A new downtown Springfield boutique is hosting its grand opening May 3 in conjunction with First Friday Art Walk, showcasing runway pieces designed by its owner alongside work from southwest Missouri artists.
Carl’s Bad Designs is one of nearly 20 venues participating in this month’s Art Walk, a monthly effort in which galleries and businesses line up arts-related events across downtown Springfield. Everyone is encouraged to walk around the neighborhood and pop into galleries in what organizers call a “self-guided tour.” Venues will be open for variable hours between 4:30 and 10 p.m.
Carl's Bad Designs offers vintage clothes, handmade jewelry
Carlea Badolian is the owner of Carl’s Bad Designs (314 S. Campbell Ave.) and a 2022 graduate of Missouri State University’s merchandising and fashion design program. Her collections have been featured in shows at Kansas City Fashion Week and Omaha Fashion Week, where she earned the Audere Showcase Emerging Designer Award.
Carl’s Bad Designs will showcase some of Badolian's runway pieces and artwork from Saphira Gale and Hal Lueking. You can also shop for vintage clothes and handmade jewelry from One World Library. The celebration includes refreshments and a bracelet-making station supplied with thrifted beads.
Drury, MSU open senior exhibitions
Graduation season is here and that means senior exhibitions at galleries operated by Springfield’s colleges and universities.
Missouri State’s Carolla Arts Exhibition Center (326 N. Boonville Ave.) is the site of BFA in Design: The Professional Design Practicum, while Brick City Gallery (215 W. Mill St.) hosts the BFA in Art Senior Exhibition. Both shows feature work by graduating students from the Department of Art and Design.
Drury University’s Pool Arts Center (940 N. Clay Ave.) hosts the opening reception for its Senior APEX Exhibition from 5-8 p.m., while Ozarks Technical Community College’s Arts, Design and Humanities Spring Art Show will be open from 3:30-5 p.m. during May’s Art Walk. That event is in the Jared Family Atrium on the OTC campus (1001 E. Chestnut Expressway).
J.L. Long Traders highlights students from SPS Choice program
The works of younger artists will be on display at J.L. Long Traders (318 W. Walnut St.). Students at the Academy of Fine and Performing Arts, one of Springfield Public Schools’ Choice Programs for fifth-graders, present the show “Poetic Portraits.”
“(Students) explored their understanding of themselves and prominent historical figures through poetry and portraiture,” a press release said. “The workmanship and wordsmithing are very mature for such a young group of artists.”
Self-taught artist featured at Fresh Gallery
Deana Markus is May’s featured artist at Fresh Gallery. Her motto is “Buy art to match your soul, not your sofa.
Markus began drawing in 2012, using a technique called Zentangle — black ink on a small white card. The self-taught artist now uses mediums including pencils, oils, acrylics, watercolors, ink, charcoal and pastels.
“Most of my art is self-explanatory,” Markus said in a press release. “Some are sweet, happy or sad, and some are just a little quirky. You will often find slightly hidden handwritten words in my art. These are good wishes I send to those who will buy the piece. I will often awaken in the morning with a fully designed painting in my mind. These are some of my favorite paintings, and I think of them as gifts from God and my loved ones who are no longer with me here.”
Other Fresh Gallery artists will be present in the gallery to talk about their art and their processes.
Family fun at the Downtown Church
The Downtown Church presents an evening of family-friendly fun for May’s First Friday Art Walk. There will be kids activities, popcorn and lemonade from 6-8 p.m., as well as live music from Deja Crew. There’s no cost for any of the activities.
11 other venues will be open for Art Walk
Other venues for the May 3 First Friday Art Walk are:
- BE Creative, 430 S. Jefferson Ave., Suite 125
- BookMarx, 325 E. Walnut St., Suite 101
- Formed: An Artist Collective, 210 E. Walnut St., Suite #100
- Forming Art Studios, 330 South Ave.
- Gailey’s Breakfast Cafe, 220 E. Walnut St.
- Gillioz Theatre, 325 Park Central East
- Hold Fast Brewing, 235 N. Kimbrough Ave.
- Hotel Vandivort, 305 E. Walnut St.
- Obelisk Home, 214 W. Phelps St., Suite 101
- Park Central Branch Library, 128 Park Central Square
- Transformation Gallery & Tattoo, 330 E. Walnut St.
For more information, visit the official First Friday Art Walk website, or find them on Facebook.
