All walks of art

MONTROSE — More than 30 artists showed their wares Saturday at an Art Walk organized by the Montrose Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber runs the event four times each year, and artwork committee chairman Laurie Jo Phillip said the event is always popular with local artists and residents.

“Many artists are repeat artists and come to all of our Art Walks,” she said. “We show mostly fine art rather than craft, and today we have ceramics, oils, prints and watercolors.”

Stalls lined Honolulu Avenue with 36 artists working on their projects and selling their goods. Musicians entertained shoppers as they browsed.

Artist Teresa Downer, a full-time artist from Sunland, creates what she calls “dimensional collages.”

“I use lots of recycled materials in my collages, like bark, wire or thick paper.”

Her work ranged from $35 to $375, and she hoped to sell lots of pieces.

“I have done well here in the past — I made $800 when I was at the last one,” she said.

Potential customer Simon Waldron, 35, was investigating the stalls with his wife and two young daughters.

“We live just around the corner. We’ve just had breakfast and now we’re enjoying looking at the art works,” he said. “We may buy something — we’d like to get one of the local area that’s by a local artist.”

Karen Redmond, of La Crescenta, had already found what she was looking for.

“I just bought some pretty cards,” she said. “I like the abstracts.”

She has been to several Art Walks.

“It’s always a nice day,” she said. “I like to see the talent and creativity. It’s nice to relax and wander around.”

Several artists said the event was less busy than it had been on previous occasions, but the executive director of the chamber of commerce, Ted Ayala, said July Art Walks tend to be quieter because lots of people are away.

“Also,” he added, “our last one coincided with Mother’s Day, so most of the artists did very well that day because of that.”