By snoadmin
The distorted sound of multiple instruments was heard in a distance as one approached the restaurants and local businesses along Atlantic Blvd. in Bixby Knolls. As one got closer, the live art being created as the night progressed also became visible.
First Fridays brought local artists of all sorts as well as others from cities far and near. As part of GLOBAL, a site started by the Arts Council of Long Beach to inform the public with a calendar of ongoing events in the city, First Fridays was one for great expectations.
Boy Scouts also paraded along the sidewalks and raised money for upcoming events. Business owners passed out flyers to bring in the crowd while people dressed up in silly costumes were out and about just for the sake of entertainment.
Walking into the Historical Society of Long Beach, the small office brought out a surprisingly large file of Long Beach’s history through a collection of photographs of the old pier; military works such as woman at work during the war and soldiers aboard huge battleships; and preserved documentations such as daily newspapers. An old light fixture from before the renovation of the city was visible upon entering the office, which gave the nostalgic feeling of how the city used to look.
The Historical Society also invited guests to the 15th annual Historical Sunnyside Cemetery tour scheduled for Oct. 30. Elizabeth Milbank Anderson, a wealthy philanthropist and heir to Jeremiah Milbank gave an unearthly visit to those who attended. Milbank was a financier, a co-founder of the Borden Company and a founder of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad who has come back from the dead to make the annual haunted event known.
As one proceeded along the street, the acts continued from face paintings, an Irishman on stilts and live music of several genres such as Danny Dean and the Homewreckers, a Lakewood-based rockabilly band that performed at Georgie’s Place.
Another distinct act that played along the sidewalk was “Timstrument,” a one-man band who performed multiple instruments next to his Volkswagen bus. Other musicians could be heard along the sidewalks and indoors as well.
Free Spirit Yoga, located in the center of the walk, hosted a local singer as well as accomplished Cal State Long Beach alumni Susan Erikson Hawkins, an artist specializing in sculpting. Hawkins has two degrees from the university; a BFA in drawing and painting and an MFA in sculpture. Along with small pieces she had on display, she also performed a live sculpting session with longtime friend Thor Carlson as her model.
Hawkins commented on the event, saying it “raises awareness for artists and the role of arts in the community.”
The idea of being able to display ones art for other to come out and view is beneficial and brings out an “aspects of life that most don’t realize,” according to Hawkins. Seeing Hawkins in action was a good way to show guests the hard work and dedication that their neighboring artists put into their works.
Along the other side of the street, more music was played by local bands that were simply out just to have fun and enjoy the company of friends as well as the attraction of fellow Long Beach citizens.
Elise’s Tea Room, established in 1996, was inspired by her family’s desire to have tea without going outside the city. Just outside the window, one could see a skeleton couple that was dressed elegantly in a top hat, penguin suit and a lovely white dress sitting at a table with a sign that read “A Tea to Die For.”
Just outside the Gallery Expo building, one could see the live graffiti arts from locals D. Brooks and Joseph Sarto.
Sarto, a Long Beach local from the Wrigley District said, “[The art walk] is needed throughout the city.” He continued, “[It’s] is good for people to network, have fun and just get out of the house.” Brooks noted that the event brings a “variation of arts- paintings, sculptures, and oils.”
Inside the Gallery Expo, a variety of art was displayed along the walls. Many of the artists also had printed versions of their original works for sale.
Self proclaimed artist Hector Silva of Pomona was in attendance and diisplayed his collection of Latino/Chicano art.
Silva considered the event as a means to “meet very interesting people.” Born in Ocotlan, Mexico, Silva found his talent in his late ’20s. He said he “likes to show a culture from a different perspective that has generally been considered very negative and very controversial.”
On display, he had numerous portraits of Latin American men and women with iconic props such as the Virgin Mary, Mexican flags and festival decorations. “I see them more as victims,” he stated as he recounted the lives of those in his drawings and in his own community.
While playing his guitar, Kyle Robinson, Long Beach local and artist said about First Fridays, “there’s a lot of potential for upcoming artists and also for veteran [artists] to show off their latest work.”
For a full experience of First Fridays, one should expect to spend approximately two hours to walk the nearly one-mile stretch of Atlantic from one end and back. For more information, visit globallb.com for upcoming events and participating artists as well as an opportunity to participate in the progressing Long Beach art walk.
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