Meet artists, art appreciators, Guild Members as you dive into the best art scene in North Carolina +

December’s Third Friday Artwalk with the Durham Art Guild has two locations featuring:

• Candy Carver @ Golden Belt Gallery 800 Taylor St. 6-9pm

• 70th Annual Juried Exhibition @ Truist Gallery 120 Morris St. 6-8pm (building open until 9pm)

• Liberty Arts and Durham Art Guild Solstice Pop-Up 6-9pm

Join Liberty Arts and Durham Art Guild on the darkest night of the year!

We'll make our own light at the Liberty Arts Foundry at Durham Central Park. Grab a glowing lantern and follow The Glow Goddess, performed by Stormie Daie, along the luminaria trail for about two blocks west to the Measurement Inc and historic BC Remedy Building,423 Morris St.
At our pop-up space, join the Liberty Arts Experience Raffle! For just $3 per ticket, you could win one of several extraordinary prizes, including a glass-blowing class, a private three-hour jewelry-making workshop, and an iconic Major the Bull iron tile for your home art collection.

Explore a pop-up exhibition curated by Durham Art Guild featuring the artwork of Bonnie Melton alongside DAG member and Liberty Arts artist Kirk Denny. 

Meet Liberty Arts artists and peruse fine arts and crafts for sale. Enjoy seasonal beverages by Atomic Clock Brewing and The Glass Jug (cash bar). Sample Liberty Arts cookies made by Sweets by Shayda and festive popcorn by The Mad Popper (while supplies last). Take in live indie-pop music by Emma Jane, a Durham-born singer-songwriter. Don't miss your chance to support the arts and win unique experiences!

On December 19th, join the Earlie E. Thorpe Historical Society at the Durham Art Guild's Golden Belt Gallery for a discussion on public history with NCCU Alum Tyanna Parker West.

This discussion marks the third installment of Practice Makes Purpose, a conversation series hosted by Anthony Patterson, which aims to help creative professionals bring context to their complex careers. During our time together, we'll discuss the expectations and realities of Mrs. West's professional practice, life, career pivots, and the purpose driving her work. 

Tyanna Parker-West is a public historian, performance artist, and proud Gullah Geechee woman whose Brunswick County roots go back to the early 1800s. Tyanna’s master’s thesis examines the Gullah connection in Brunswick County, North Carolina. Tyanna is also a first-year PhD student at North Carolina State University, where her focus areas include African American History and Heritage Preservation. Tyanna is the proud mother of 3 beautiful children and has been married to the love of her life, David, for the past 16 years. Instagram:@Tytheehistorian.

Practice Makes Purpose is a collaborative effort between artist and public historian Anthony Patterson and the Durham Art Guild, with additional sponsorship from the North Carolina Central University History Department.

Let’s celebrate the holidays with Candy Carver’s solo exhibition in the DAG Golden Belt Gallery!

Our Annual Juried Exhibition juried by william cordova officially opens to the public Wedesnday November 27th.

The Truist Gallery located inside the Durham Arts Council is open 9am - 9pm.

Both our galleries are closed on Thanksgiving Day but reopen Friday November 29 just in time for some Black Friday and Local Weekend Shopping! 

A different kind of artist talk with Candy Carver and Tobias Rose!

Join us in our Golden Belt Gallery surrounded by the current exhibition “Joy By Any Means” by Candy Carver.

Free and open to all.

Join Susu Hauser for yoga in our Truist Gallery!

Free Class

Open to all levels and humans. Please bring your own yoga mat.

This Yin Flow will happen amongst the exhibition The Art of Resilience featuring photography by documentarian Susu Hauser and over 50 international artisan pieces.

Let’s celebrate the opening of Candy Carver’s solo exhibition in the DAG Golden Belt Gallery!

In partnership with the Joel Fund and Heart To Hand, the Durham Art Guild presents a 4-Day Exhibition featuring artwork created by local veterans. Support those who serve at their opening reception on Third Friday

What's Your Art Hustle? 
First Tuesday of Every Month at 6pm
Truist Gallery, 120 Morris Street (inside the Council building)

Join other artists once a month to chat about all things art.

What are you struggling with?

What are you working on?

Where could you use some support? 

We're all in this creative journey together, so come out and meet new artists to grow your practice and your confidence! 

