On the second Friday of every month in Bethesda, Maryland, art lovers may participate in the city’s Art Walk, where the downtown Bethesda galleries and studios open up to the public from six to nine in the evening, a perfect time to take a stroll. The art available is a varied collection of painting, photography, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, and mixed media. And, if you don’t quite feel like walking from the Bethesda hotels , then it’s an easy thing to hop onto the Bethesda Circulator , a free trolley service (once known as the Bethesda 8 Trolley), which even stops at the Bethesda Metro station.
Only a block away from the metro station, you’ll discover the Waverly Street Gallery , one of 14 galleries that participate with changing exhibits and artists who are showcased specifically for this event. In particular, the Waverly Street Gallery is recognized in the DC area for its contemporary and traditional art, as well as its quality and affordability. Not only does the gallery services include workshops and artist talks, but it also presents new exhibitions of its artists each month, with a reception scheduled for the second Friday of the month to match up with the Bethesda Art Walk. The gallery has been in its present location since 1993, when the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County wanted an organization to take over this downtown art space. Originally, this venue was known as Arts Alive, then Creative Partners Gallery, and now Waverly Street Gallery, expanding from its original dozen members to more than twenty artists.
Other galleries that are a part of the tour include Creative Partners Gallery, Discovery Galleries, Ltd., Discovery Too, Fraser Gallery, Gallery Frame Avenue, Gallery Neptune, and the Washington School of Photography. Galleries not part of the guided tour, but still available in Bethesda, include Framer McGee’s Gallery, Lightwave, Moriah Gallery, and Orchard Gallery, Art & Framing.