Georgetown’s Artopia

I love Georgetown. It’s raw and at the same time homey; a place where you just might see a big guy in a kilt, with a skull tatooed atop his own shiny dome, offer to hold a lady’s baby so she can get out and use both hands to direct her husband on how to parallel park their minivan. Good times.

Last year was my first time to stumble upon Artopia and I had been thinking about it ever since. It was truly one of the highlights of my summer.

It follows, I suppose, that a cool community produces cool stuff. And Artopia is an interesting experiment in that sense; not only in the gathering and showing of art by members of the community, but in the creation of a new community gathered to make new art of its own. I used to think they should extend it through the entire weekend, but maybe it’s better, more sort of “Burn to Shine” to have it just on the one day. Everyone who comes has to make time–the same time–to get to the place–the same place and do art, whether you’re watching it happen or making it yourself. There’s a lot of different forms to enjoy!

Once again this year, it was a beautiful day (cleared up right after the heartbreaking World Cup match between U.S. and Ghana). My friend, Jenn (Davis as in Amateur Gourmand) and I strolled and tried to soak up as much sun and art as was available to us. And she took some fabulous photos for me to use here!

After scoring a face-sized ginger molasses cookie (truly lovely and only $2!) at Two Tartes bakery, we crossed the street & caught a bit of Horace Pickett and the nutty kids who play with him at the stage (Levee Breaking Stage) at the end of the old bottling plant. They were fun and very appropriate for the kind of circus/carnival-esque kind of vibe of the day.

The highlight of the day for me was really adding to the community mural and being amidst the variety of work in the Engine Room, which I seem to remember was hosting a private event last year, so I had not been inside this very cool space before. Here’s some of what we saw:

i'd like to think you can tell my drips from all the rest...

...mine are the very expressive ones... . This was awesome, though. There was work for sale here, too. But the murals (2) were really a tribute to all the interests and affinities represented by all the folks who came out last saturday.

an explanation of the "Seattle Band Map"--a work in progress. Viewers were encouraged to note connections between bands they know from here or elsewhere and bands from Seattle.

the map

a wooden boat. so very Seattle. i'd say this one could comfortably hold about 6 grown folks.

Braver souls than I donned these chicken suits for photogs. Jenn, like me, preferred to shoot them hanging on the wall.