On the scene

Gallery hops helping establish Covington and Northern Kentucky as an arts destination

RODNEY WILSON | CIN WEEKLY CONTRIBUTOR

Fiber sculptures by E. Palmer Wolff are on display at M Art Gallery on Main Street. (Photo by Leigh Patton/CiN Weekly)

JUST THE FACTS

WHAT: Northern Kentucky First Friday Gallery Hop

WHEN: 6 to 10 p.m. the first Friday of every month

WHERE: MainStrasse Village; various locales in Covington, Newport and Bellevue

PRICE: Free

PARKING: Free parking available in lot on Fifth Street

CONTACT: Call Ron Durham at Eine Kleine at (859) 291-5892 or visit www.mainstrasse.org

In recent years, Covington's MainStrasse Village has experienced something of a cultural renaissance, with artsy retail spaces and galleries moving into the area. The neighborhood has the potential to be a full-fledged arts district, and the growing popularity of the First Friday gallery hops are a signifier of the village's future as an arts destination. Though the gallery hop extends beyond Covington, with venues in both Newport and Bellevue, MainStrasse has the most highly concentrated amount of art spaces and continues to be the prime destination for gallery hoppers.

"It's all about the potential of the area," says Mason Paul, owner of M, a gallery that participates in the Hop. "This is a great place to do an art walk that is going to attract the creative class and serious art buyers. Visitors don't have to worry so much about crime, there's ample parking, there's coffee and there are two or three really good places to eat."

Here's a handful of places to look for when art walking in MainStrasse.

OTTO'S DELI
521 Main St.

Otto's opened as a lunch spot a little more than a year ago, but owner Paul Weckman and his dedicated staff have already earned a reputation among locals that food service veterans would kill for. The interior is funky fun, with bright colors and mismatched chairs, and the food is simple and well-executed. Now, gallery hop visitors can experience the joyful artiness of Otto's, as it has recently started opening for dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

The artfulness of Otto's interior is no accident - the ample wall space that defines the front room is filled with the work of local artists, mixing photographs and paintings that capture diners' eyes. A new entry into the gallery hop, Otto's has quickly made itself a must-stop on the art walk, and dinner at Otto's is a great way to fuel up for the evening.

M
523 Main St.

It takes chutzpah to describe a gallery as "ultra-modern," but Paul, also a photographer, believes his space has what it takes to live up to the term. And what's more ultra-modern than robots in a gallery, one of the exhibits that visitors to M can expect to see in June?

Housed in a brownstone at the north end of MainStrasse, M is a collaborative display space with 20 artists on tap for the month of June. The artwork ranges from silk-screens by recent NKU graduate Laura Bird to brushed steel sculptures by Columbus artist Mac Worthington. And then there are the robots.

"I have this guy, David Michael Rice, who does this incredible electronic stuff," Paul says. "Robots, sculptures, paintings and these pieces that hang on the wall that are actually motherboards with various lights." But robots? "They're about three feet tall, they're really cool sculptures, and they have a robotic head on them that makes noise and follows and interacts with you."

EINE KLEINE PHOTOGRAPH
612 Main St.

Photographs by Ron Durham are on display at his shop Eine Kleine in MainStrasse. (Photo by Leigh Patton/CiN Weekly)

Eine Kleine is the gallery/studio of photographer and gallery hop headmaster, Ron Durham. The gallery, a warm, retrofitted retail space filled with old fireplaces and hardwood floors that run throughout Eine Kleine's three rooms, features two shows monthly. Durham's own ethereal, sepia-toned images - taken in locales as geographically separate as Cincinnati and London, but all seemingly parts of the same dream-state - occupy one half of Eine Kleine; the other half is dedicated to month-long shows by various accomplished, local photographers. This month, photographer Harry Hinkle will be displaying.

Eine Kleine is one of only two full-time galleries in the village, and its First Friday openings are not to be missed. Musicians are often recruited to perform in the windowed front room, and patrons are treated to aural delights ranging from acoustic string bands to vocal choruses. Durham knows that art is best viewed with a touch of social lubrication, and his wine and cheese selection is top-notch.

NOAH'S ART
613 Main St.

There's no denying that the work of a good hair stylist is art, but Noah's Art ups the ante with its combination hair salon and gallery space. Just south of the Goose Girl Fountain, Noah's is a visual treat from the outside, with an eye-catching façade and brightly-lit signage. And stylish design continues on the interior, with contemporary lighting and exposed wood ceilings.

On First Fridays, Noah's puts away the shears and becomes a full-fledged gallery, with art opening receptions for its featured artist. June's artist is Tippy McIntosh, a Cincinnati painter who creates vibrant oil landscapes and pen drawings. Noah's is also sponsoring outdoor entertainment for the gallery hop, including an acoustic duo and an a cappella vocal group.

SCRIBBLES
616 Main St.

Scribbles is a comfy coffeehouse crammed wall to wall with used books, pre-owned CD's, and vintage vinyl. The four high-ceilinged rooms provide plenty of art space. Each month a different local artist is featured. For June, printmaker Matt Mitchell will be displaying woodcut prints.

Scribbles is a great place to grab a latte, browse the books and take in some great art. In addition to hosting art openings on gallery hop nights, Scribbles also provides live music from local and regional bands: Columbus band Sheldon Marsh will be appearing with Hal Hixson and Dayton's xl427 on June 5.