Art Walk Nurtures Creative Community in Downtown Lee's Summit
We already know Downtown Lee’s Summit is a great place to shop, eat and play. But you may not know that each month, the downtown district becomes a showcase for artists and musical performers during the Fourth Fridays Art Walk.
The event occurring monthly from 5 to 8 p.m. on (you guessed it!) fourth Fridays from April to August offers the ideal setting for friends and families to gather, admire art and even participate in creating art themselves.
This post was written in partnership with Downtown Lee’s Summit.
What to Expect at the Fourth Fridays Art Walk
A typical art walk features artists indoors and out as well as a hands-on creative project for the younger crowd. Plan for an evening of appreciating art, meeting the artists themselves, strolling and stopping to grab a bite to eat along the way. Some merchants even set out sips and small bites to enjoy as you appreciate the featured artists.
Our family attended the Art Walk on June 25, which brought together 16 vendors at participating merchants, with creative work ranging from large abstract oil pastels, to jewelry, to tiny vacation paintings and wall hangings fashioned from reclaimed barn wood. This particular evening was a little stormy, but thankfully most participating artists were able to showcase their work indoors.
If you’re considering attending an upcoming Art Walk, a map detailing all the artists and their locations is available online here. My kids ages 12 and nine always like the idea of a scavenger hunt and finding different landmarks on a map, so we printed a map and set off to find some art!
Creative Community
We began our walk at the studio of the non-profit organization, Art School KC. The Art School KC gallery featured figurative and landscape work from watercolor and fiber artists as well as mixed media art. There, we met with Allen and Diana Rendell and learned of their mission to connect people of all ages with art and creativity.
“We want to help cultivate a community of artists in Downtown Lee’s Summit,” Alan explained. “Part of our mission is to help people of all ages understand that art is more than a hobby, you can make a career, a life out of it.”
Art School KC will remain in the studio space above Very Violet Boutique for the summer, but the Rendells hope to soon secure a permanent home in Downtown Lee’s Summit to serve as a work space for creatives, a clay studio, and an environment that showcases local artists.
We then headed downstairs to one of my favorite local home décor stores, Ivy and Sparrow.
My kids sat down to do a little watercolor painting with Jaime Lyon of In Joy Art. As my son painted, Jaime murmured words of encouragement to him. As we create opportunities for children to engage with art, it not only leads to a new appreciation of artistic process, but it builds up their self confidence in their ability as creators. I love Jaime's mission to help kids build confidence via art lessons, murals and creative workshops!
At Very Violet, Jaime was joined by fellow artists Kerri Howerton of Five Wood Designs and Robin Cook of Cook 2 Flourish.
Kerri creates custom art pieces from upcycled barn wood. More than 90 percent of her artwork is re-purposed wood, making it both sustainable and beautiful. Her pieces fit in perfectly with the natural, boho chic vibe going on in the store.
Robin, a cookbook author, health coach and jewelry designer, showcased some of her beautiful pearl jewelry. I’ve long admired and also purchased Robin’s jewelry as gifts, so it was really fun to connect with her in person.
Art Walk Eats
We made a pit stop at Grains and Taps because we’d heard that they had three new hazy IPAs on their extensive tap list. My husband and I shared a beer sampling and the Squeal Like a Pig Pizzadilla (a spicy delicious combo of bacon and jalapeños served in a thin-crust pizza quesadilla-style) while our kids enjoyed a cheese pie for themselves and playing PacMan on the vintage video game system at the front of the restaurant-bar. To plan your own Art Walk dining pitstops, see here for a full list of Downtown Lee's Summit eateries.
After dinner, we splashed our way down Third Street in search of more art. My daughter was enchanted by children’s book illustrator Julie Heide’s creative side project, Tiny Vacations, which brings to life places and people in tiny tins to commemorate experiences and places.
Next, we of course had to stop at Budget Blinds for the art of Beth Touchtone accompanied by sweet treats in the form of CottonTale cotton candy and PopCulture gourmet popcorn.
At A Thyme for Everything, artist Allie Louise was on hand displaying her work – large canvases swathed in bright color, both abstract and figurative. Allie is such a talented young artist, and her bright personality and enthusiasm shines through in her artwork!
While the rain may have put a bit of a damper on outdoor music and exhibits for this particular event, our family definitely still had a fun evening exploring Downtown Lee’s Summit, appreciating art and meeting the artists themselves along the way!
Cultivating Creativity
For those looking to extend their Art Walk experience, there are several amazing local Lee's Summit options! Art School KC offers sessions for all ages and skill levels of artist, and In Joy art classes help enhance kids artistic interests while building confidence, character and individuality.
The next upcoming Fourth Fridays Art Walk will take place on July 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. I hope to see you there!