If you do nothing else during Friday night’s Art After Hours in downtown Wake Forest, you must stop in at Virgilio’s Premium Vinegars, Oils & Edibles in the corner of the big Wilkinson building, 113 South White Street, where Mimosa used to be. (It has moved south to the storefront vacated by Old Magnolia.)
This very new newcomer to downtown is inviting everyone to come by for a fun wine-tasting event and to see all they have to offer.
From 5 to 9 p.m. every second Friday, the historic downtown is open for shoppers and visitors. Wake Forest Downtown provides free horse and carriage rides along South White Street and there are receptions for that month’s featured artist in most of the studios. Shops offer bargains, and there is usually music in the stores and studios and sometimes on the street. The following is what you will find this Friday, Dec. 12.
Mary Benejam’s Artists’ Nook behind Virgilio’s will feature Marie Caloggero’s Wee Bindery and pottery by Leslie Martin. The bindery features journals, sketchbooks, wedding albums and more and have been featured at the Oscars, Emmys and other special events. Martin is a Franklinton artist displaying a wide variety of functional pottery with beautiful glazes.
B&W Hardware at 232 S. White Street will host a very special visitor! Santa will be in the store and children are encouraged to stop by and visit with Santa. Parents are welcome to bring cameras to take pictures!
Storyteller’s Book Store at 158 S. White Street presents a holiday show of 50 original works of art, all priced under $75. The show will open during Art After Hours on Friday and run through the end of January.
The show is designed to spark the imagination and create a unique conversation piece for your home – just in time for the season of savoring home and hearth. The artists will be present to talk about their personal visions and art making processes. The variety of backgrounds in this small group of artists lends a flavor of excitement and diversity to their art. From watercolor to oil to encaustic, we’re sure you’ll find something that captures your imagination.
Next Consignment Boutique at 210 S. White Street invites you to come hear Chloe and Jessie Lang perform from 6:30 to 8:30. They are young local musical artists and are honored to have been named as Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars. The Lang Sisters started playing guitar in 2011 and were mentored by talented adults in various bluegrass jams in the Piedmont of North Carolina. They are actively involved with the Chatham County Junior Appalachian Musicians (ChamJAM), performing extensively at festivals, fiddlers’ conventions, weddings, nursing homes, arts programs, civic and corporate functions, fund raisers and Christian outreach events. They are members of International Bluegrass Music Association, Pinecone (Piedmont Council of Traditional Music), High Lonesome Strings Bluegrass Association and North Carolina Bluegrass Association. Jessie also plays mandolin and continues to win accolades for her flat-picking guitar work, as well as vocals at multiple competitions, along with Chloe at various fiddlers’ conventions throughout the state. Come out and enjoy the evening while viewing great holiday gifts for you or the art lover in your life.
Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks Street, will host a special “Second Friday Flix” on Friday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. as part of “Art After Hours.” Due to the terms and conditions outlined in its agreement with the Motion Picture Licensing Corporation, the Renaissance Centre is not permitted to publicize the title of each month’s film. However, here’s a hint about the Dec. 12 movie: it’s a PG-rated 2000 American fantasy comedy based on a book by Dr. Seuss. Directed by Ron Howard, the film stars Jim Carrey and is narrated by Anthony Hopkins.
To obtain the title of this movie and future films offered at the Renaissance Centre, sign up for Renaissance Centre updates via E-Notifier at www.wakeforestnc.gov/enotifier.aspx or call the Special Events Hotline at 919-435-9428.
Olde English Tea Room, 219 South White Street, will host their annual family and friends Dinner and Christmas Caroling Downtown Wake Forest on Friday, December 12. Dinner will be served at 6:15 p.m. with caroling to follow at 7:30 p.m. For $10.95 per person, enjoy hot soup, bread, a beverage, and dessert! Brant Bolton will lead us through various merchant stores and restaurants as we sing and spread Christmas joy. Reservations are required. Please call 919.556.6910 for information.
Wake Forest Art & Frame, 139 South White Street, is holding an open house where owner Beth Massey invites everyone to make their own holiday gift bags and tags. This will take place from 11 a.m. through 3 p.m. giving you plenty of time to go home to freshen up and return to shop for gifts under $50, including mugs, tiles and coasters.
Sunflower Studio & Gallery, 214 East Jones Avenue, invites you to its Guest Gallery Reception to meet one of our favorite artists, Billy Farmer. His show “The Four Seasons” will include his popular paintings of local scenes and landscapes.
Fidelity Bank, 231 S. White Street, will host several local artists and their works.
White Street Brewing Company, 218 S. White Street, where The Will McBride Group will be performing from 8 to 11 p.m. and Baton Rouge Cuisine will be parked out front!
Artist Loft & Gallery, 156 S. White Street, invites you to join them above Wake Forest Coffee. We at the Artist Loft are sad to be losing one of our talented artists, Susan Espin. She will be moving back to New Orleans and this will be her last Art After Hours. Stop by and wish her well and pick up a piece of her art as she is having a moving sale for the rest of December. We will also have back with us Ken Litwak and his wonderful happy paintings on re-purposed wood.
The Lemon Tree next to Virgilio’s will feature Petit Bites Nite with an array of small dishes that you can pair with wine by the glass or bottle from Virgilio’s. Treat your palate!
