Lucas: Bluffton’s ‘Art Walk’ is back

Chilly winter weather got you down? Then you may want to mark Friday on your calendar because not only is slightly warmer weather in the forecast, but the Bluffton Art Walk returns as well.

Held roughly three times a year, Old Town Bluffton’s version of the gallery crawl features the work of more than 300 artists in a variety of mediums from painting to sculpture, jewelry, pottery and more.

Galleries stay open later and serve light refreshments in a relaxed, casual atmosphere.

The winter Art Walk promises not only a respite from winter weather, but a variety of new art, as many local artists have been preparing new pieces over the last few months.

“We’re really excited about it,” said Murray Sease, one of six artists working at the co-op La Petite Gallerie, which will be celebrating their one year anniversary on Friday.

“We love to share our work. We love to talk about our work. ...And it’s really fun to get feedback and hear what people say,” she said.

For residents and visitors, the event offers a chance to go through a number of galleries in one concentrated area.

“(The event) is totally walkable,” said The Filling Station’s Bernie Haag.

“You can come to Bluffton and in a couple of hours go through all the galleries whereas in other places you might have to drive from gallery to gallery,” he said.

And word about Bluffton’s art scene is getting out and to other markets as well.

Both Haag and Sease said they regularly see visitors from Charleston and Savannah and even as far away as Atlanta.

“We have people who have been coming from Hilton Head for years say that they had never been to Bluffton,” Sease said.

“And (then) they find out it’s a fun, walking, artsy community,” she said.

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 2:48 PM with the headline "Lucas: Bluffton’s ‘Art Walk’ is back."