Pioneer Square art walk

Remember when you were a kid and you got a quarter from your mom to spend in the vending machine at the grocery store? I sure do. It was a rare treat and I still remember the excitement of hearing that little plastic container drop into the slot and the clink of the little metal door as I grabbed my prize and despite my mom’s warnings of future dental damage, I would frantically pop the lid off with my teeth. Then there was that split second of excited anticipation, wondering if I got the coveted sterling-silver-like ID bracelet (of which there were probably only one or two placed in the whole west coast vending machine circuit) or the very disappointing adjustable tin heart ring, which pinched your finger and left it green.

That moment of the unknown, that exhilaration and anticipation is what I feel these days as I wander the art galleries of the Northwest. Never knowing if the next gallery is holding a hidden jewel or a tarnished dud. And, of course, this is a very personal experience. One person’s silver-like ID bracelet is another’s person’s pot metal adjustable ring.

One of my favorite ways to visit local galleries and hunt for artistic treasures is by frequenting the various art walks around our area, my favorite being the first Thursday Pioneer Square Art Walk, which was one of the first in the country and was started by a small group of art dealers in 1981. Over 50 galleries currently participate and display a variety of art from full length knitted body suits (Greg Kucera Gallery) to a 3-foot pink mascara tube (Pacini Lubel Gallery). In addition to the galleries there are coffee shops and eateries that offer up art for your viewing pleasure as well.

This past month, as usual, we started our Pioneer Square adventure by hopping off the bus and heading down Jackson Street to the Zeitgeist Coffee shop, My husband ordered up his Americano and my Cappuccino as I wandered over to take a peak at the months art offering. Do I think it is a prize? Well truly art is in the eye of the beholder but I thought it was fascinating. I encourage you to come to the 1^st Thursday Pioneer Square Art Walk and decide for yourself.

It has been five months since my last blog. The irony being that I declared in my last entry that come hell or high water I vowed I would blog regularly. Well, Hell came and my world imploded when my mom, my best friend, died quite suddenly of cancer. I have been just getting by day by day, and my blogging and even my desire to create my art have been nearly non existent. But I am working every day to mend and grow and reach the potential as an artist that my mom always assured me that existed.

I try to keep this blog about art and not go on and on about unrelated topics, which is always my tendancy, but I just wanted to dedicate this moment to my mom and let everyone know what an amazing person she was. She grew up so poor and had to work so hard from the time she was old enough to push a broom or churn butter and had so much tradgedy; losing a baby, a husband and an adult daughter and yet she never complained and always kept her love of people and life. Another thing that has always amazed me is that she was raised in an envirnment that was 100% utilitarian, just surviving was the goal and yet from very young she somehow nurtured an exquisite sense of taste from interior design to fashion and art. She was always finding ways to bring art and design in to her life despite the financial and time restraints that were always working against her. I could go on and on about my mom and perhaps I will redirect these stories to a seperate journal but for now I must say I owe my love of art and my passion for the process of creating entirely to my mom.

My family and I have created a not for profit foundation called Arts for Healing Hearts to help provide art classes for kids who have lost someone they love to cancer. We are still establishing some of the legal aspects of this foundation but if you know of any kids who might benefit from the healing benefits of an art class please send me a note and let me know.

Thanks to you all who have helped support me during this difficult time. I can never tell you how much this has helped.

More to come about current shows and art adventures.

Lynn Garka