Beauty by Volume: On the Art-Book Trail of Chicago

This article is a guide to finding art books in Chicago, tracing a walking trail that begins at the Chicago History Museum and continues to the Graham Foundation and the Newberry Library. The author reflects on beloved but now-closed art bookstores like Rizzoli's Water Tower Place, Prairie Avenue Bookshop, and Golden Age, then proposes a contemporary route for discovering art, architecture, and design books in the city's remaining cultural institutions and museum shops.

Waterbury’s Mattatuck Museum Balances Art and Local

The Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut, balances art and local history, serving as a community hub. Director Bob Burns has integrated school programs reaching 7,000 local students annually, community art shows, contemporary works by artists like Yayoi Kusama and Simone Leigh, and a major exhibition "About Face: 250 Years of American Portraits" curated by Rebecca McNamara. The museum also features hyper-realistic paintings by Wende Caporale-Greene and a gallery of Waterbury's industrial past, with a focus on inclusivity after removing a physical barrier to Main Street in 2019.

In Tuscany, an Artistic Sculpture Hub Thrives

The article profiles Pietrasanta, a small town in Tuscany, Italy, that has evolved into a thriving international sculpture hub. It traces the town's artistic lineage back to Michelangelo, who sourced marble from local quarries in 1518, and highlights how today a dense network of workshops, foundries, and craftspeople attracts artists from around the world. The local government has established the Fondazione Centro Arti Visive di Pietrasanta to promote the town as a year-round art center, not just a seasonal destination. The piece features the Armenian-born artist Mikayel Ohanjanyan, who has seven sculptures on display in the town.

FYI Calendar: Arkansas Living Treasure Longhua Xu’s exhibit at Fort Smith RAM continues through June 21

The article is a calendar of arts and community events in the Fort Smith, Arkansas area, compiled by features writer Dustin Staggs. It lists dance and theater performances, plant swaps, life drawing classes, historical society events, and multiple art exhibitions. Among the visual art highlights are "Soul Taking Shape," an exhibition by Arkansas Living Treasure Longhua Xu at the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum (RAM) running through June 21, along with other shows at RAM and Arts On Main featuring works by local artists and student artists.

Nine Fathom Deep charts new course for contemporary art

Nine Fathom Deep, a new gallery in Wellington, New Zealand, is opening its latest exhibition "Soft Cycle" on May 15, 2026. The group show features works by local artists Ruth Thomas-Edmonds, Noa Noa von Bassewitz, and Kate Woods. The gallery, directed by Susanna Bauer, operates on a model that does not seek exclusive artist representation, allowing for a more dynamic exhibition program that focuses on mid-career artists with established practices. Bauer, who has a background as an artist, academic, and arts advisor, emphasizes building genuine relationships, professional integrity, and creating a welcoming space for all visitors.

Tiny art gallery attracts miniature art in downtown Hammond

A tiny art gallery in downtown Hammond is drawing attention by showcasing miniature artworks, attracting both local artists and visitors. The gallery, which operates on a small scale, has become a hub for tiny art pieces, including paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media works, all created to fit the compact space. The initiative aims to make art accessible and engaging in a unique, intimate setting.

Artists and businesses shine at Lompoc’s First Thursday Art Walk

Downtown Lompoc hosted its monthly First Thursday Art Walk, transforming the area into an open-air gallery where artists, residents, and visitors gathered for an evening of creativity. Highlights included a live letterpress demonstration by Angelina LaPointe of Side Car Press at New Lows, local vendors at Fortified Tattoo, and a make-and-take craft project at Cypress Art Gallery. The event drew community members to venues such as Jupiters Spark Collection and Bella Florist.

Young artists show at The Fraser Art Gallery

Fifty-one students from Wallace Consolidated Elementary School and Tatamagouche Regional Academy displayed their artwork in a group show at The Fraser Art Gallery in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia. The exhibition featured individual and class projects, including a collage inspired by the Artemis II moon flyby and a sculptured monster garden. The opening reception included remarks from gallery president Jackie Robertson, who thanked volunteers and sponsor PharmaChoice, and noted the importance of early art exposure.