CANVAS CLASH

Twelve Artists, Three Live-Painting Rounds, You Choose Who Reigns Supreme!

Brought to you by Durham Art Guild + 21c Museum Hotel Durham + Weird Productions

Get ready for an electrifying evening of creativity and competition. Twelve local artists...three intense rounds...and only 20 minutes per round to create a masterpiece! This isn’t just art - it’s a battle... YOU get to decide who reigns supreme.

Featured Artists:

Allison Coleman, Anthony Patterson, HP Fangs, Joel Tesch, Kiara Chatterjee, Matt McCarthy, McKayla Walker, Peter Deligdisch, Rakia Jackson, Sophia Renee, William + Zion + Isabella Garcia, and one wild card surprise artist!!

What to Expect:

• Live Art Competition: Watch as 12 artists duel it out, armed with brushes, color, and boundless imagination.

• Audience Voting: Be part of the action by voting for your favorite artist each round. Your vote can crown the next art champion!

• Creative Vibes: Immerse yourself in a whirlwind of creativity, with music, laughter, and the vibrant energy of live art.

• Live Auction: Bid on the art created, support the arts and take home a memory of the evening

• Venue: The stunning ballroom at 21c Museum Hotel, Downtown Durham.

• Food and Non-Alcoholic Drinks by Counting House

• Cash Bar by Counting House

• Dress Code: Dress up, get comfy, show off your style - you decide

Sip and shop from local artists, surrounded by stunning murals at Uhill

Friday, October 25 from 4 Pm - 7 pm

Free to attend

From paintings and sculptures to handcrafted jewelry and ceramics, 20+ artists will showcase their artistic style, all for sale in front and throughout the UHill Apartment Complex. Enjoy complimentary drinks thanks to University Hill Apartments. After the market, explore the murals, shops and restaurants of UHill for a memorable and local Durham evening.

Explore the art and culture of downtown Durham with an expert art guide and marvel at the artistic talent of the region.

This curated walking tour allows visitors or residents to dive into the world of the arts in downtown Durham North Carolina. You'll explore several galleries, learn some background on the city's murals and architecture, and appreciate the downtown area through the lens of local artists.

This tour covers a majority of the downtown area with plenty of resting stops along the way. The tour is inside and outside to give you air conditioning and bathroom breaks, as well as experience the contrast between street facing art and interior gallery exhibitions.

About the Exhibition:

“The Art of Resilience” is not just an exhibit; it’s a photographer’s journey to the hearts and hands of indigenous communities around the world. Through life-size portraits, artisan interviews and processes, and cinematic glimpses of local traditions, visitors will be transported to the highlands of Guatemala, the Thai-Burma border, and the Kalahari Desert in Namibia. This immersive experience celebrates the artistry, culture, and unwavering spirit of Maya, Karen, Karenni, and San women and will showcase over 50 artisan pieces from overseas. Samples of ostrich eggshell jewelry and wall art, embroidery and rug-hooked pieces, and backstrap woven garments will be for sale to the public and proceeds will go to Multicolores, WEAVE, and OMBA Arts Trust, who are the three nonprofits championing these communities. Come saturate your senses and celebrate the transformative power of art.

About Documentarian Susu Hauser:

Susu Hauser is a professional photographer and documentary filmmaker specializing in weaving poignant narratives with stunning imagery. She has been referred to as a “trailblazing female” for over a decades’ work producing content for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and The History Channel. Having honed her skills in television production, Susu cofounded The Invisible Lens, a full-service production company with a mission to create impactful programming. Highlights of this work include a full-length wildlife conservation documentary in Ethiopia’s Bale Mountain National Park, a cinematic memoir for NASA physicist, George Gloeckler, an environmental documentary entitled “Voices of the Inside Passage”; which was selected to the 2018 Colorado Environmental Film Festival, and a medical docuseries for Detroit’s Top Docs.

In 2021, Susu founded Susu Hauser Photography with a continued commitment to lend her services to aligned missions and organizations. As the sole owner and operator of the production company, she has produced promotional videos for Dress for Success Triangle, The American Kennel Club, The Living Arts Collective, Sonda Yoga, Photographers Without Borders, Multicolores, WEAVE - Women's Education for Advancement and Empowerment Foundation, OMBA Arts Trust, the Jonah Garson Campaign, and Nnenna Freelon's Great Grief Podcast. Susu’s “trailblazing” career has been featured by Crew Connection, Production Hub, LensCulture, Philanthropy Journal, and Cary Magazine. Susu is a 200-hour certified yoga instructor, salsa dancer, and tennis junkie, who dabbles in wheel-thrown pottery and wire-wrapped jewelry. She has filmed and photographed in 20 countries and 5 continents and now finds sanctuary in North Carolina with her pup, Kona.

