Durham Art Guide
Welcome to the first edition of the Durham art guide! I've rounded up the visual art that Durham has to offer and highlighted each of them here.
Downtown Murals
Bright and happy, the downtown murals transformed our dreary alleyways into cheery and fun walkways!
The Saxbys Murals
When Saxbys Coffee opened a location in downtown Durham, the then Cafe Executive Officer commissioned artist Sam Malpass to paint murals inside the new space. You can check out the murals while drinking a delicious coffee or tea at Saxbys, located at 17 Madbury Road, Suite 100.
Main Street Makery
This list couldn't possibly be written without including the hub of all things crafty in Durham, Main Street Makery! The Makery is a carefully curated selection of handmade items sourced from over sixty local artists. Offerings include jewelry, home goods, bath and body products, candles, greeting cards, New Hampshire-themed items, and more! Main Street Makery has a hand in every creative thing that happens in Durham, including the downtown murals, featured above, and Durham's "yarn blooming", a form of street art that uses colorful displays of knitted or crocheted yarn.
If you aren't already, you should be following Durham Main Street Makery on Facebook, where the below photos were stolen from.
The Freedom Cafe Murals
Painted in 2014 by Allie Ianaconi, the murals at the Freedom Cafe celebrate the cafe's values: justice, kindness, and humility.
Community Church of Durham
Did you know the Community Church of Durham has a small exhibit on the third floor of the building? Throughout the year, members and friends of the church and from the broader community contribute photos, paintings, and other types of art related to a particular theme. The Community Church's gallery, which has been around since 2007, seeks to support intimate exhibits drawn from the congregation as well as from the broader community.
Paul Creative Arts Center
Located on the University of New Hampshire campus, the Paul Creative Arts Center is home to the University's Museum of Art, as well as the Johnson Theater where members of the public are welcome to come for a live performance. While you're on campus, keep an eye out for sculptures on campus, including bicycle racks designed by fine arts students and pop into Hamilton Smith Hall and check out the historic murals.
Breaking New Grounds
It isn't uncommon to find the art of a local artist hanging on the wall at Durham coffee shop, Breaking New Grounds.
At the moment, you can find the art of Christy Hull Hegarty hanging on the coffee shop walls.
Durham Public Library
The Durham Public Library is a hub of creative energy. The library hosts music on the lawn during the summer, features art on a regular basis, and holds talks with writers and artists.
Cardinal
If you've driven through Durham, you've probably noticed the big red bird on the lawn in front of the Health Services building. Constructed by American artist Dale Rogers, Cardinal is a super-sized bright red sculpture made of powder-coated steel. Read more about Cardinal in UNH Today here and here.
What are we missing? Send me an email (sarahwrightsman@outlook.com) and I'll keep adding to the official Durham Art Guide!