Six art galleries - four within blocks of one another in Northport - will celebrate the season on Friday, July 13 by simultaneously hosting parties from 5 to 9 p.m.

Taking part in the event will be the Painted Horse Gallery, the Wright Gallery, Joppich’s Bay Street Gallery, Rantz Gallery, By The Bight Gallery and Studio, and Quiet Dove Gallery.

The Painted Horse Gallery, 106 Waukazoo, will present a collection of unique paintings, giclees, dimensional art and handcrafted furniture by local and internationally-known artists. Owned by artists Bonnie Marris and Woody Palmer, the gallery has been called “the perfect place to begin or continue your love affair with great art.”

Four two-person exhibitions are featured this summer at the Wright Gallery, 210 Mill St. Northport artist Helaine Milliman and San Francisco painter Alexis Grant began the season Friday. On “p’art’y” day, artist Greg Garman will be opening with Indianapolis artist Dorothy Alig. Traverse City native Jean Larson will be featured on July 27 along with Pier Wright.
All shows will be up for approximately two weeks; artists are normally present for the opening reception. The final exhibit, Aug. 17, will feature the stamp assemblages of Jordan Scott.

Joppich’s Bay Street Gallery is featuring a selection of work by invited Master Potters of Michigan, including John Glick, Ed Risak, Robert Pipenburg and more. Large scale oil paintings by Bruce Winslow of Midland, and major paper and watercolor works by resident owner/artists Edee Joppich, are shown as well as Leelanau landscapes by Gwen Tomkow.
Rantz Gallery is located at 208 E. Third St., at the entrance to marina park.

It is the home of long-time resident artist Gene Rantz and artful jewelry and fiber designs by Judy Mastick Rantz. Gene is celebrating 25 years exploring and painting the Leelanau countryside. His work has become quite collectable throughout the country. Judy’s jewelry and fiber pieces are a culmination of 30 year’s work in Northport.

Two miles north of the village is By The Bight Gallery and Studio, owned by artists Tom and Carole Bowker. Their pieces are inspired and derived by the direct observation of the lush Leelanau environment, and combine traditional and non-traditional uses of materials to elicit a response that is not easily found elsewhere.

Nestled in the woods 51⁄2 miles north of town, the Quiet Dove Gallery features the original artwork of artists/owners Cynthia Franseen and John Kristansen. He paints landscapes and also created small, whimsical sculptures card from wood and embellished with pyrography. Franseen’s mediums are varied and include beadwork, embroidery, miniature pencil/colored pencil drawings, stone poems, miniature dolls and intricate paper cuttings.

The Quiet Dove is located at 14691 E. Woolsey Lake Rd.