Fri 6/3-Sun 6/5
When it comes to art walks in Northeast Ohio, the story begins with the popular Little Italy. Decades later, the event lives on with the Little Italy Redevelopment Corporation and Cuyahoga Art & Culture expanding the tradition into new areas.
This year’s 2016 Summer Art Walk, which takes place Fri 6/3-Sun 6/5 along the sidewalks and in the businesses of Little Italy, is being viewed as a fine art and culinary affair. Sure, the galleries will be open for business showing off everything from paintings and sculpture to glass but the event offers much more.
Artist receptions are scheduled for Julie Cook at Moonstruck CLE (Friday) and 3D pop artist Charles Fazzino at Pennello Gallery (Saturday). Planned merchant highlights include: book folding sculptures lessons at Ampersand Goods, an exhibition of more than 140 photographs taken along iconic historic highway Route 66 at David Schwartz Photography, a lecture on the art of enamel jewelry making from DeSapri DeSign Italian, Cherie Lesnick’s abstract expressionist-style paintings at Still Point Gallery and local artists Charles Bowman III and Jeff Santula at Tara Seibel Art Gallery.
In addition to the area’s galleries, the Little Italy Art Walk boasts a vendor village or “Villaggio Artista” that features Images In Bloom (soaps and scarfs); Conde H Designs (jewelry, protection jewelry); BARR’s Bars, ltd. (cold-pressed soaps); and Serafino Olive Oils & Balsamics. As far as eating options outside of local restaurants, on Saturday, there’s an ice cream social in Tony Brush Park with Barrio Tacos food truck present as well.
CoolCleveland talked to Little Italy Redevelopment Corp. executive director Raymond M. Kristosik about the popular art walk.
First of all, give us a little history of the Little Italy Art Walk.
It’s been going on for over 30 years. It’s probably one of the oldest art walks in the city. The art galleries you see today were one-time grocery stores and service businesses that took care of the area in the ‘50s and ‘60s, when the population was bustling. Eventually those stores went out of business and in the early to mid ’80s an influx of artists started to occupy the storefronts. They created this artist community. And one of the things that they started was this yearly art walk. So it’s one of the local artist community’s annual events. We have entertainment, food and music. Also, there’s an outside vendor village where non-Little Italy vendors sell their product. It’s three days of a real nice party.
How has the art walk changed or grown over the decades?
It’s kind of the same principal but the artists have changed over 30 years. It’s more connected with the restaurant community now, and we’re doing a better job of bringing in outside kind of entertainment options as part of the art walk. We’re kind of just trying to increase the options available that weekend.
What was the idea behind bringing in a food truck?
We already have restaurants, which are already a big part of the art walk. Now it seems like a city-wide craze is the food truck. So we decided to bring them in and do a Saturday afternoon and see if we can attract some new people who enjoy that type of thing. Hopefully, people will come down to eat. We’re also doing an ice cream social in the park with University Circle and RTA. So we’re trying to make it like a family fun day on Saturday.
Obviously the various galleries are the main attraction of the event. Are we allowed to bring in ice cream or other foods while we’re perusing?
The galleries are all open for people walking around. You can bring your purchase and walk around. They don’t care.
For those of old enough to remember, Little Italy was always synonymous with an old country organization (wink-wink). Now it seems like the art mafia reigns over Little Italy.
Art mafia (laughs). Yeah, I don’t know about the art mafia but this is just a good family experience.
One Response to “Art, Food, Music and Fun Highlight Little Italy’s Annual Summer Art Walk”
Susan Fiori
I don’t know who will see this but I feel compelled to write and tell you how thrilled it makes me to see that something we started over thirty years ago is still thriving. Fiori Gallery was the first one to open in Little Italy. I hear it has become an upscale market. ….sort of returned to its roots! So… From Mexico, where I live now, I send big congratulations !!!!
Susan Fiori