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Painting by Amanda Thoron
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Aaron Wood, "Glass Ceiling"
The second annual Artigras, presented by Studio 7, is coming to Edwardsville. The show will feature a musical performance by Darin Gray, films by Jeremy Kannapell, and artwork by Amanda Thoron and Micah Wall. This year’s event isn’t just confined to one space; the show continues outside the theater in Aaron Wood’s Appaloosa van.
Aaron Wood was born and raised in Edwardsville, and taught art for 13 years. During this time he wasn’t fully satisfied, so he decided to stop teaching and become a full-time artist, founding a company called Hollywood Indian that showcases his art. With the rise in popularity of food trucks and mobile boutiques, Wood decided to create a mobile art gallery called The Appaloosa that blurs traditional gallery art with new street art.
“It embraces guerilla culture. We pull up to a curb and bring art to the people,” Wood says.
The Appaloosa is St. Louis’ first and only mobile art gallery to date. Wood created it to promote Hollywood Indian and show the evolution of mankind as a species. His work is a nod to the beauty of the outside world, and focuses on the impact humans have on the natural world and other animals.
Amanda Thoron created Artigras last year to showcase her artwork and the work of others. The name is a play on the popular holiday Mardi Gras, and the event occurs on the same day. This year’s event is very different than last year’s, when Artigras was held at the Lemp Brewery and only consisted of paintings. For Artigras 2, there will be music, theater, and artwork. Thoron is excited to bring this show to Edwardsville.
“Being in a town that’s easier to get to and maneuver in will be a lot better for Artigras,” she says.
For the first time in 22 years, Edwardsville native, Darin Gray will perform in his hometown. As Gray performs, filmmaker Jeremy Kannapell will be doing live Super 8-mm film projections of the event. Thoron and Micah Wall will also be featured at the event for their superb artwork.
Darin Gray is one of the area’s most productive musicians. Currently, he can be seen on tour with TWEEDY (Jeff Tweedy of Wilco’s new band). Recently the band has performed on The Tonight Show, The Colbert Report, and Austin City Limits.
Jeremy Kannapell is an active member of the St. Louis experimental music scene. For the past 10 years he has been an artist, a filmmaker, and a musician. He recently began creating handcrafted Super 8-mm films that have been shown at The Luminary and Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis.
Micah Wall is another artist from Edwardsville. His preferred mediums are wood and metal. He founded a woodworking shop called Unnatural Resources, to bring back the pride of American craftsmanship through high quality furniture and art.
Amanda Thoron is an emerging abstract artist from Edwardsville. She began painting in 2004, and in 2013 she founded Studio 7, which showcases the work of local artists at historical venues like the Lemp Brewery and the Wildey Theater.
“It’s a great collaborative effort with everyone coming together,” Thoron says of Artigras. “There’s a lot of different arts and mediums to experience this year.”
Artigras 2 happens Saturday, February 14 on the top floor of the historic Wildey Theater in Edwardsville (252 N. Main, 618-307-2053, wildeytheater.com). Drinks are complimentary, and admission is free. For more, visit the Artigras 2 Facebook event page.
