Artsy-fartsy in suburbia: Artist's neighborhood art walk

Artist’s neighborhood is the perfect place to have an art walk (preferably during the day). It’s also a somewhat chaotic affair, strung throughout suburbs surrounding downtown: galleries in garages and lofts; museums in backyards, and hawkers peddling hand-crafted wares in front of their houses. Obviously it isn’t like walking into your local MOCA/MOMA, especially since the actual “museum” is 2+ miles long and a good 15 degrees hotter.

And pleasantly disorienting: my accomplice and I got lost almost immediately; thank god those starving artists had child laborers to provide us with chalk drawing-maps and cotton candy!

Unlike an actual neighborhood, there are no angry neighbors in these subdivisions, lending the ‘burbs an almost Midwestern milieu. If you’ve ever been to Chicago, it’s kind of like that — lots of closely-knit apartment houses with live music in the backyard, hawkers peddling homemade wares as you ponder which kind of craft to buy. Some of the acts here were damn good. There was the Daft-Punk-y type band with silver linens on their heads, a couple houses down, the 90′s alt-rock band; babbling on corners, the occasional street musicians and some random ethic performances.

Then there’s other Artists neighborhood’s locales, like the “Sketch café” in which you can pay for a 5 minute draw of yourself dressed as a pirate, an astronaut, a princess, the possibilities are endless, while enjoying a latte. The “Café brujas” where you can drink an uncanny, hot beverage, while a tarot reader discover the most fantastic things abut your own future, simply observing and theatrical act (completely free) or interact with painters of mythological creatures when they’re on action, mixing color, textures and different materials.

I know it’s unfair to rank something so DIY as the artist’s neighborhood art walk alongside a museum or any kind of professional establishment. The point is, does it somewhat inspire the soul, at least a little? Or is it an amateur effort among the masses to try and get noticed? The bottom line was that this was a homey community, packed with some extremely talented people; all trying their best to make it as artists, but in the end the art walk ratio might have left a little to be desired. But if you happen to be an adventurer, pursuing motivation and come see it yourself, it might help to know that what you’re lacking in talent, you’ll be making up for in culture.

The good news is that Artist’s neighborhood has the potential to be something big. The diversity of art here, and the talent behind it all, is what makes it so much fun. Good people making good things, and most of the time for a good cause. Plus you’ll burn some calories. Stop confining yourself already, and come seek that encouragement that only the ones who dare, get.

You can fin the Artist’s neighborhood walking west along 4 Oriente to 6 Norte.