See Norwich artist Dan Topalis' new exhibition at Dada Post

An exhibition featuring the work of Norwich artist Dan Topalis has opened at Dada Post in Norwich, Connecticut. Titled "Dan Topalis: Interchanges & Intersections," the show runs every Saturday through July 1 and presents two series: the "Crazy Clown Series" from 2022, depicting clowns performing feats of agility, and the ongoing "Dots" series of 2026, featuring colorful, two-color patterned compositions. Topalis, a Norwich native and 1973 graduate of Norwich Free Academy who also studied at the Philadelphia College of Art, works primarily in acrylic on canvas.

Gallery openings and exhibits in Central Oregon this week

This article lists numerous gallery openings and ongoing exhibits across Central Oregon, including venues such as Amejko Artistry, Art Adventure Gallery, Artists’ Gallery Sunriver, and the High Desert Museum. Featured shows include nomadic woven artwork by Anna Amejko Peterson, a 40th anniversary exhibition of Jefferson County artists, “A Man Named York” at the Belknap Exhibit Center, and “Drawn West — A History of Promoting Place” at the High Desert Museum, among many others spanning pottery, photography, fiber art, and historical displays.

Stella’s Art Gallery selects ‘Size Matters’ winners | Gallery Glances

Stella's Art Gallery in Willoughby, Ohio, held its awards reception for the annual 'Size Matters' exhibition on May 8, with this year's theme requiring all works to be exactly 10 inches. Best of Show went to Breda Fallon for 'One Woman Show,' a 3D diorama. Winners in 3D included John Carreon (first and second place) and Daniel Fishwick (third); in 2D, Tatiana Strelnikova, Tracy Parsons, and Sheri Lawrence took top honors. The article also covers upcoming calls for art at the gallery, including 'The Landscape Show: Real or Fantasy' in June and 'The H2O Show' in July.

AMP art walk: making art more accessible

Western Washington University's Arts & Music Productions (AMP) launched a monthly art walk on the first Friday of October, continuing the tradition each month after the closure of the Viking Union Gallery. The event, conceived by AMP supervisor Casey Hayden, aims to introduce students to Bellingham's art scene in a guided, social setting. Skylar Cooney, AMP's visual arts coordinator, leads tours to smaller venues like Bay Street Studios, and the walks have drawn a diverse academic crowd. Participating galleries, such as Voxel Gallery, report increased foot traffic and community engagement, while local artists and professors like Garth Amundson emphasize the importance of free, accessible events for fostering inclusion.

Frodsham art group marks 30 years with Amazing Nature show

Eddisbury Artists, a long-running art group based at Castle Park Arts Centre in Frodsham, is celebrating 30 years at the venue with a new exhibition titled 'Amazing Nature.' The show runs from May 19 to June 27 and features artwork inspired by the natural world, including landscapes and wildlife of Cheshire. The group, comprising 17 artists from north west Cheshire, originally met behind Frodsham Post Office before moving to the arts centre in 1996. Member Sam Robson, a Royal Society prize-winning artist, noted the exhibition coincides with the arts centre's 40th anniversary, making it a dual milestone.

Alton's Elysian Gallery to close, reopen as art cafe and cultural hub

Elysian Gallery in Alton, Illinois, is closing its original location at Mineral Springs Mall on May 10, 2026, to relocate and expand into a new concept called Elysian Gallery and Cafe at 419 E. Broadway. Owner Jeff Bohnert, a photographer, is transforming the 500-square-foot gallery into a larger, pet-friendly cultural hub featuring a cafe serving Goshen Coffee, a book nook, workspaces, and art exhibitions. The new space will open with a soft launch on May 30 during Alton Main Street's Pup Crawl, followed by a grand reopening on June 6. Bohnert and his girlfriend Janel Freeman originally opened the gallery in August 2025.

