'In Conversation' in Crown Point at South Shore Arts

South Shore Arts gallery manager Mary McClelland said the new Crown Point branch will give area art aficionados a chance to peruse the best the association has to offer well beyond business hours.

"You can see the art hanging as you walk, because there's these huge windows in front," she said. "Even as you drive past, the lighting is good and you can see the artwork hanging as you go by. It provides a lot more visibility for artists and for us. It's good for everybody."

South Shore Arts celebrates the opening of "In Conversation," the first exhibit in the new digs at 123 N. Main St., with a reception 4 p.m. Saturday. The organization was previously located at 138 S. Main Street, where it spent more than a dozen years.

"It's directly across the street from where they're putting up the new Crown Point Library," she said. "There's going to be more traffic around the new building. It's a nice space and a good move."

"Conversation," which opened Sept. 30, is made up of 21 works from five contemporary area artists -- Highland's Judith Mayer and Patti Tobin Davis, Chicago's Shari Pettis, Valparaiso's Linda Eyermann and Melissa Washburn, also from Valparaiso.

"Conversation" is scheduled to run at South Shore Arts new Crown Point branch through Oct. 29.

South Shore Arts' Crown Point branch is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.