The Art Walk is from 5 to 8 p.m. at the five downtown galleries: Art in the Loft, Forty-Five North Art Gallery, My Glass Wings, Studio Rubedo and Thunder Bay Arts Gallery. Many other downtown businesses have extended hours that evening, kicking off the holiday shopping season on Black Friday.

Anyone entering Art in the Loft, on the third floor of The Center Building downtown, will experience a colorful array of pieces from oil painting to photography to ceramics to jewelry and more.

“So we just came off the heels of ‘LIGHT,’ which was our fourth annual juried art exhibit,” said Art in the Loft Executive Director Justin Christensen-Cooper. “Which we had the biggest turnout for any juried art exhibit that we’ve ever done. And it was just an amazing show. In fact, a few of those artists that were in ‘LIGHT’ are now joining in for ‘Winterview,’ which is really exciting.”

He said 61 artists were in “LIGHT,” and more than 90 pieces. “Winterview” features 33 artists, some new and some familiar.

Here is a painting by Hannah Harte

“When people come up, they’ll see a lot of our mainstays, such as Sam Machulis, Cheryl Lemke, Jeannie Lamb, Bev Wolf, Jan Herring, Jerry Mills,” Christensen-Cooper said.

Machulis works in ceramics, Lemke works in photography and jewelry, Lamb and Herring create jewelry, Beverly Benson Wolf is a photographer, and Mills creates abstract paintings.

Those returning artists will be joined by these artists who were just featured as first-time Art in the Loft exhibitors in “LIGHT”: Anneliese Mathia (painting/mixed media), Mary Lightner (photography), Katherine Stevens (photography), and MinnieBert Reed (drawing). Artists showing for the first time at Art in the Loft in “Winterview” are: Nazareth Diaz (painting), Eugene Brooks (woodturning), and Steven Petrides (photography).

Other artists in “Winterview” include: Kathleen Bower (photography), Kevin Gauthier (jewelry), Leanna Springer (photography), Phran Ludington (collage), Ann Krueger (pottery), James Okasinski (black/white photography), Michael and Mieko Kahn (ceramics), Nancy Capers (jewelry), Windy Hill Glass (fused glass), Hannah Harte (painting/jewelry), Ann Murphy Schaff (oil painting), Rose Bisanz (photography), Danyeal Dorr (mixed media), Beth Cox (glass), Gabrielle Mier (painting/drawing), Grace Marshall (jewelry), Leland Dane (wood), and Peggy Little (painting).

“We’re really gearing up for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and then we do an artist reception for ‘Winterview 2019’ on Dec. 5,” Christensen-Cooper said.

Here is a drawing of an owl by MinnieBert Reed.

That reception will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5.

He explained that all the shows at Art in the Loft are juried, but that “Winterview” just doesn’t have a specific theme.

“This is just to ensure that we reach a certain quality of artwork,” he said of the jurying process. “So all of our artists get put in front of three local jurors, whether they be in the art field, or appreciate art, and then based on their score, they’re juried in.”

All the artists are from Northern Michigan, he added.

“For our ‘Summerview’ and ‘Winterview,’ that’s what we push,” he explained. “That becomes part of the mission, to make sure that we’re promoting local art.”

Here is a painting of a winter scene by Peggy Little.

Displayed artwork is for sale. For more information, visit artintheloft.org, or call 989-356-4877.

Here is a painting by Ann Murphy Schaff.

Here are necklaces by Nancy Capers.

Above is a photograph on canvas by Mary Lightner.

Here is a wooden piece by Lee Dane.

Here is a mixed media piece by Danyeal Dorr.