to see that there are careers tied up in it, that there are businesses, that their work could really be shown if they pursued art, that aesthetically the artists are part of a community,” Diamond says. “To know that there are so many places right in Bethesda, just the richness of it, is so special.”
