The Beach Reporter: Get ready for Hermosa Beach Art Walk
Nearly 100 artists will transform the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Pier Avenue into an eclectic art gallery for the annual Hermosa Beach Art Walk taking place this weekend.
Ken Klade started the Art Walk in 2003 hoping to create an event that rivals art festivals in other towns such as Laguna Beach. They seem to be well on their way, according to Klade. For its first three years, the Art Walk took place on one Thursday night in May, June and July. Six years ago, the Art Walk became a one-day event and moved to its current home on the Community Center lawn. Because of its growing popularity, the Art Walk expanded to a full weekend in 2009.
“We're celebrating our 11th annual festival and the quality of our artists keeps improving from year to year,” Klade said. “In fact, we now have artists coming in from out of state because of our reputation as a quality fine arts festival.”
The Art Walk also gives back to the community, another of Klade's goals, by supporting public art projects and art education in the beach cities. At last year's Art Walk, four aspiring artists from Redondo Union and Mira Costa High School received scholarships to nourish their talents.
New this year to the Art Walk is an “Emerging Artists” section. Six artists who are beginning their careers in the fine arts were invited to participate. The Art Walk is providing them booth space for selling their work and increasing exposure, according to Klade.
Susan Vint-Schilling, who moved to the beach cities in 1967, will be the featured artist this year, and will sell her giclees at the Art Walk. She will not sell her originals because “it's usually something dear to my heart.” Her featured painting of Pier Tower 13 was used on the publicity material for the Art Walk, which she calls a “wonderful moment.”
“You get so into the painting you almost can't see it anymore,” Vint-Schilling said. “It's like you get tired of your own work. Later you fall in love with it again. But while you're painting, it's like, 'Oh my god I have to paint this. It took me two and a half months. I'm so glad it's over.' I hadn't seen it for awhile, so to see it on the poster ... I was just thrilled.”
The Hermosa Beach Art Walk will take place Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, call (310) 374-0080, or visit hbartwalk.com.
