By: Taylor Roberts ~Guest Writer~
Eclectic sounds of soft music and friendly chatter between vendors and patrons filled the streets from 1 to 6 p.m. on April 11 in Mount Adams during their Art Walk. Guests could attend the event for free but had the option to purchase artwork by more than 40 local artists present at the Art Walk. Prices for certain pieces started at $5.
“Some items were probably out of students’ price range, but there was some neat jewelry that was very affordable,” junior Jaqueline Dauterman said. The Blind Lemon, Longworth’s and 13 other Mount Adams businesses hosted emerging and professional artists from all genres.
Patrons wandered from venue to venue entranced by the array of paintings, photography, fabric art, jewelry and metal artwork on display. Among the many vendors showcasing and selling their work was Allie Guard, a young woman with Down Syndrome from Cincinnati, who uses colored pencil to make colorful creations Nicholas Sparks has had 10 of his romance novels adapted for film, his latest being “The Longest Ride.”called Allie Art.
Patrons also enjoyed street music from Gerry Fritsch of Hamilton County Sheriff Pipe and Drum Corps and Infusion Quartet, an award-winning acapella group. If guests grew tired and hungry, they simply popped into one of the venues for drink specials and original food. Many splurged and got UDF ice cream on the sunny 60-degree day.
“The art walk was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. It was really nice to just walk around sipping a UDF milkshake and look at all the different things showcased there,” Dauterman said. Adults old and young were able to appreciate the art walk and the variety of venues it had to offer. Children were also able to take part in art appreciation by getting their face painted at a booth. The event drew a large and diverse crowd representative of Cincinnati, thus showing how art can bring a community together.
Future dates for the 2015 Mt. Adams Art Walks include: May 9, Sept. 8 and Oct. 12. To be a vendor at the Art Walk, one must pay $25 per day. Artists who are interested in being a part of Art Walk can contact Alex Ranney at longworthsevents@gmail.com.