Art Galleries and businesses in downtown Tryon will open their doors from 5-8 p.m. on every second Saturday beginning April 13 for another season of Gallery Trots.
Expect a wide variety of art by some of the area’s top artists, as well as unique merchandise, live music, hors d’oeuvres and liquid refreshment in a festive and fun atmosphere as visitors “trot” with friends all around the town.
Live music, provided by a grant from the Polk County Community Foundation, will be located in the center of town across from the clock tower shortly after the Trot begins at each of the eight second Saturday events scheduled through Oct. 12.
April is steeplechase month in Tryon, so get ready for a special attention to equestrian art at these galleries above Trade Street:
A collection of framed Blockhouse Steeplechase posters belonging to the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club will be the exhibit featured at The Depot for the first Tryon Gallery Trot of the 2013 season. The 67th running of this prestigious race is just a week later, so come and begin to celebrate this Tryon tradition by visiting us during the trot.
In honor of Tryon’s own 67th Block House Steeplechase Race, Skyuka Fine Art in collaboration with Tryon Riding and Hunt Club is proud to present the “Blockhouse Equestrian Art Exhibit.”
This group show opens during TR&HC’s kickoff community gathering one week before the race at the Gallery I at Tryon Fine Arts Center during the Trot. Numerous equestrian artists outstanding in their specialized field from around the state and nationwide have been invited to participate in this unprecedented show. Many collectors will also be sharing their prized equestrian art of their own for this special exhibit.
Some additional highlights of emphasisthe Trot on Trade Street:
Vines & Stuff, located in the Shops of Tryon will be featuring work by Elaine and Claude Graves of Little Mountain Pottery. This will be an all-new collection of redware and stoneware. Also in the Shops of Tryon will be an assortment of beautiful and wearable art from the artisans of Tryon Arts and Crafts School.
Join New View Realty, 285 N. Trade Street, to sample the first in a series of home brewed beers made especially for the Gallery TROT. Sip and enjoy the works of Jim Shackelford and Linda Hudgins.
Skyuka Fine Art proudly presents “Paintings from Afar.” This show will take you to places both familiar to you, and places you could only dream of seeing! This will be a group showing including the works of; Richard Christian Nelson, Michael McNamara, Bonnie Bardos, Jim Carson, William and Anne Jameson, Gary Cooley, Richard Oversmith, Linda Cheek, Dawn Whitelaw and Bill Lovett. The opening reception will be during the Tryon Gallery Trot from 5-8 p.m. 133 N. Trade Street, Tryon, NC 28782. skyukafineart.com or info@skyukafineart.com; 828-817-3783.
The Book Shelf offers wine, cheese, local art and features books by local writers.
The Upstairs Artspace presents three exhibits showcasing some of the region’s finest contemporary art, from March 8 to April 20. In “Here. After.” Asheville artists Moni Hill, Alicia Armstrong and Spencer Herr explore art’s role in the wake of tragedy. In “Southern Comfort,” photographer Ben Nixon documents the Southern landscape.
In “Older than Dirt,” potters Jim Cullen, Jim Cornell, Gary Huntoon, David Zacharias, Doug Dacey, John Turner and Claude Graves update an age-old medium. For more information, visit the gallery at 49 S. Trade St., Tryon, call 859-2828, or www.upstairsartspace.org.

Plan to stop and see what unique items other participants have to offer, including
1906 Pine Crest Inn
Ferullo Studio: owned by artists Dom and Pat Ferullo
Green River Gallery
Saluda Forge
Terra on Trade
Thompson’s Garden Gallery & Outdoor Living
Tryon Painters & Sculptors

More than 15 businesses and organizations participate in the monthly Trots, and many other shops and restaurants open their doors for a full downtown Tryon experience. Find Tryon Gallery Trot on Facebook or email info@skyukafineart.com for more info.

– article submitted by Marianne Carruth