On the first Friday of every month take a stroll through downtown Springfield and enjoy fine art, delightful music and good food. Throughout downtown you can explore downtown galleries, artist's studios and other venues. There you will find local treasures in the latest sculpture, pottery, blown glass, photography, paintings, and much more. Many downtown restaurants feature art from local artists and provide musical entertainment. To view the First Friday Art Walk newsletter, please visit First Friday. Don't miss downtown as it comes alive with art, music and fine food for First Friday Art Walk.
Highlights of this month’s walk include:
{Live opera at Hyde Gallery – Springfield Opera’s young artists will perform vignettes from Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte during Art Walk, and full performances will be held at Hyde Gallery March 6, 8 and 9.
{Live music and art demonstrations at Hawthorn Galleries.
{The debut exhibition of Realtor-turned-artist Doug Jones at the Monarch Art Factory.
{The opening reception for photographer Kerry Stuart Coppin’s show, In My Father’s House: Contemporary Photographs of Urban Africa, at Drury Pool Art Center.

Shuttle service will be offered between Drury University’s Pool Art Center and the Downtown Arts District during the March Art Walk in association with the Self Employment in the Arts OzArts Conference March 7 and 8 at Drury’s Edward Jones Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Details on the March Art Walk appear below. For more information, contact Clarissa French, First Friday Art Walk Communications director, at 417.849.8255 or email Clarissa.

Bellwether Gallery of the Arts 600 W. College St. 417.831.1778
www.bellwetherarts.com Enjoy the Paints With Passion exhibit, featuring the seascapes of award winning artist Katheryn Harrison, and explore the photography skills of Marian Christiansen at Bellwether Gallery of the Arts.

Big Smile Photography 207 Park Central East 417.527.2885
{Big Smile Studios}(http://www.bigsmilestudios.com) To Be Announced

The Creamery Arts Center 411 Sherman Parkway 417.862.2787
Springfield Arts To Be Announced

DB Design Salon & Art Gallery 326 S. Campbell 417.864.4343
Lebanon-based Artist Arleen Naglich takes a unique approach to her acrylic landscapes and still lifes, using a knife to color and texture her works. DB Design also continues its display of digital landscapes by Deanna Henion, and pottery by John Ehlers, Duane Bone and Katrina Stevens.

Drury Pool Art Center 940 N. Clay St. 417.873.7263 Drury In My Father’s House: Contemporary Photographs of Urban Africa – Kerry Stuart Coppin’s ambition is to produce provocative photographic interpretations that elaborate and celebrate positive aspects of the Black community experience. The exhibit debuts with an artist’s talk 6-7 p.m. Coppin’s work is in 31 permanent collections including the African American Museum in Philadelphia, Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., Art Institute of Chicago, Biblioteque Nationale de France, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Museo Casa de Africa Cuba, and the W. African Research Center, Senegal.

Fashioned By Jaye 212 S. Campbell 417.862.4100 Fashioned by Jaye Fashioned by Jaye is a gallery and boutique featuring work by local artists and locally handmade jewelry, handbags, home décor and gift items.

Fitzwilly's Gifts & Antiques 308 South Avenue 866-3696 Anne Cox – A show demonstrating different expressions and techniques is what artist Anne Cox is displaying this month. Anne's work has been shown at Lincoln University and Boger Gallery at Point Lookout.

Gillioz Theatre 325 Park Central East 417.863.7843
Gillioz The historic Gillioz Theatre displays the work of many artists and is a magnificent work of art in itself. Built in 1926 the theater exemplifies architectural influences from around the world, including ornamentation inspired by Spanish, Egyptian and Mediterranean cultures.

Global Fayre 324 S Campbell 417.873.9792 Global Fayre Purepecha Coppersmiths – Global Fayre is featuring work from the Purepecha Indians of Central Mexico, who have been working with copper since pre-Columbian times and still use the bonfire method to heat and hammer a range of vases, bowls, mirrors and plates.

Good Girl Art 215 W. Olive St. 417.865.7055
Good Girl Art Nibblets – Drury Art Instructor Todd Lowery takes the spotlight at Good Girl Art with Nibblets, a collection of fanciful creatures he crafted from polymer clay and the result of his explorations in "misfit cuteness.”