Photo gallery: Fine Arts Fiesta opens in Wilkes-Barre

The 70th annual Fine Arts Fiesta opened on Thursday, May 14, 2026, on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and runs through Sunday. The event features artists, crafts, entertainment, and music, with headliners including the Phil Giordano Jazz Orchestra and Doug Smith & The Dixieland Band. A tribute to the late trumpeter Bobby Baird Jr. is scheduled, and eight local dance companies will perform at the F.M. Kirby Center. During the opening ceremony, Wilkes-Barre official George Brown presented a proclamation and key to the city to Fine Arts Fiesta board president Ann Saxton, executive director Brian Benedetti, and second vice president Gina Malsky.

The Flash

Artist and educator Diego Romero is opening a new gallery called Rayo del Alma in Santa Fe, located at 130 W Palace Avenue. The space, which has been in planning for decades, will feature works by local artists including Maggie Hanley, Donica Dominguez, Oriana Lee, and Marie Maez, alongside Romero's own multimedia photography. The gallery also offers vintage Western wear, jewelry, prints, and stickers, aiming to reflect the collaborative and artisanal spirit of New Mexico. Romero, a Las Vegas, New Mexico native with a background in multimedia and digital media, draws inspiration from his grandfather, who taught him photography with a 35mm Mamiya camera. His practice focuses on nighttime sky shots printed through an aluminum process, capturing the movement of the cosmos in still images.

A new cultural space that works on the memory of the city (also through postcards) has been born in Rome

A Roma è nato un nuovo spazio culturale che lavora sulla memoria della città (anche attraverso le cartoline)

A new cultural space called URBS has opened in Rome's Testaccio district, founded by architect Andrea D'Antrassi in collaboration with Giovanni Colombara. The space debuted in 2024 as "The Smallest Museum by URBS," a 20-square-meter venue housing over 1,600 historical postcards of the city, creating a visual archive spanning different eras. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, such as the current show "Not Mine, Not Yours" by Iranian artist Mehrdad Shadrooh, curated by Barbara Blasi, which draws from a family video-photo archive covering over eighty years of history. A commercial space has also been opened in Trastevere.

A Walk in the Cypress: Evolving at Cypress Art Gallery in May

The Cypress Art Gallery, operated by the Lompoc Valley Art Association, is presenting a new exhibition titled "A Walk in the Cypress: Evolving" during May. The show features works by local member artists and reflects the gallery's ongoing commitment to community engagement and artistic growth in the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valley region.

Wexford artist selected to feature artwork at prestigious exhibition – ‘I wasn’t expecting it to get through’

Wexford artist Kate Kos has been selected to exhibit her painting 'Gunnera & Hemlock' at the 196th Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) exhibition in Dublin, which runs from May 25 to August 9, 2025. The mixed media piece, created during the Doneraile ArtFest in North Cork, won first prize and the People's Choice award at that festival. Kos also recently relocated her studio and gallery from St. Michael's Road to McDermott Street in Gorey, celebrating both milestones with an opening event attended by locals.

Gallery 50 welcomes spring with “Here Comes the Sun”

Gallery 50 in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, is hosting an opening reception for its new spring exhibition, “Here Comes the Sun,” on May 8 from 5:30–8 p.m. The show features 11 local artists—Jonathan Frazier, Robyn Jacobs, Sarah Maclay, Pat McCleary, Mary Moores, Judy Pyle, Jayne Shord, Anne St. John, Lindsay Tozier-School, Anita Williams, and curator Marti Yeager—presenting works in oil, acrylic, pastel, photography, watercolor, and enamel on copper. The evening also includes the unveiling of a mural by California-based artist Nigel Sussman, live music from Sons of Pitches, and new fine art and crafts for sale. The exhibition runs through August 1, 2026.

Art exhibits to open Sunday in Port Hadlock

A reception for artists Britt Greenland and Quimper Art will be held Sunday, May 10, 2026, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Bayside Art Gallery in Port Hadlock, Washington. The event celebrates the opening of two exhibits: Greenland's "Shimmering Light," featuring ten new oil paintings of Cascade and Puget Sound landscapes, and Quimper Arts' "Painted From Life," a group show of works in charcoal, pastel, and watercolor created through direct observation. All artwork is for sale, with proceeds benefiting Bayside Housing and Services, a local nonprofit supporting people experiencing homelessness and poverty in Jefferson County.

