Downtown Art Walk

Images_32 Around the August Art Walk: The Movement Continues

By Ed Fuentes — August 16, 2008 — 5 Comments

Chapman Lofts Ed Fuentes

Through time, the purpose of art changes. Each era of society responds to a type of creative expression that suits its need.

The Art Walk's exhibitions reflects what Downtown currently is: a mix of low and high; performance and observer; traditional and digital; grit and elegance.

If Downtown's growth is pictured as a series of installations, a symbolic moment will be seen at the next Art Walk. The anticipated café named after the infamous moniker “The Nickel” will be opened by then. Call it romantic-urbanism. — Continued Inside...


Art Walk Preview for August, 2008

By Ed Fuentes — August 13, 2008 — 1 Comment

Digital Visions Ed Fuentes

Only a few years ago, Downtown felt empty at night, especially in August. With SIGGRAPH 2008 and the Downtown Film Festival LA in town and the Comedy Walk continuing its stride at various venues near 5th and Spring, it's safe to say that the August Downtown Art Walk may see the biggest evening crowds yet. So walk around, ride the bus with Esotouric, or hail a cab and enjoy the city on a summer night. — Continued Inside...


Images_32 Around the July Art Walk: The Business of Art

By Ed Fuentes — July 12, 2008 — 8 Comments

psa opening Ed Fuentes

The July Downtown Art Walk saw continued growth, with more people on the streets of the Historic Core. While there's no official count, the crowds were estimated to be the largest ever for Downtown Art Walk.

Councilman José Huizar explored Gallery Row after welcoming Phyllis Stein Art to his district and to Downtown. The champion for the Bringing Back Broadway initiative has spent lots of time exploring active urban centers outside of Los Angeles, and liked what he saw on the Downtown streets. — Continued Inside...


Art Walk Preview for July, 2008

By Ed Fuentes — July 09, 2008 — 2 Comments

Lamp Ed Fuentes

The Downtown Art Walk is upon us once again. It's July, and the walk will be a summer affair that brings the event its longest day of the year, by one minute. Sunset on June 12 was at 8:06pm and the July 10th sunset will be at 8:07pm. It will be 72 degrees when the sun fades away and dip to 69 degrees at 11pm. For those new to Downtown, Main Street is the split for addresses East and West.

Phyllis Stein Art debuts its new gallery with a ribbon cutting and artist opening reception. Council member Jose Huizar cuts the ribbon for the grand opening. Then artist Eric Small's "Press 1 for English" explores geometry with complex paper sculpture and Jesse Chapo's "Stateside" touches on themes of American ideas in a playful and compelling way. 207 W. 5th / Ceremony at 6pm / Artists reception from 7-10pm — Continued Inside...


Downtown Art Walk Wins Urban Planning Award

By Ed Fuentes and Eric Richardson — June 16, 2008 — 2 Comments

Teeth Ed Fuentes

The Downtown Art Walk is receiving a Planning Award from the Los Angeles Section of the American Planning Association. The award, to be conferred tomorrow at a ceremony held at SCI-Arc, is in the category of Grassroots Initiative.
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Images_32 A Ride Around the June Art Walk

By Ed Fuentes — June 13, 2008 — 3 Comments

the poet Ed Fuentes

There was excitement in the air at the June Downtown Art Walk. New sponsors, new gallery spaces, a new bus, and many in the crowd were from beyond the 110. But there were some bumps in the row that kept it from being a perfect night.

— Continued Inside...


Not Just for Galleries: Art Walk's Success Leads to Expansion

By Eric Richardson — June 03, 2008

Thoms Dave Bullock

When the June map hits the Downtown Art Walk site in the next few days, it's going to look quite a bit different than it has in the past. Participation in the highly-successful once-a-month event is expanding, with retail, bar and restaurant spaces joining the collection of galleries.

Art Walk Director Bert Green says the change represents an effort to expand the event's reach, while not taking away from its core purpose. "Since it has become so much more of a community event than before," he said in an email, "and the emerging retail presence downtown benefits so much from Art Walk traffic, it seemed a natural fit to incorporate everyone." — Continued Inside...