Hawthorn Galleries, Inc. 214 E. Walnut St. 417.866.6688 Hawthorne Gallery Live Painting, Sculpture and Music – Hawthorn Galleries continues to exhibit the works of plein air painter Louise Thies and bronze sculptor Don Goin, and both will be on hand to demonstrate their craft live during First Friday Art Walk. Hawthorn also features music by Darice Auguston on harp and Dale Auguston on guitar.

Hyde Gallery 210 E. Walnut St. 417.864.7877
Hyde Gallery Springfield Regional Opera Young Artists presents the Café des Artistes production of Cosi fan tutte at the Hyde Gallery. The young artists will perform vignettes from Cosi fan tutte, free of charge, throughout the First Friday Art Walk. Additional performances are at 7:30 March 6, 8 and 9. Tickets are $15 for general admission; $10 for students.

Keyes Gallery 229 S. Market Ave. 417.866.2722
Keyes Gallery Keyes Gallery is presenting a diverse assortment of works in March, including a wide selection of paintings by Springfield's own Daniel Flodin, and pieces by Anne Hassell, Hugh Yorty, Alicia Farris, De Munden, Angel Nahon, Billy Spicer, Fred Kieferndorf and many more.

MSU Art & Design Gallery 333 E. Walnut 417.829.5092
MSU Art & Design You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby – A veritable "family album" of contemporary American illustrators, 90 artists have created self-portraits depicting themselves at some point between their birth and puberty. Hilarious!

MSU Student Exhibition Center 838 E. Walnut 417.836.6999 MSU Student Exhibition Painting, Drawing and Printmaking Exhibition – This exhibit by the MSU art and design department features student works in all three areas of concentration. The opening reception will be held during First Friday Art Walk.

Nonna’s Italian American Cafe 306 South Ave. 417.831.1222
Nonna's Haven Noelle – The work of featured artist Haven Noelle has been characterized as whimsical, primitive and deeply symbolic, presenting images of childlike innocence with an emotionally aggressive edge. Noelle’s mixed media paintings incorporate acrylic paints, sand, found objects, and fabric.

OTC Fine Arts Gallery and Studio 325 Park Central East, Third Floor 417.447.8873 Kale Van Leeuwen – A small town boy drawn to the glitter of the big city, Kale Van Leeuwen captures the bold, exciting and fast-paced allure of major metropolises in his multimedia works. From pen and ink to acrylics to computer graphics, “The variety keeps me interested and excited,” he says.

Park Central Gallery 122 W. Park Central Square 417.869.6888
To Be Announced

Randy Bacon Studio & Gallery 600 W. College St. 417.868.8179
Never Too Late – Randy Bacon Studio & Gallery is holding an opening reception for the debut exhibition of mixed-media and acrylic paintings by Springfield native Doug Jones. Also, still showing are new sculptures by Jacob Burmood and photography by Randy Bacon.

Springfield Hot Glass Studio 314 S. Campbell Ave. 417.868.8181
St. Patrick’s Preview – Springfield Hot Glass will be making emerald green glass in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

Springfield Pottery 416 S. Campbell Ave. 417.864.4677
Springfield Pottery Fine Crafts – A fine craft gallery and community clay center, Springfield Pottery is featuring the work of over 40 local, regional and national artists in clay, wood, metal, glass, fibers, photography, printmaking and more.

Springfield 2nd Stage 440 S. Campbell 417.327.3450 The 2nd Stage Springfield 2nd Stage is showcasing works by local artists in the lobby and will also present ticketed performances of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. A group of eight actors will have 30 plays to get through in 60 minutes, and the audience picks the order of the shows from a menu. Can they do it? There’s only one way to find out. Shows start at 7:30 and tickets are $10 general admission; $8 students.

Studio 405 405 W. Walnut St. 417.865.0450 Photographs by Ralph Rognstad Jr. and Prints and Drawings by Robyn Rognstad.

Susan Sommer-Luarca Fine Art Gallery and Frame Shoppe 221 Park Central South Springfield, MO 65806 417.866.4ART (4278) Susan Sommer-Luarca Legends – Susan Sommer-Luarca fine art gallery will be displaying some of the original “Legends” paintings done for the NFL at Super Bowl XLII. These paintings were unveiled live nationally on FOX News Channel on Super Bowl Sunday.

Walnut Street Gallery 221 E. Walnut 417.864.7877 Closed during March First Friday Art Walk.