Jerome held its monthly First Saturday Art and Wine Walk on Aug. 5, giving locals and tourists alike an opportunity to view local art and listen to local musicians.
In the early 2000s, many art galleries were established in Jerome and the Old Jerome High School was converted into an arts center, after which art enthusiasts created the Jerome Art Walk and an independent organization to operate it.
Donna Chesler, who owned Gallery 527, and Danny Burris and Michael Gamble, who owned the Pura Vida Gallery, took the lead in launching these events. After Burris’ death in 2018 and Chesler’s death in 2021, the Jerome Chamber of Commerce was asked to take over the operation.
The walk is currently marketed by chamber president Ginger Mackenzie with the assistance of Tom Pitts and Dylan Jung. In 2022, after seven wine tasting rooms had been established in Jerome, the name was changed to the Jerome Art and Wine Walk.
The latest art walk featured a show by Mark Lucas and Lana Buckner titled “Mark and Lana are Kilning It,” which showcased their kiln-fired artwork at the Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery paired with the music of Matteo Amaretto.
Buckner, a ceramicist and cartoonist, has only lived in Jerome for a few months, while Lucas, a glass artist, has lived in Jerome for 16 years.
“It’s a nice community of artists,” Lucas said, adding that he feels inspired by the history and eccentricity of the town. “There’s a lot of support in the community. A lot of people showed up tonight just from around town.”
Buckner remarked on the support for artists expressed in the town’s charter and how the structural support it provides for artists is unique to the Jerome community.
“I love the desert and the southwest and that is where I feel creative and inspired,” Buckner said.
A handful of other musicians played their tunes en plein air along the town’s main thoroughfare while galleries and wineries kept their doors open and invited passersby in throughout the evening.
The next Art and Wine Walk will take place on Saturday, Sept. 2.
The Jerome Chamber of Commerce is a member-driven volunteer organization that promotes the arts in Jerome and fosters economic growth while promoting local businesses. Its website states that “today, Jerome is very much alive with writers, artists, artisans, musicians, historians and families. They form a peaceful, colorful, thriving community built on a rich foundation of history and lore.”
