COLUSA, CA (MPG) – A clear evening on March 20 helped to transform downtown Colusa into a lively hub of artistic expression and community engagement.
The inaugural Colusa Art Walk, which fell between rain events during a wetter-than-normal first week of spring, offered a vibrant display of art exhibits, live performances, art demonstrations, and activities for all ages.
The Colusa County Arts Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing the arts and fostering connections between artists and the community, organized the event, which stretched five blocks along both sides of Market Street.
“The Art Walk was a fabulous, well attended event that brought art to life in downtown Colusa,” Arts Council President Denise Conrado said. “The Arts Council would like to especially thank the businesses, artists, musicians, and nonprofit groups who took the time to participate and made the Art Walk a successful community event.”
The inaugural Downtown Art Walk, which the Arts Council hopes to make annually, was funded by a City of Colusa Community SAKE grant, and coincided with the opening of “Wild Clay,” the exhibition showcasing the works of local ceramicists at the Arts Council’s gallery on Fifth Street.
Local businesses played a pivotal role in the event, serving as “stops” along the walk where attendees explored unique art installations, met artists, and even took part in creative activities.
At Tri-Counties Bank, Girl Scout Troop 348 hosted a Community Weaving Project specifically intended for interaction, using materials from recycled garments and fabric scraps that may have otherwise been destined for a landfill. Colusa Floor Covering hosted Egling Middle School students, whose artistic works were on display.
First year teacher Alejandra Puerte said she assigned her students a project that inspired by a landscape done by teacher Maite Testerman’s daughter, who created a work of art by duplicating a photograph.
“I thought it would be so fun if we all made landscapes of Colusa; that’s what all of these are,” Puerte said, pointing to a large display of her students’ pen drawings of local buildings, fences, geographical formations, trees, vegetation, as well as things long gone, such as steamboats and vintage automobiles parked along city streets. “Some of the students took the pictures themselves or chose them from online – and then recreated them. We were practicing our fine line drawing.”
Seventh grader Issac Serrato said he loved the project, taking a photo of the Colusa Bridge with his phone, printing it out, placing it side-by-side with blank drawing paper, and duplicating the image using a pen.
Puerte, who graduated from Colusa High School in 2018 and then returned to teach after graduating from Oregon State University, is also a teaching artist from the Arts Council. She said she was excited to take part in the Art Walk, especially given the massive indoor space at Colusa Floor Covering for her students to display their work.
Puerte said Thursday’s event was like the fashion shows she took part in when studying apparel design in college.
Many artists and activities during the Art Walk were outside on the sidewalk, including representatives from organizations sponsoring upcoming spring and summer events and programs, including the Levitt Amp Concert Series, which wraps its third year this summer, Sound Space Spring Session, Friends of the Library Wine Tasting, Live Lit, Social Studies Artist Residency, Visual and Performing Art Camps, and Colusa Founders Day.
“There is really so much going on in our community and county, and we have so many wonderful artists,” said Supervisor Janice Bell, who skipped a personal club meeting to attend Thursday’s Art Walk in Colusa. “What a great way to get the community and businesses involved.”
Among the many businesses participating were Richie’s Florist, who hosted artist Trinity Montejano; Stitches, who hosted young artist H. Jefferson Boes; the Bookworm, who hosted artist Ross Roadruck; Colusa Indian Physical Therapy, who hosted Colusa County Office of Education Youth Art students and live performers Sassafras & Doc; and All Star Realty, who hosted Salmon Bend Arts Studios.
Participating artists throughout the walk included Claudia Buchanan, hosted by the Colusa County Farm Bureau; Mary Ann Nation, Joella Guaraglia-Wheeler; Mark Vargo; Roberta James; musician and teacher Don Joel, Poet Mark Leidner, and artist and book illustrator LK James.
The Colusa County Arts Council’s Arts & Economic Development initiative highlights the contribution of artists to the local economy.
“The goal of this event, and each project undertaken by the Arts & Economic Development committee, is to build a strong network that supports working, local artists and local businesses,” Conrado said.
Also, during the event, the Colusa County Library hosted a storytime and ceramic-themed art activity. Arts Council Director Daniel LoPilato spoke in the Arts Council Anex about analogue film development and future programing. Colusa Tap Room had live music by Christ Impinna. Rocco’s Bar & Grill, Jameson’s on 5th, and fifth Street Barber Shop also added to the evening – and Colusa’s rich cultural tapestry – by providing a place for people to connect, inspire, and grow together.