Empty storefronts in Downtown Yakima will come alive on Friday, October 7th, when the talents of local area artists are put on public display. In 2013, the Yakima Arts Commission, an advisory group appointed by the Yakima City Council, developed the idea to harness the creativity of Central Washington artists.
Following a submission and evaluation process that took place this summer, outstanding artists from the region were chosen to be part of the “Windows Alive!” exhibition, which will run from now until February 17th, 2017 along the Northside of Yakima Avenue between Hotel Maison and 3rd Street.
To kick off the project’s fall-winter exhibition, a reception will be held on Friday, October 7th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm along the sidewalk on the north side of Yakima Avenue between 3rd Street and 4th Street. That section of sidewalk is adjacent to the windows featuring a majority of the fall-winter exhibition installations.
The artists chosen to display their work will be on hand at the reception to talk about their pieces and to help explain the concept of the “Windows Alive!” project. The event will be held in conjunction with “First Friday” activities in Downtown Yakima, which showcases local wineries, restaurants and shops with specials and entertainment.
“Empty windows in unoccupied storefronts send a message that isn’t very positive”, said Yakima Economic Development Manager Sean Hawkins. “The idea behind “Windows Alive!” is to fill those storefront windows with beautiful art and create a more engaging and vibrant environment downtown. The project also gives local artists a wonderful opportunity to showcase their work,” said Hawkins.
The artists who were chosen for the latest “Windows Alive!” exhibition are: Becky Melcher of Yakima (acrylic painting), Barbara Wallen of Selah (metal jewelry), Judy Markhan of Moxee (watercolor painting), Tieton Mosaic (typographic mosaic signs), Roxie Prothero Basford of Moxee (tapestry) and Jamie Van Gordon of Ellensburg (outdoor wildlife painting). Each artist or organization will receive a $250 stipend.
In addition to the contributions made to the project by the Yakima Arts Commission, support has also been provided by the City of Yakima, JEM Development, Inc. and Hotel Maison.
Additional information is available at www.windowsalive.com
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