Climate Survey ’24 Opening Reception and Artist Meet + Greet

Artistic reflections on news and observations about Climate Change, expressed in colored and black & white monotypes.

About the Artist

James Keul is a teaching fine-artist and muralist based in Durham, NC. James graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design, earning a BFA in Painting, with honors, and continued his education at the Art Students League of NY. While in New York, James worked as artists’ assistant to Frank Herbert Mason, muralist Richard Haas, and sculptor Lorrie Goulet. James has exhibited his paintings and monotypes widely, including Waterworks Visual Art Center, the GreenHill Center for NC Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Tokyo, Japan, CAM Raleigh, and Leslie Heller Workspace, NYC. James is a 2024 NC Artist Support Grant recipient from the Durham and NC Arts Councils. One of James’ paintings was recently included in the 5th National Climate Assessment, representing Hawaii and U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands, and will be included in the forthcoming Climate Literacy Guide.  This piece will also be featured in an exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History, in Spring 2025.

 Touch, explore, create: An art experience for creatives with low to no vision

Join us for a touchable and creative art experience for low-vision parents and their children led by sculptor Mary Lee Kerr and DAG's Accessibility Consultant Parrice Leach! Our Clay Workshop invites you to create a piece of artwork through a hands-on exploration using air-dry clay and a variety of clay tools. With child-friendly and accessible classroom practices, every member of the family can participate fully in the creative process.. 

This free workshop will take place in the Durham Art Guild Golden Belt Gallery, with work spaces spread out to accommodate up to 15 people. Please limit 2 children per adult, ages 8+. 

We are committed to ensuring that all individuals have equal access to the arts. This event has been designed with accessibility in mind, incorporating features such as legible font labels, ample spacing, and options for accommodations. We strive to create an inclusive environment where everyone can participate fully and comfortably.

Please feel free to sign up through the RSVP Link below, and don't hesitate to reach out if you require any additional assistance or accommodations. We look forward to welcoming you to our workshop!

RSVP here

Introducing Duke Park's Plein Air Festival

Featuring 15 local artists live painting throughout the park

Bring a picnic, or grab some snacks from the Duke Park food truck and beverage area, and enjoy the artistic ambiance of live painters throughout the park. Free parking available.

This free-to-attend, dog and kid-friendly event promises an immersive experience as artists craft one piece of art live during the festival. All art works will be available for purchase with funds from the live art going to support improvements in Duke Park.

Payment can be made on-site, and artwork can be picked up later at the DPR building or on-site if complete. Artists will also have the option to vend artwork, creating an art market experience in addition to live painting!

**In case of rain, the event will be rescheduled for the 29th, with a backup date of October 5th if needed.

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Research Triangle Foundation - Meet Yana Slutskaya

The Durham Art Guild in partnership with the Research Triangle Foundation presents "Natura Morta - Impressions, Fantasies, and Fruits of Nature" by Yana Slutskaya. Yana is a professional painter and still-life photographer who was born in Russia and now resides in North Carolina. Yana's artwork is primarily focused on paintings in oil and acrylic, where she captures the essence and beauty of nature scenes, while also exploring her interpretations of fantasy compositions and abstracts. Besides being a painter, she is an accomplished still-life photographer who creates fine art photography inspired by European Baroque Art.

6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Triangle Community Foundation - Meet Joel Tesch

The Durham Art Guild in partnership with Triangle Community Foundation presents "Vivid Visions" by DAG member Joel Tesch. Joel is a full-time artist and native of Raleigh. Inspired by home and family, he specializes in 2D acrylic painted contemporary art portraits, vivid abstracts, and dynamic landscapes through exploring strong color and contrasts.

Three

Story

Tellers

Works by Fritzi Huber, Mark Weber, and Melissa Wilgis

Artist Conversation and Walkthrough

September 20 | 7pm

Meet the artists behind the exhibition and dive deeper into the works. Gallery is open until 1pm - 8pm, artist talk at 7pm.

