Something beautiful happened this weekend. Rare photography spawned by crisp camera angles hung delicately on walls, luscious tapestries created in wondrous colors ravished white space and beautiful crystals shimmered elegantly through sparkling sunlight.
Art happened this weekend, and it happened with the First Sunday Gallery Walk.
The first Sunday of every month fills the Lansing area galleries with fresh artwork, photos, materials, statues, trinkets, objects, stories and people.
Premieres for new exhibits and artwork usher in a multitude of art enthusiasts from all corners of the area. Tours are heavily circulated to the low rumble of abstract conversation, and the mellow harmonies of violin chords — all served over red wine and cheese crackers.
For Tom and Linda Dufelmeier, Sunday's gallery walk holds a special place in the hearts of the couple, who are rooted in art.
The married Mackerel Sky Gallery owners are not only excited to premiere a new exhibit every month alongside the other Lansing galleries, but are the proud parents of First Sunday — an event which they are happy has flourished over the years.
"Typically, most of the galleries try to coordinate their openings that day so that everybody can see a lot of artwork at the same time," Tom Dufelmeier said.
Dufelmeier described the birth of First Sunday and its impact on the Lansing art community.
"First Sunday is something Linda and I started in 1991," Dufelmeier said. "We got the idea when we were visiting Seattle a long time ago, and they have a first Thursday. Here, it's just a loose organization of all the galleries, and we all agreed that we would try to coordinate our openings and hold them on Sunday."
"We used to do a lot of promotions, but it's gotten to the point now where it's a self-sustaining type of thing," Dufelmeier said. "Everybody knows about it. It's become very successful."
The Mackerel Sky Gallery, 217 Ann Street Plaza, welcomes two artists for its Sunday premiere in an exhibit depicting visual expressions of retrospect.
"We're opening an exhibit in textiles called 'Snapshots,'" Dufelmeier said. "It's a two-person show featuring hand-painted silk quilts and garments by Sally Dillon and woven tapestry pieces by Nancy Crampton."
Dillon's pieces are a visual representation of renaissance, depicting woven rows of dramatic scenery.
"I'm trying to record my thoughts," Dillon said. "Things that I've seen and are really fond of. I want to capture these moments in the silk."
For East Lansing Public Art Gallery Chairwoman Yvette Robinson, Sunday's gallery walk is an important cornerstone and public service for the community.
"Usually the opening day is on that First Sunday, so we are a part of the walk and we're just so pleased to have this artist, Jim Montgomery, opening for this Sunday's walk," Robinson said.
The East Lansing Public Art Gallery, located in the Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbott Road, is proud to present "Photographs of a Globetrotter" as their Sunday premiere, an exhibit that features the world through the lens of a wandering photographer.
"Jim has traveled the world," Robinson said. "He has taken pictures of some of the famous sites from totally different angles than what you would see in magazines and history books. He has captured shots in ways that no other artist or photographer has."
Montgomery enjoys chatting about a passion he has carried throughout his lifetime.
"These photos represent our travels internationally," Montgomery said. "I've been fortunate enough to travel all seven continents. I have a real passion for photography, and I've been doing it for 50 years."
For Ricardo Anselmo, Sunday's walk is an opportunity to share pieces of some of the world's most treasured collections as well as his most treasured passion in art collection.
"The gallery has been here in East Lansing for over seven years," Anselmo said. "Every month we change the exhibit because we have a large collection, but this is one of the biggest ever that we have decided to show."
Anselmo is an architect. Being born in the Philippines, the architecture, interior design and art connoisseur came to America to study but dreamed of profiting from his hobby and owning his own gallery. He now has lived in the Lansing area for more than 51 years.
The Anselmo Gallery, 3320 E. Lake Lansing Road, hit a milestone this weekend in presenting "Daum: A Retrospect Exhibit." Daum is an extremely rare collection of French glassmaking using the unique and ancient technique that dates back to 5000 B.C. The gallery was overwhelemed with numerous glass Daum pieces, which have become a staple of Anselmo's personal collection.
"Daum is one of the oldest and most famous art-glass collections." Anselmo said. "You have to import them directly from France. There are only a few you can buy from them as an established gallery. We managed to get 40, and I wanted to share my collection."
Most of the exhibits that premiered during the walk will be displayed until the end of June.
