6:27 PM: Beautiful night for the West Seattle Art Walk! Above, that’s this month’s Makers’ Market at Junction Plaza Park (42nd SW/SW Alaska). Below, one of the booths you’ll find there – Flowers to the 2nd Power, glass art by Mary Kay Anderson:

Right around the corner at 4540 California SW, you’ll find Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), tonight featuring two West Seattle artists, Stephanie Hargrave and Click! co-proprietor Frances Smersh:

6:35 PM: If you like wine, Art Walk is a great night to go out. Both of our winery sponsors have art/artists until about 8 pm tonight. At Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW), artist Pamela Resnick is painting live:

And at Welcome Road Winery (3804 California SW), you’ll find art by Deborah McCarroll and Brooke Belman:

Find tonight’s full Art Walk map/venue list in our West Seattle Thursday preview.

6:40 PM: Love to relax with a book and a glass of wine? Stop by Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor) during tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk – on right now – and talk with Jessica Trouillaud about her business Words & Wine – which will set you up with both. Viscon Cellars is at 5910 California SW and open every Art Walk night until 8 pm – it’s our first stop tonight. Here’s the venue list, both for art and for food/drink specials along the route:

6:58 PM: We’re in The Junction now – where at least one Art Walk artist is in the Summer Fest Eve spirit:

Gwenevere Ferguson is showing her digital and acrylic art outside Merryweather Books, on the west side of the street between Alaska and Oregon. On the other side of California, same block, Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) is featuring Fritz Rud and his Ampliphones again this month:

Beautiful night to get out, not just for the art, but also for Summer Fest Eve.

8:46 PM: We also stopped by Virago Gallery (on SW Alaska next to Easy Street):

(“XOXO My love is very special” by Brianna McCarthy)

The exhibit “Matters of Inheritance” by Brianna McCarthy continues, and on August 5th, you can meet the artist, who Virago proprietor Tracy Cilona tells us is coming from Trinidad for the occasion. The 5-9 pm event also will include readings by writers responding to the exhibit.

(Like Virago, most of tonight’s Art Walk stops will continue showing their featured artist’s work through the coming month, so if you missed tonight – or didn’t make it to all the stops – you can check it out in the days and weeks to come.)

Weather’s great, and here’s your excuse to get back out into it – the revamped West Seattle Art Walk is on! Three of the two-dozen-plus places you can go:

SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE ART GALLERY: While on campus earlier today, we photographed that corner of the group show “Reaction,” which you can visit at the SSC gallery tonight. (6000 16th SW)

From there, southwest to The Junction, you’ll find many venues and artists:

WALLFLOWER CUSTOM FRAMING: Lupe Carlos (above) is the artist whose exhibit is “Wing and a Prayer.” The gallery’s announcement quotes him as saying, “The images in this exhibit are illustrations of stories from my life. However, I prefer not to relay exactly what these images mean to me. I prefer having the images trigger stories the viewer creates out of these pictures.” (4735 42nd SW)

Part of the Art Walk’s new incarnation is the chance to enjoy food and beverage specials. If you love wine, here’s where to go:

VISCON CELLARS: Wine and art are both on the menu tonight at the award-winning winery (a WSB sponsor) north of Morgan Junction. For Art Walk night, tasting fees are waived. And while you’re there enjoying winemaker Ben Viscon‘s work, you can also see paintings by Lindsay Peyton. (5910 California SW)

The full venue list for tonight’s Art Walk – where you’ll see art and where you can find food/beverage specials – is here. End times are now “late” – at least 9 pm.

We’re two nights away from the second Thursday of the month, which means West Seattle Art Walk night. With something new!

For starters – the Art Walk hours are expanded: “5 pm to late,” is how Lora Swift of the West Seattle Junction Association explains it. Here’s the full list of venues – take a close look and you’ll see something new:

What’s new is that restaurants and beverage spots are supporting Art Walk with extended happy hours and/or special drinks, as listed above; the starred venues are the places you’ll find artists. (You can also find the spring-quarter supporting eating/drinking spots listed here – including WSB sponsor Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW), where the tasting fee is waived on Art Walk night.)

Also, the new West Seattle Arts Council has formed – and you’ll see their work continuing to expand Art Walk into multiple WS neighborhoods. For starters, support local art – and local businesses – by getting out this Thursday night! (We’ll spotlight some of the artists on Thursday.)

Until 9 pm, this month’s West Seattle Art Walk is on!

That’s photographer Colton Jacobs at VAIN (4513 California SW; WSB sponsor) in The Junction, where you’re invited to a “cocktail reception” for his show until 9 pm. Less than a block north, photographer Karen Mason-Blair and musician Ayron Jones are featured at John L. Scott Real Estate (4445 California SW), also until 9:

You might have seen Jones in West Seattle before – including Summer Concerts at Hiawatha in summer 2015. Our crew’s third stop in The Junction also features photography:

Amy Douglas is at Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW; WSB sponsor) for Art Walk. You can see the full venue list/map for tonight in the daily preview we published this morning; other highlights are featured on the Art Walk website.

