Brass Band Gallery Hop features local talent
Published 11:50 am Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Local artist Germaine Dunn stands next to his painting about substance abuse and death titled “Hurt Locker.” Photo by Fiona Morgan
The Danville Children’s Choir performs for gallery hoppers at CentreWorks on Thursday. Photo by Fiona Morgan
Artist Marie Taylor shows her glass art and mosaics during the gallery hop. Photo by Fiona Morgan
Local artist Germaine Dunn with a fun crocodile sculpture he made out of shoes and rocks. Photo by Fiona Morgan
Crowds gathered at Maple Tree Gallery to see Jack Cochran's oil paintings, and Margaret Levi's jewelry. Photo by Fiona Morgan
The annual gallery hop kicked off the Brass Band Festival on Thursday as a way to celebrate local talent.
The hop featured over 30 artists, ranging from glass art, to mixed media, jewelry, paintings, and more. The Danville Children’s Choir also sang songs for gallery hoppers at CentreWorks and Chase Bank.
Artist booths were mostly indoors this year spread out at businesses in downtown Danville. One local artist, who was set up at CentreWorks, uses mixed media to make symbolic art about serious issues.
Germaine Dunn from Harrodsburg uses acrylic paint, ink, printmaking, clay, and graphic design, and sometimes all of the above in his work.
Dunn uses symbolism to touch on topics like substance abuse, mental health, and identity. He explained that he struggled with substance abuse for several decades, and six years ago he was homeless.
But Dunn went through the Isaiah House, changed his life and has been sober since. He went to Campbellsville University and completed a BFA in Art and Design with an emphasis in Graphic Design.
Now he works as an art facilitator and public relations professional for Isaiah House. He recently graduated from the Liftoff entrepreneurship class at CentreWorks.
Dunn’s work is inspired by things he went through in addiction and the recovery process. One piece, titled “Hurt Locker,” depicts a funeral with the deceased in a casket shaped like an orange pill bottle. He explained that he knows first hand how the drug crisis impacts families.
“Not every picture should be a beautiful painting of flowers, because life is not always that,” Dunn said.
Many of his other pieces incorporate crowns. Dunn said the crown represents identity, that every person is different and unique, and that makes everyone special and gifted.
The Gallery Hop was put on by the Danville Boyle County Arts Commission.
