Art crawl tips

A picture of my Jax studio from the spring Art Crawl

It's late...the Art Crawl is set to begin in just about 18 hours! Joel & I are scurrying about--hanging artwork, arranging furniture, finishing all those last-minute tasks. This will be our first time open for the Crawl at our Tilsner studio/living space. We hope lots of people will come visit our space!

If you are venturing out to the Crawl, here are my tips for making the Art Crawl a fun experience-- 

--Park for free at the Broadway/Kellogg lot. 

--Then select a few buildings to begin your crawl experience. I recommend starting with the Tilsner  (300 Broadway Street) where I'm located (Studio #507). The Tilsner is located across the street from that free parking lot I just told you about (see how that works!) Generally I suggest checking out some of the buildings that are live/work spaces (like the Tilsner) and buildings that are solely work spaces--like the Jax. The Jax has a high concentration of open studios--many of the artists have been open there for years. I still have a working studio at the Jax.

--Buy a crawl catalogue for a small donation ($2, I think). It contains a nifty map of the crawl, artist information, and a picture of one of my pieces (along with work of other artists).

--Wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes. You will be doing a lot of walking and after a while, comfort takes priority over fashion.

--Generally start on the top floor of a building and work your way down. It's easier and less tiring to go down steps. Don't count on elevators--some buildings don't even have public elevators (but the Tilsner does).

--Although you won't find a meal, you will be offered plenty of treats. Some studios even serve wine. 

--There will also be music and performers in some studios or outside buildings. You'll find the most street entertainment on Friday night. The Black Dog Cafe usually has a fire juggler on Friday night. There are even things for the kids to do. Outside The Depot there will be a tent set up where kids can work on a mural. Mears Park has some children activities scheduled. The Tilsner has a full line-up of music. You can find the listing here.

--Feel free to chat with the artists. They open up their studios so you can learn about their work and because they would like to hear what you think.

And finally, have a good time.