by Laura Davenport
Carrboro Commons Writer

Local artist Amy Richards displays her “little boxes” at DeWitt Law, a stop on the Sept. 14 Artwalk.
Laura Davenport photo

For the past six years, the second Friday of each month has been home to a tradition the towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill call the Artwalk. This free event attracts art aficionados and novices from all areas to enjoy good company, music, and of course, art.

All participating galleries and locations are open from 6-9 pm, and each usually highlights a specific artist or a certain movement. At several locations, refreshments of wine, crackers and cheeses are served.

The Artwalk has also been a way for up-and-coming artists, such as Amy Richards, to display their work and make a name for themselves within the art community.

Richards, a local artist, displayed her art at DeWitt Law, PLLC. Originally from California and Ohio, Richards says she took an interest in painting after she took a course while attending Kent State University.

“At first,” she says, “I didn’t really like painting, then I had one teacher who really changed my mind, and I fell in love with it.” She then went on to receive her degree in art education from Kent State and taught for two years.

Upon relocation to Carrboro, Richards also took a job as a professional nanny, which she says has had an influence on her artwork. “Sort of like ‘My Little Pony’ and a lot of plastics; it’s all about setting things up,” she says. “Different toys, mainly — that’s sort of the nanny-thing, also.”

Richards says she spends about 15 hours to create each of her “little boxes.” They are all on eigh- by-eight inch clay board boxes. She mostly uses acrylics and watercolors, and each piece comes with an average price tag of about $125.

This is Richards’ second solo show. Her first was in June at the Carrboro Town Hall. She will not have another show until next September.

Richards is fond of all her pieces, and she tries not to play favorites too often. “They’re all different, and I sort of put something different into each of them,” she says. “I really do like the ones where it is black and white and then like a red, blue or a yellow- just one other color…where it’s kind of like a tunnel.”

Even though she has only been in Carrboro for a year, she enjoys it here. She appreciates all the friendliness in the art community. “It’s been very open,” she says. Richards attributes the Carrboro art community with helping her be able to show her work, through mediums such as the Artwalk.

Aside from Dewitt Law, other participating galleries and businesses in September’s Artwalk include: Ackland Art Museum, Animation and Fine Art, The ArtsCenter, Bagwell, Holt, Smith, Tillman & Jones, PA, Caffé Driade, Carrboro Century Center, Fifth Season Gardening Co., Fleet Feet Gallery, NC Crafts Gallery, Open Eye Café, Sizl Gallery, Turning Point Gallery, and Weaver St. Realty.

The next Artwalk will be held on Friday, Oct. 12 from 6-9 pm. Each gallery will soon announce their events for the evening, which will be promptly placed upon their Web site.

For more information on the Carrboro Artwalk and to see the list of upcoming events, visit www.2ndFridayArtwalk.com.