COLUMBUS — Artists are about to fill the sidewalks and shops of downtown once again.
Main Street Columbus Executive Director Barbara Bigelow said the 12th annual Downtown Art Walk is coming from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 28. More than 25 artists will set up stands on the sidewalk and in local businesses, allowing attendees to walk, shop, and enjoy many forms of creative expression.
“We just appreciate art in our community,” Bigelow told The Dispatch Monday. “It draws a lot of people downtown, and we have tons of talented artists in our community, and it’s great to highlight them and their abilities.”
The Downtown Art Walk strictly includes artists from the Golden Triangle, Bigelow said, with the majority of those coming from Lowndes County. The walk includes all kinds of art mediums, like sculptured art, glasswork, cards, journals, wood and resin art, fine jewelry, books and much more.
Bigelow said the Downtown Art Walk originally started in 2013, inspired by other cities’ art walks between art galleries. But since Columbus doesn’t have multiple art galleries downtown, one of the organizers with the arts council suggested using the event to highlight local artists.
Though the art walk has shifted both in the time of year and time of day it is held, it has focused on highlighting those artists ever since, Bigelow said.
Artists that participate are placed either in a store or on the sidewalk, Bigelow said, which has built relationships between the artists and downtown merchants over time.
“Some of the merchants have an artist that they prefer, so of course, that’s who will be placed in their store,” Bigelow said. “Others, we gather information from local artists and we pair them up with other stores.”
Local artist Ralph Null said he has participated in the Downtown Art Walk several times over the years, and he is planning on participating again this year. Null will be set up at The Paint Store this year, even though the shop doesn’t typically open on Saturdays.
“I’ve been doing some new work, and it’s always fun to show it and have people admire it and buy it,” Null said. “It’s a good way to promote arts in our area. Columbus has a great literary history and architectural history, and I think it has a very vibrant arts history as well.”
Columbus Arts Council board treasurer Josh Hartley said the arts council is excited to get to partner with Main Street Columbus to bring the art walk to life once again.
“We are thrilled to have such wonderful partners in Barbara and the crew at Columbus Main Street,” Hartley said. “It will be a fantastic event and a great way to spend a Saturday morning.”
This year’s art walk will also include a performance by Suzuki Strings outside of the Rosenzweig Arts Center.
Shoppers who make purchases from local artists or the businesses they are placed in will earn “Art Walk Tickets,” Bigelow said, which could lead to winning a prize.
“If you purchase a piece of art from an artist, or you purchase something from one of our downtown retailers, you’ll be given a ticket,” Bigelow said. “… The store owner will give it to you, and you’ll bring it to the arts council at the end of the evening or whenever you have finished your shopping, and you’ll turn it in and we’ll do a drawing at the end of the week.”
Bigelow said Main Street Columbus will hold a live drawing on Facebook on Oct. 1, giving away this year’s prize – a combination fire pit and table.
For more information, contact Main Street Columbus at (662) 328-6305 or CAC at (662) 328-2787.
Artist locations
Art Walk host/artist pairings as of Sept. 19 are:
- Isadora Poros at Ali Kat’s Boutique
- Cassandra Midkiff/Heather Hewett at A Southern Gathering
- Paula & Kerri Howard at Bella Blue & Garrett & Co.
- Karey Beth Richards at Blades Hair Design
- Tanner South at Bubble the Day Spa
- Madison & Taylor Richardson at Cafe on Main
- Taproot Pottery/Chairs at Coffee House on 5th
- Delia Lochala/Krystal Kramer at Columbus Arts Council
- Carmen Lynn at DEEVA Brows & Lashes
- Chris Temple at Fired Up Studio
- Brenda Manzollio at Foxhole Comics and Games
- Rachel Derise at Friendly City Books
- Jenny Vega at Hollyhocks Gift Shop
- Vincente DeCocco at Lavender Lemon Clothing Co.
- Leanna Lindsey Hollis at Little Magnolia Co.
- Jade Huff at Mira Mira Boutique
- Audrea Unique Powell at Mississippi Magnolia
- Rose Harrison at Southern Lux
- Brie & Rah Lowry/Amanda Slaughter at The Hive Salon
- Ralph Null at The Paint Store
- Heather Madison at The Prom Shop
- Brittany Hoemke at Leadership Plaza
- Meg Ebert in front of Zachary’s
- Elizabeth Collins in front of Beltone Hearing Aid Center
- Andre Ray in front of Bank of Commerce
- Monica Haque in front of J&B Income Tax
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 30 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
