Discovering art
Artists open their doors for self-guided tour set for Sunday
By Carl Kozlowski 11/18/2010
With the holiday shopping season just around the corner, the annual challenge of finding truly special gifts for friends and loved ones is upon us. For those looking to buy unique art, the Arroyo Arts Collective is offering ample opportunities Saturday with its 18th annual Discovery Tour.
Giving art lovers the chance to consider and purchase art directly from dozens of homes across the neighborhoods of Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Glassell Park, Montecito Heights and Mount Washington, the self-guided tour allows participants to set their own pace and choose which areas they want to explore.
While more than 30 artists will also be presenting at booths within the official tour starting point at the historic Lummis House, the fact that over 75 other artists are opening their doors to arts patrons means the event is also a great excuse to check out the often-overlooked neighborhoods of Northeast Los Angeles.
“It’s a great way to explore Northeast LA visiting wonderful homes, seeing amazing art on an excursion in an area that’s often not acknowledged for the amazing creativity that exists here,” says Edith Adeyta, the AAC’s tour coordinator. “There’s a long-standing history of artists there, going back at least to the 19th century.”
Indeed, the area became a hotspot for artists after writer and poet Charles Lummis built his home “El Alisal” at Avenue 43 in the late 1800s. The house became a gathering place for artists and writers in the area, while landscape painter William Lee Judson founded the Los Angeles College of Fine Arts and Architecture — aka USC’s first School of Fine Arts — to the north.
Adeyta also notes that the art available for sale is from an eclectic array of formats, including “everything from painting and installations, through conceptual art, fiber-based and craft-based art, metalsmithing and crocheting.”
Always taking place on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, the event’s date is selected not just because of the holiday season, but because this time of year doesn’t conflict with the many other artwalks in the city. However, the AAC also hosts its own artwalk on the second Saturday of each month.
“The annual tour has an open participation process, as you just need to be a member of Arroyo Arts Collective,” says Adeyta. “We have a simple application process that we start in the summer, so people send in their basic info and images. Then as long as you meet the guidelines, you’re part of the tour, because it’s very egalitarian. The collective is very community-focused, inclusive and has a big educational component.”
The 18th Annual Arroyo Arts Collective Discovery Tour takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, with all participants required to start at the Lummis Home, 200 E. Avenue 43, Highland Park. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door, and may be purchased at arroyoartscollective.org or at Galco’s Old World Grocery, 5702 York Blvd., Highland Park. Call (323) 850-8566 or visit arroyoartscollective.org.
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