Photos by Leda Costa for West Seattle Blog

(Sampling James Elliott’s fragrances at Twilight Gallery)

From smellable art to wearable art …

(Frances Smersh’s earrings at Click! Design That Fits)

… this month’s West Seattle Art Walk offered variety. And gift ideas! Even if you missed the Art Walk on Thursday night, you can still check out (and buy) the artists’ work at most of the venues, so read on for a sampling of what’s out there … Read More

We first met Akiko Masker during last April’s West Seattle Art Walk, when we stopped by the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) gallery, where she’s the coordinator. She’s also an artist, and during tonight’s Art Walk, we photographed her at ArtsWest, during the artist reception for “Works,” her exhibition with Junko Yamamoto. Masker’s work is inspired by the Japanese “ukiyo-e” (“floating world”) art form, but a more “modern take,” as explained on the exhibition page: “I start with a material object such as a canvas. I then take a digital picture, manipulate that image, print it, and overlay it onto the surface. Finally, I incorporate industrial materials such as spray paint or string to give the object a sense of being both two and three-­dimensional. In this way I attempt to create a world that is both alien and familiar where one exists both within and outside of us.” The exhibition continues at ArtsWest through September 4th; the gallery is open 1:30-7:30 pm Fridays and Saturdays, 11 am-3 pm Sundays, at 4711 California SW – admission is free.

Most years, West Seattle Art Walk – second Thursday of the month – just happens to fall on the eve of West Seattle Summer Fest. This year, Summer Fest is about as early as it ever gets, July 8-9-10, so Art Walk has moved to the first Thursday, July 7th. And you’ll see special features in The Junction in honor of “Locals Night” – including an encore for the West Seattle Mural Tour, in case you missed it during June’s Art Walk.

Clay Eals from the Southwest Seattle Historical Society will lead it again. Time(s) TBA – watch for updates here. Art Walk runs 6-9 pm – here’s the venue map/list for July (as well as August and September). And on Summer Fest Eve, it usually includes a few surprises – if you have something planned that night, let us know so we can get it into the calendar!

Three scenes from tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk:

(First two photos by Torin Record-Sand for WSB)

GARDEN TOUR POSTER PRIZE: At Windermere West Seattle in The Junction, West Seattle Garden Tour president Pam Stusser (left) presented a check to Cynthia Dale Turner for winning this year’s WSGT poster contest with her artwork Wild, Wild Flowers. The Garden Tour, happening on July 17th, also has announced that ticket booklets are now on sale – in West Seattle, get your $20 booklet at WS Nursery or Junction True Value, or online via Brown Paper Tickets.

GREETING-CARD LAUNCH: West Seattle artist Michael Doyle was in the spotlight at VAIN (WSB sponsor):

He was not only showing his “Apartment Life” paintings, but also launching his card line “Apartment on Belmont.”

MURAL TOURS: And here’s what put the “walk” in tonight’s Art Walk:

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)

As previewed here last night, Southwest Seattle Historical Society executive director Clay Eals led two walking tours of the historic murals in The Junction. (Read the backstory here.)

Next West Seattle Art Walk is the second Thursday, as usual, but it won’t be West Seattle Summer Fest Eve as it is most years, since the night before the festival is the first Thursday.

West Seattle’s historical murals can’t be taken for granted. So far just this year, one’s been removed without warning; another’s been defaced with vandalism so big it would take thousands to fix. The quarter-century-old murals are fragile treasures, to say the least. Thursday, during this month’s West Seattle Art Walk, you’re invited to learn about them during two short free walking tours of the murals in The Junction.

These photos are from earlier this spring, when we went along on a sort of proto-version of the tour, with Art Walk committee members and Southwest Seattle Historical Society executive director Clay Eals, who will be the leader tomorrow night and has published this invitation on the SWSHS website.

In The Junction, the murals range north to south from the refurbished Hi-Yu Parade scene on the side of the Post Office (top photo) to the scene facing the parking lot off the west side of California just north of Edmunds, meant to mirror what you’d see if you stepped just a bit to the east from there:

Even if you’ve read the plaques next to most of the murals, you’ll learn something tomorrow night – like their Easter eggs, the tributes, the inspiration. Meet at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (4410 California SW; WSB sponsor) right before the tours start at 6 and 7:30, and check out other Art Walk venues before/after if you have the time!

If you think the West Seattle Art Walk is just a Junction event – not so!

NEW STOP IN ARBOR HEIGHTS: Brand new on the Art Walk map/list tonight, Brace Point Pottery, at 42nd/100th in Arbor Heights. Three artists are featured tonight, including Warren Pope and his “Sea Creatures”:

Two potters are also featured – studio proprietor Loren Lukens and Konstantin Reutov (photo below):

As with most WSAW venues, Brace Point Pottery is open until 9 – plus you’re invited to visit during studio open-house hours 10 am-5 pm tomorrow and Saturday.

