What a way to ring in the new year. The January Gallery Hops are always the least attended, by hoppers and gallery owners alike. Many were on vacation and didn't open. Others just continued with December's show. This is also the month for the worst weather. Gallery Hop has only been canceled once, and that was a January one. For 2010 we got temperatures in the teens and light snow flurries. Something needs to be thought up to take advantage of this situation as most people are on holiday and could make an effort to come down except for the cold weather.
Rivet Gallery captured the top show honors with an urban paper art theme "Rock, Paper, Scissors". This is a new collectible art form where artists make small sculpture out of cut and folded paper. Matthew Hawkins curated and did many of the toy-like pieces. The few who braved the cold could get a free piece that they could cut-out, fold, and glue into a cartoon sculpture. http://www.custompapertoys.com 
RoyGBiv Gallery offered two artists doing subtle and rather tender small pieces void of much color. Anna Laurie Mackay (above top) worked on tissue papers, some that were woven and most with subtle words and dates. Sara Berens's pieces were small drawings of hands and arms in and out of holes or bound together.
The gallery hop continues to be the place to see unique new transportation. This made in china electric car was an odd sight, but perhaps a glimpse of things to come.
Window shopping was the top sport for this January hop, even if the store wasn't open. Posh Pets (above) showed the latest in dog fashions to keep warm in winter.
Phia Salon was aggressively trying to get people into the shop to register for free make overs or massages. Silhouette artwork was a blast from the victorian past that hasn't been seen much.
Worthington Studios offered colorful window peeping of his brightly colored metal sculpture.
The Lindsay Gallery continued their show from December, but added a few extra pieces that warmed the hearts of window shoppers.
The North Short North is becoming more fashion oriented. 4th and High Studios is a new shop that claims to be clothing designers to be reckoned with.
Window displays for the holidays have been added since the December Holiday Hop. The above new vintage resale shop offered free candy canes while taking in their sharp display.
The Columbus Haberdashery has opened near Fifth and High which seemed to be about more than hats.
Flower Child (above) is the king of window and sidewalk displays. They put out one more Christmas collection with a Santa that seems to be happy it is all about over with for this year.
The Surly Girl Saloon had an odd holiday window display with a pirate octopus or something (above left). Meanwhile, Waldo's brought us scissors and stylized trees but no live models. Live models were pretty much gone from all of the shops. Yet, a few street musicians braved the cold for a time.Coffeeshops were popular, but even they couldn't find enough gallery hoppers. The new resale shop Funky and Functional opened with a great collection of reasonably priced collectibles. Their store has a backroom as well. This is a great time to buy art from the past, the prices have never been lower.