Downtown Janesville art gallery, maker space Raven's Wish plans to move

Raven's Wish, a downtown Janesville art gallery and maker space, is relocating from its current 4,000-square-foot location at 101 W. Milwaukee St. to a smaller downtown space. Owner Kegane Rynes, who bought the business from former owner Alicia Reed two years ago, says the move is driven by a need for a layout that better suits the shop's evolving focus on art classes and creative workspace. The business, which includes a pottery studio called Pottery By Five run by partner Heather Hansen, has seen growing demand for classes and aims to separate retail, framing, and workshop areas more intentionally.

Artist Talk - Aspen Chapel Gallery

The Aspen Chapel Gallery is hosting an Artist Talk event, featuring local artists discussing their work and creative processes. The talk is designed to engage the community and provide insight into the exhibitions currently on view at the gallery.

Mugs of May art show brewing in Vernon

Vernon's Community Arts Centre (VCAC) is hosting its sixth annual Mugs of May: Art Show and Sale through May 26. The exhibition features hundreds of handmade ceramic mugs by artists from across the Okanagan, ranging from emerging to established ceramicists, alongside wall and fine art inspired by coffee and daily rituals. Visitors can also participate in a coloring contest for a chance to win a gift card.

New dual exhibition at Armstrong gallery celebrates local landscapes and whimsical art

The Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Art Gallery in British Columbia is launching a dual exhibition on May 28, 2026, running through June 27. The Main Gallery features the Shuswap Plein Air Troupe—artists Diane Akey, Maureen Howard, and Patricia L. Smith—with their show "Together: From There to Here," presenting expressive landscape paintings inspired by outdoor painting sessions. Meanwhile, the Freeze Gallery hosts Nancy Vince's "A Touch of Whimsy," a collection of high-definition metal prints filled with playful imagery like enchanted cottages and hidden creatures.

2026 Pride Art Exhibit: What Is Your Joy?

The Montrose Daily Press announces the 2026 Pride Art Exhibit, themed "What Is Your Joy?", taking place in Montrose, Colorado. The exhibit invites LGBTQ+ artists and allies to submit works exploring joy and celebration within the community.

Hoelscher to exhibit art at Kalmanson Gallery

Jason Hoelscher, Gallery Director and Professor of Art at Georgia Southern University, will exhibit his work at The Kalmanson Gallery of Emanuel Arts Council in Swainsboro, Georgia, from May to June. An opening reception is scheduled for May 21, 5–7 p.m., free and open to the public. Hoelscher is a painter, writer, and professor with a PhD in aesthetic philosophy, an MFA from Pratt Institute, and extensive exhibition history across the U.S. and internationally, including airports and museums. He has also written for ARTnews and The Wall Street Journal, and authored the book "Art as Information Ecology" (Duke University Press, 2021).

The uncensored Hangin' Out Art Show opens at the Corbin Gallery in Crisfield

The annual Hangin' Out Art Show has opened at the Corbin Studio & Gallery in Crisfield, Maryland, with a reception scheduled for Friday, May 15 from 5-8 p.m. The exhibition is the featured event at the gallery this month, located at 4 East Main Street.

Amarachi Okpara broadens Lagos art scene with new gallery opening

A new art gallery, Amyafrique Art Gallery, is set to open in Lagos next month, founded by Nigerian entrepreneur Amarachi Judith Okpara. The project began with a small personal collection and grew as Okpara built connections in the art community, drawing from her diverse career in events, fashion, modeling, and aviation before discovering her passion for art during a visit to a Lagos gallery.

Okotoks Art Gallery accepting 2027 exhibition proposals

The Okotoks Art Gallery is now accepting exhibition proposals for its 2027 season, with a submission deadline of May 30. Artists and curators are invited to submit proposals including a cover letter, artist statement, resume, and related images, which will be reviewed by a jury of arts professionals. The gallery rotates exhibits through its large and small galleries throughout the year.