Images_32 A Visual Spin Around the May Art Walk

By Dave Bullock — May 13, 2008 — 2 Comments

Thoms Dave Bullock

Downtown residents and non-residents alike come out in droves every month for the Downtown Art Walk. This month was no exception, and continued a two-month trend of record attendance. As the weather warmed up, art enthusiasts continued to be drawn to the Historic Core.

After three months of my own shows, it was nice to be able to get out and take some photos of other artists. Click through for a sampling of sights from the May Downtown Art Walk. — Continued Inside...


Art Walk Preview for May, 2008

By Ed Fuentes — May 07, 2008 — 8 Comments

Life as a poet Ed Fuentes

The spoken word of Downtown Poets joins the visual display of art, video and comedy. It's Downtown Art Walk for May, 2008, and the streets are ready for you. Reminders are the same: Art Walk DASH is free, refrain from taking alcohol out of the galleries, and don't be afraid to buy art. — Continued Inside...


Images_32 As It Turns Four, Art Walk is Still Growing

By Ed Fuentes — April 13, 2008 — 39 Comments

That's the Spirit Ed Fuentes

"This is amazing," said Tom Gilmore, looking at the 9:30 PM crowd still swirling around GilVille as he held a rolled up poster. "There's going to be a time, years from now, when this art walk is smaller––or even bigger––and we will look back and say 'Oh, this is nothing. You should have seen it when it was really happening, back in 08.'"

Though the Downtown Art Walk has been around for a few years now, the April edition seemed to have a special energy about it. The gallery movement even took to the street, as Guerilla Art LA pulled their moving truck and opened up shop at 6pm. — Continued Inside...


A Visual Spin Around the March Downtown Art Walk

By Ed Fuentes — March 14, 2008 — 1 Comment

The Rowan Ed Fuentes

With the ground floor of the Rowan used as a gallery and the north face wall turned into a film screen, this month’s Art Walk expanded Gallery Row's active sidewalk life. Now in its third month, Comedy Walk attendance continued to grow.

Music, heard from the streets in several locations, helped create a sidewalk segue to guide gallery-goers between hotspots. Increasingly, those hot spots are spread out across the Art Walk and not just clustered at popular sites like 5th and Main.

After the jump, a visual tour through the March Downtown Art Walk. — Continued Inside...


DotDotDash: I [Heart] Art Edition

By Ed Fuentes — February 14, 2008 — 9 Comments

DDD Today's Downtown Art Walk falls on Valentines Day and galleries are taking that theme to heart. With more exhibits beyond Gallery Row, an Art Walk DASH may not be enough. Art walk cab service anyone?

Off The Path, But Worth Noting: This morning Councilmember Jan Perry will unveil "Purple Heart," a large-scale mosaic mural crafted by residents of Skid Row working with the nonprofit org Piece by Piece. . —The opening will be held at 11am at the Southern (412 East 5th Street), an SRO dedicated to Vets. Piece by Piece's mission is to teach marketable skills, like creating high-quality works of mosaic art. . — SRO Executive Director and CEO, Anita Nelson writes in the release: "This mural, in symbol and in act, embraces the concept of selflessness and service and is a poignant homage to the one-in-four men and women who have served our country and now find themselves without house or home." — Continued Inside...


DotDotDash: Art Walk for December 2007

By Ed Fuentes — December 13, 2007 — 8 Comments

In and around Gallery Row, 2007 saw M.J. Higgins relocated, an Asian Theater completed, a Latino-based theatre return, activists videotape wine drinkers, and the welcome of an Art Walk DASH. Here's a preview of the last Downtown Art Walk for 2007, after the jump. — Continued Inside...


DotDotDash: Art Walk Preview

By Ed Fuentes — November 08, 2007 — 8 Comments

For tonight's November Downtown Art Walk there will be a chill in the air, so slip on that trenchcoat and DotDotDash your way around Gallery Row. One item of note, then much more after the jump...

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Gilville Notes: At Tuesday night's Ambassador of Goodwill awards, Tom Gilmore announced that the homeless Museum Of Neon Art (MONA) will be getting a display space at 4th and Main, and will have it for at least a year while the group looks for a permanent home ..— Split Personality: M.J. Higgins relocates and Gallery Number 1 will be at 400 S Main St, Suite 103 (enter on 4th) while M.J. Higgins Gallery Number 2 will be at 519 S Spring St. — Continued Inside...