Despite Drizzle, ArtWalk Spreads Spring Cheer

May 9, 2016, by Lucy Gellman- "Taking in the sounds of Dr. Caterwaul’s Cadre of Clairvoyant Claptraps and Arms & Voices as a mist began to fall over Whalley Avenue, pint-sized Westvillian Ava Kimbro and her mom Marjorie made a decision: stick it out, at least until Ava could get a big, blooming flower painted on her face. After all, this was their third Westville Artwalk, and they weren’t going to be that easily deterred. They inched toward the front of the line, where face artist Lauren Wilson was hard at work with her palettes, brushes, and stencils. That — resilience the face of an intermittent drizzle, lots of umbrellas, and the occasional joke about wearing wool and winter boots in May — was the theme of Westville’s 19th annual Artwalk, held Friday night through Saturday around Central and Whalley Avenues and in a section of Edgewood Park. Despite a driving rain Saturday morning that pushed events back an hour, hundreds of attendees turned out, taking advantage of free, family-friendly activities, tours of nearby ArLoWLotta Studios, Beecher Park, Westville’s myriad art galleries, and pop-up markets galore. In Edgewood Park, the threat of rain did little to keep away Westville’s families. Linda Young and LaRoya Porter came out with their kids and kids’ playdates for this year’s promise of interactive, kid-friendly activities. While Young’s daughter Bella, 4, went straight for the bike-powered spin art tent, Porter’s daughter Layla Uqdah-Jennings, son Zahir Uqdah-Jennings, and nephew Travon Spell headed to a muddy spot where Air Temple Arts had set up shop, the three trying to master the rhythmic stylings of artists Stacey and Nick Kigner, who got them set up with twirly ribbons and small juggling sacs..."

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