The third annual Downtown Art Walk will take place in Columbus on Thursday, Sept. 3.
Main Street Columbus and the Columbus Arts Council will put the event on from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
The Art Walk pairs local artists with downtown businesses for the public to enjoy.
Different artists, including musicians, photographers, painters, sculptors and more, will display their talent at various downtown businesses for two hours during the art walk as consumers and art lovers go from business to business, shopping, looking at art and listening to music. The artists’ work will be available for customers to buy at the businesses.
Barbara Bigelow, director of Main Street Columbus, says the Art Walk is a way to introduce the population to local talents in the Golden Triangle area.
“We have so much art in the community and so many artists,” Bigelow said. “This is just a way to get more people to see their work.”
The event includes over 20 businesses. Some downtown business owners make their own arrangements for which local artist can set up in their store, while the CAC does the work of deciding which artists go to what business for others. Restaurants are included for the first time this year.
Artists include West Point muralist Deborah Mansfield who will show her work at Bella Interiors on College Street and photographer Becky Bennion at Bliss Yoga, participating from the first time in its new location on Main Street.
“It gives the artist and opportunity to expose their work to a diverse population of people,” said Columbus painter Ralph Null who will put his own paintings of flowers and gardens on display in The Paint Store during the Art Walk.
Null is heavily involved in the CAC and has participated in the Art Walk before. He calls it a good “community mixer” as it gets more exposes more people to both local art and local businesses. He himself loves have his art at The Paint Store.
“It’s wallpaper and paint, and paintings are just an natural extension of that,” he said.
He encouraged the public to come out and see his and other art. He added that Christmas is just around the corner and that original art makes a great gift.
Aberdeen artist Louise Coulson, who owns Kingfisher Designs, will display her flatware and jewelry for the first time this year at Grassroots Candles. She has never participated in the Art Walk before but is excited to be part of it this year. She is particularly thrilled with being set up at Grassroots Candles, a business she loves.
“I was just tickled because they are so cool,” she said.
In the past, Coulson has done Art Walks in West Point. During those events, people shop places they wouldn’t normally shop, in addition to seeing talent they’ve never been exposed to before.
“It’s good for the business because it brings people in and it’s good for the artist because it gives them exposure,” she said.
At the same time as the Art Walk, downtown will host Music in the Streets, in which musicians will set up on street corners and outside businesses. Members from the Suzuki Strings Orchestra and other groups will be set up at different locations throughout the event.
Bigelow said. At the end of the Art Walk, Bigelow hopes people will stay downtown and have dinner at a local restaurant.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Bigelow said. “It’s been really successful. We’re hoping it will continue to grow.”
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