Neighborhoods

=Atlanta is a network of neighborhoods...= Where do the artists live? Where are the galleries? Where did the artists used to live before they got pushed out by the rich people? Some of the story is told below, from the exploding gentrification zone of Castleberry Hill to the sleepy village of Marietta.



Castleberry Hill
-a newly emergent art district.

//Foray to: CastleBerry Hill//

We went on the [|Castleberry Art Stroll] in January '06, to get a sense of the scene. The February 2006 Art stroll was centered in the Historic Castleberry District that consist of rail road buildings most of which are over a century old. The Art Stroll was an opportunity to visit these galleries with the feel of an open house at each one. Most galleries served wine, beer and light snacks/TQ.

One of the galleies I visited during the Art Stroll was the Urban.Shout.Gallery which is housed in the same address as of the Krause Gallery ( 291 Peters Street). The gallery was located to the rear of the building. This gallery specializes in contemporary African American art. I did meet with the owner/Director Beverly Burks. She explained that they were using the evening as a fund raiser for the Jesse Draper Boys and Girls Club of College Park Ga. They presented and had for sale 20-30 8x10" wrapped canvas board paintings produced by the children of the Boys and Girls Club. I provided Beverly Burks with my KSU information sheet and she plans to send me additional information about her gallery/TQ.

Another gallery I visited during the Art Stroll was the Ty Stokes gallery which has a focus on contemporary art. The featured artist is Ryan Burkhart whose art is considered abstraction. His exhibition will be at the Stokes gallery from February 2 through March 4, 2006. I did have the opportunity to talk with Ryan about his art works. He explained that his work is taking something simple such as rocks and boulders and produce an exciting image from what would otherwise be an uninteresting subject matter. He works with a variety of medium such as pastel, oil,and acrylic. I also had a chance to talk with the owner Bill Stokes. Bill explained that his gallery has been a work in process. They actually live on the second floor of the building and the first floor houses the gallery. His current exhibitions included a variety of contemporary urban artist/TQ.

Known in the 1840's and '50s as "snake nation," today's Castleberry Hill is a densely developed commercial district adjacent to one of Atlanta's main rail lines. The recently designated Castleberry Hill Historic District is located at the southwestern edge of the Atlanta central business district. It is bounded generally by the Southern Railroad and Central of Georgia Railroad tracks on the east, McDaniel Street on the south, Peters and Walker Streets on the west, and Nelson Street on the north. – Text from the National Park Service's register of historic places travel itinerary – (see photos on this site) http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/atlanta/cas.htm The Castleberry Hill Neighborhood, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, represents the most complete warehouse district still surviving in the City of Atlanta. The area is in the midst of a renaissance, with these old commercial structures being turned into dramatic loft homes for the many people attracted by the prospect of living Downtown. – Text from the community improvement association’s website at http://www.castleberryhill.org
 * Neighborhood History**


 * LITTLE FIVE POINTS -**Artists live here. Mainly theaters, music venues and coffeehouses.

"Little Five Points (or L5P) has been the intown epicenter of all things alternative for many years. This is a thriving business district with a wide array of shops and services." Popular businesses in the area offer everything from organic produce to live music to eccentric couture. Text in quotes from http://www.atlanta-midtown.com/business/l5p/ Some of the people who hang out in Little Five Points are talking on the "Tribe" website. It networks artists, progressives, intellectuals and other interesting folk who are the spice of life. http://atl-l5p.tribe.net/?r=10535




 * BUCKHEAD-** This may be Atlanta's oldest gallery district.

"Buckhead's art scene stretches from Miami Circle and the Village to Bennett Street and trendy South Buckhead. New galleries are opening every month. Many of the galleries are listed and pictured below." http://www.buckhead.net/galleries/




 * CABBAGETOWN -**One of Atlanta's oldest industrial settlements has developed to inspiring and thriving community.

Cabbagetown is home to some small artist co-ops and workshops, and features its own folk art store and unique boutiques. Its unique and quirky co-ops have been and are the homes to Atlanta artists. Home of the colorful, artistically graffiti-ed Krog Street Tunnel, and Cotton Mill Lofts, Cabbagetown is one of Atlanta's more unique and memorable small neighborhoods. [|www.cabbagetown.org] http://www.cabbagetownartandcrafts.org/index.html [|There is a great background history for cabbagetown found here.]


 * Forays to Cabbagetown:**

-A second walk, in Atlantic Station, 4-16-06

-An April walk in Cabbagetown begins at the Krog Tunnel.

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