The restaurants, galleries and booths of downtown Abilene will be open for ArtWalk Thursday and sporting the theme “Love and Lust.” The main events will be between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The event happens the second Thursday of every month. February’s theme celebrates Black History Month and the upcoming Valentine’s Day.

During the walk, most of the restaurants downtown will be open and there will be musicians both downstairs and upstairs in the Center for Contemporary Arts. A new nonprofit animal shelter called Paws Angel be giving puppies away.

Many galleries will open different types of shows, and everything is free. Jackie and Ray Warmsley created one of the four shows at the Center.

The Warmsleys’ show is entitled “Free at Last.” Specific events made freedom a strong element in their work, said Jackie.

“I married him in 1984 and then he was incarcerated in 1986. So I’ve been loyal to him and waiting on him during that time, so freedom means a lot to me too,” Jackie said.

Bird Thomas, curator of fun learning experiences at the Center for Contemporary Arts, said that everyone should check out all of the galleries during the walk.

“The whole reason for ArtWalk is so that the community can be exposed to so many different things at the same time,” Thomas said.

Jackie Warmsley (’80) received her Social Work degree from ACU in the first graduating class of the Department of Social Work. She began a degree in art at ACU, then came back to receive her degree.

Jackie Warmsley is the daughter of Don Morris. The Don H. Morris building, built in 1978, namesake. Morris was president of ACU from 1940 until 1969 and then became chancellor from 1969 until 1973 under Dr. John Stevens’ presidency. Morris is ACU’s longest serving president and the first alum to serve in that role.