ADDED 7:24 PM – SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE: The gallery at SSC is in the Brockey Center toward the south end of campus. This month’s exhibit is “Butterflies: A Fantastically Queer Journey,” including Bianca Wright‘s photographs of transgender women and graphic designer Allan C. Carandang, whose work on display includes bright and bold images of drag performers:

The artists weren’t there yet when we stopped by a little while ago, but we talked with gallery coordinator Akiko Masker. She talked with us about the gallery’s mission to encourage and support diversity, working with the Queer Straight Alliance not only in relation to this exhibit but also for an event coming up at SSC on April 30th, Queer Con. “Butterflies” (which includes nude images) will be on display in the gallery until then; admission is free, and gallery hours are usually Mondays-Fridays, 10 am-4 pm (tonight, until 9)

See the map/list of tonight’s Art Walk venues in our daily preview.

(WSB photo)

Winemaking is itself an art … so you could say you’d be enjoying two types of art if you stop by Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor) during tonight’s monthly West Seattle Art Walk. Winemaker Ben Viscon‘s tasting room opens on Art Walk night (second Thursdays, 6-9 pm) in addition to its regular Friday and Saturday sessions. We stopped by tonight to admire the art of Jesse Link – also known in West Seattle as a muralist – and the Viscon Cellars tasting-room decor, which Ben explains is 90 percent reclaimed, including shelving from old wooden grape boxes, an antique typewriter, and more. Plus, tonight, four wines to sample. Viscon Cellars is at 5910 California SW, just north of Morgan Junction, with table and bar seating where you can get comfy and unwind with the weekend in view. (The full list of Art Walk venues is in the preview we published earlier today.)

7 PM: In our Instagram video, those are The Silver Belles, with Christmas-carol parodies – making the rounds in The Junction during tonight’s holiday edition of the West Seattle Art Walk. You have two more hours to get out to Art Walk venues – here’s the map:

(Click image to see larger version of the map/venue list)
Our first stop was Wallflower Custom Framing (WSB sponsor), where it’s the seventh annual Puny Picture Show:

Wallflower is across from Jefferson Square, on the lower level of Mural, at 4735 42nd SW.
(added) Among the artists – photographer Michelle Smith Lewis:

If you don’t get there tonight – as is the case with many Art Walk displays – you can check out the art later in the month; many come with puny prices, too, lots of double-digits, so they would make great gifts.

More to come!

7:15 PM: Open for Shop Late Thursday and the Art Walk tonight, VAIN (WSB sponsor) at 4513 California SW – which is a shop as well as a salon, if you aren’t already aware! Sandra Farmer is here for the opening of her ceramics show “Polarity“:

The 4500 block of California SW is an epicenter of Art Walk creativity, on both sides of the street. It’s also where you’ll find local authors tonight at Merryweather Books (4537 California SW):

In our photo is Alice Ann Kuder, holding her book “Since I Last Saw You,” which she describes as “a novel which conveys an inspirational message within a heartwarming story about love, loss, and gratitude.” And steps away at CAPERS, we found Chief Sealth International High School teacher Heather and daughter Sparrow helping with sales of the student-program-benefiting West Seattle Wildlife Calendar:

The calendar features wildlife photos by retired Sealth teacher Mark Wangerin – whose beautiful bird photos are often seen here on WSB.

7:37 PM: More music on tonight’s Art Walk – Red Jacket Mine Duo just started their set moments ago at Thunder Road Guitars (WSB sponsor):

Thunder Road is at 4736 California SW and just celebrated its fourth anniversary. We’re off next to see artist Mark O’Malley at Basin Pacific Insurance (4210 SW Oregon, in the building immediately east of Shadowland), who sent us a handwritten invite to come check out his art depicting West Seattle scenes.

8:22 PM: That’s Mark, above, with some of his work, painted on old jigsaw puzzles – which you wouldn’t know unless you turned them over. His show will be up at Basin Pacific past tonight, and many of his pieces are for sale, including whimsical depictions of many local businesses – all with one extra touch (hint: meow). He doesn’t have a website but you can reach him via e-mail at markostudio@aol.com.

Meanwhile, photographer Mark Wangerin had arrived at CAPERS when we peeked in again on our way back south along California:

Follow the calendar link above if you missed this but want a copy for a holiday gift, or your own wall … it’s a limited run, so don’t wait too long.

We then made one last stop, Twilight Gallery and Boutique (immediately west of Easy Street Records), where the artists included Su Laing, with work fusing comic-book heroes to religious icons/stories:

Twilight’s ongoing displays and collections also include jewelry, wallets, and wearables, among other items. Always so much to see on the Art Walk – every month, second Thursday, 6-9 pm, and many of the venues keep the work up through the month.

Two scenes from tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk, both in The Junction on California between Oregon and Alaska:

That’s Sheila Lengle, who spent the evening at Windermere West Seattle (4526 California SW), where her show “Prevail!” raised money to fight breast cancer, which she has survived. As the preview of her show noted, creativity was a pathway to healing for her, resulting in bright, beautiful paintingss.

A few doors south, Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW; WSB sponsor) is featuring the work of Deanna Baldi (and shared this photo of her, taken tonight):

As you can see, her work is also inspired by the world of plants – her paintings “strive to capture the essence of beauty in bloom,” she says. They’ll be at Click! until next month’s Art Walk, which will be November 12th (remember that WSAW is a great night for artful holiday shopping, especially in November and December).