Curated by Holly Tripman Fitzgerald and Michael S. Williams, in collaboration with Durham Art Guild and 8179 Project.

Finding Suite 23j

Located in the main walkway of Brightleaf Square, park in the surface lot off West Main Street and cross S. Gregson Street on foot. Walking in between the North and South building, look for the number 23 on the South Building. The suite just past the S. Building Entrance under "23" is the pop-up gallery.

SOLD OUT!

Next Critique being announced soon.

Join other DAG artist members in our DAG Truist Gallery with one piece of your artwork in any medium/style that you're currently working on to gather feedback, support and suggestions.

Each artist will have an equal amount of time to receive feedback.

September Moderator Thomas Sayre

Thomas Sayre designs and builds public art projects and private commissions all over the world, from North Carolina to Thailand. Thomas's work includes large paintings made with tar smoke, gunshots, welding material, earth, and fire. He is best known for his earthcastings, monumental sculptures made in and of the earth, including Gyre, on the grounds at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Sayre is also a founding principal of the multi-disciplinary design firm Clearscapes, which designs civic, educational, and museum buildings nationally.

Past Moderators: Clarence Heyward - Professional Artist, Jonh Blanco - Museum Manager of 21c Hotel and Art Museum, Stacy Bloom Rexrode - Curator of Exhibitions and Collections with the City of Raleigh, artist Gayle Stott Lowry, artist sculptor Paris Alexander and Jennifer Dasal of Art Curious.

Limited to 10 artists. DAG Members only. Not a member? Join today: https://durhamartguild.org/membership/

Unleash your creativity in our Small Tapestry Weaving Workshop, designed for beginners and craft enthusiasts. Using everyday materials found at home, you'll learn the essentials of tapestry weaving, from the initial design and warping to the weaving process and finishing touches. Guided step-by-step, you’ll create a beautiful, completed tapestry to hang on a fallen wooden branch. By the end of the workshop, you'll have the skills and confidence to continue weaving on your own, using simple tools like cardboard looms and forks as combs. Join us for an engaging and rewarding experience, and leave with not only a unique piece of art but also the knowledge to craft your own woven masterpieces at home.

One ticket includes all materials to creave your weaving and one drink ticket from HiWire!

What's Your Art Hustle? 
First Tuesday of Every Month at 5:30pm
Truist Gallery, 120 Morris Street (inside the Council building)

Join other artists once a month to chat about all things art.

What are you struggling with?

What are you working on?

Where could you use some support? 

We're all in this creative journey together, so come out and meet new artists to grow your practice and your confidence! 

Explore the art and culture of downtown Durham with an expert art guide and marvel at the artistic talent of the region.

This curated walking tour allows visitors or residents to dive into the world of the arts in downtown Durham North Carolina. You'll explore several galleries, learn some background on the city's murals and architecture, and appreciate the downtown area through the lens of local artists.

This tour covers a majority of the downtown area with plenty of resting stops along the way. The tour is inside and outside to give you air conditioning and bathroom breaks, as well as experience the contrast between street facing art and interior gallery exhibitions.

In this workshop, participants will become familiarized with hanging instructions that are expected to be followed when applying for group shows, galleries, or museum exhibitions, including DIY tips for how to make your work presentable on a budget.

Topics to be covered include:

• Mat cutting and taping for works on paper

• Cutting plexiglass

• Affixing your work into frames

• D-rings, eye-screws, sawtooth, and security hangers

• Proper wiring techniques

• Framing your work at home

• Moulding strips

• Mounting canvas onto panels

• Shipping your work

This hands-on workshop will take place in the DAG Golden Belt Gallery located in Mill1 of Golden Belt Campus. Free parking surrounding the building is available.

About Instructor + Artist James Keul:

Durham-based visual and public artist, James Keul, obtained his BFA in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design and continued his education at the Art Students League of New York. While in New York, Keul spent six years working as the assistant to muralist Richard Haas, and was studio assistant to Frank Herbert Mason and sculptor Lorrie Goulet. He is experienced in a wide variety of materials and techniques and has completed projects that incorporate landscape/garden design, stone, tile, wood, acrylic resins, water features, architectural design, text, and interactivity. Keul was formerly Executive Director of ArtWatch International, Inc,. a NYC-based non-profit watchdog organization that focuses on issues relating to cultural stewardship and conservation. He is the gallery installer for the African American Cultural Center at NCSU and teaches painting at the Durham Arts Council. He is also a current DAG member!

$15 DAG Members | $30 Not-Yet DAG Members

Interested in membership or to check your memberships status, visit the DAG website here.

Go head-to-head - marker-to-marker - with some of Durham's best artists!

"I’m not a super, fancy-pants, art guy." - HP Fangs, artist, educator, doodlist

What's a Doodle Jam?

Doodle Jam is a night to remember that art is fun, art is weird, and art is for everyone.

Grab a marker and get ready for ridiculous prompts from the wild and brilliant mind of Host HP Fangs...scribble next to your neighbors - the best doodles win prizes!

He'll be backed by DJ tunes, and joined by some of the Triangle's best artists in head-to-head cross-town challenges.

Get ready to doodle your ♥️ out.

$15 ticket gets you a Sharpie, paper, and a bag full of goodies

Want to purchase ticket(s) through check or cash? Let us know via email director@durhamartguild.org

ABOUT HP FANGS

I'm a North Carolina based Doodlist who’s heavily influenced by 80s/90s pop culture and comic books. Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to illustrate children's books, teach drawing as a therapeutic practice and have my work featured on various large and small platforms - but mostly I’m just known for drawing big teeth on things. It’s my jam!

Currently, I teach middle and highschool art for Glow Academy. My background has always been in youth advocacy and development, so I revel in opportunities to integrate the skills. Additionally, I teach private lessons and do caricature art for special events (contact me for more details). Oh, also and most importantly to know… I use the word “dope” – a lot. I’m not a super, fancy-pants, art guy. Most of the work on this site is done with Copic markers and XPress-It blending card.

From Star News Online

He's a man of many names, not to mention games. 

As a visual artist, he goes by HP Fangs, which is short for Happy Fangs. His rapper name, if you will, for his past and future life as a hip-hop musician, is Haji P, short for Haji Pajamas. 

His students call him Mr. Greyson, kind of like his personal Facebook page, which is "Regular Greyson." 

"Middle-schoolers are still down to be weird," Davis said, which is why he prefers teaching students of that age. 

When deciding which work he wanted to submit [to CAM's "State of the Art/Art of the State" exhibit"] — each artist got just one — he thought, "This might be the only opportunity I ever have to have my work in a museum. What if I just draw a butt?"

And so, Davis submitted a painting of a cartoonish derriere passing a big green cloud of gas. It made him laugh, so he drew it. 

[Dr. Maia Nuku of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, one of three curators of the show] loved it...She said "the illest thing that anyone's ever said about my work. She goes, '22 lines.' She had counted my strokes. 'You did more with those 22 lines than most people could.' I was so hyped up."

Davis said he's often asked, "'What's your end goal?' I dunno, draw more pictures of dumb things."

But as a kid who grew up reading the funny papers and admiring the work he saw, "I feel like I want to give 8-year-old me a high five," Davis said. "'We did it!'"

Grit by Michael Winslow

Grit is about soil, land, courage, resilience. Grit is about powering through adversity to opportunity. Many of these woodcut prints are inspired by my childhood in an eastern North Carolina farm community. - Michael Winslow

Three

Story

Tellers

Works by Fritzi Huber, Mark Weber, and Melissa Wilgis

Opening August 16 | 6pm

Be among the first to see this exciting pop-up exhibition on August 16th between 6-8pm at Brightleaf Square.

Curated by Holly Tripman Fitzgerald and Michael S. Williams, in collaboration with Durham Art Guild and 8179 Project.

Finding Suite 23j

Located in the main walkway of Brightleaf Square, park in the surface lot off West Main Street and cross S. Gregson Street on foot. Walking in between the North and South building, look for the number 23 on the South Building. The suite just past the S. Building Entrance under "23" is the pop-up gallery.

What's Your Art Hustle? 
First Tuesday of Every Month at 5:30pm
Truist Gallery, 120 Morris Street (inside the Council building)

Join other artists once a month to chat about all things art.

What are you struggling with?

What are you working on?

Where could you use some support? 

We're all in this creative journey together, so come out and meet new artists to grow your practice and your confidence!