Saturday, May 17th: starting at 4pm

Artists and art lovers will fill the sidewalks and businesses of Madison Avenue on May 17th, for another Madison Avenue- Lakewood ArtWalk. The Lakewood ArtWalk (formerly the MAMA LIA ArtWalk) was designed to increase exposure for participating local artists, organizations and area businesses, as well as further establish Madison Avenue as a vibrant and evolving neighborhood with a meaningful connection to arts and culture.

The Art Walk is a collaborative effort between MAMA (Madison Avenue Merchants Association) and LIA (Lakewood is Art) with the support of the Lakewood Observer and Cox Cable(who will be filming the event this time). Committee Members from LIA and MAMA worked together to give the community another opportunity to gain exposure to the various art that is abundant in our area.

Pop Shop Gallery Owner, Rich Cihlar, Wobblefoot Owner, Tubal Cogar, Justine Cooper and Artist, Jeff Hulligan, who are MAMA members; along with Ruth Koenigsmark and Barbara Michel of LIA both of whom volunteered their time to work closely with Madison Avenue business owners in generating enthusiasm for the Show, encouraging businesses to find their own artists. Lakewood is Art volunteers worked with business owners and artists, placing additional artists of all kinds.

An illustration by Jeff Hulligan on the ArtWalk show cards captures the essence of the walk as being family friendly. “Artwalk attendees will see and experience local art once again in some non-traditional spaces like Silhouette Dance Studio that will host an art show for Harding Middle School Students, the Beer Engine that will have an interactive art display called the Art Carpet and Carol Lynn’s Salon Plus will have several artists and a glamour shots photographer on hand, just to name a few,” said Ruth Koenigsmark, LIA Chair. “It’s an alternative way for people to see art.” Speaking on the ingenuity of MAMA members, Justine Cooper, MAMA Chair said that “business owners were also attracted to the idea of finding another way of connecting with the community.”

Omega Cuts business owner, Christina Ermidis, said she is “excited to host the walk’s first FilmFest,” which will include a film by her son, Andy Blubaugh, who is an aspiring film maker. “Scaredycat” is an experimental documentary about the role fear plays in our lives, "The film takes as a point of departure the beating of the filmmaker at the hands of a gang of young men who called themselves "The Portland Riders. Blubaugh will be at Omega to answer any questions about the film. Also, included will be films by local indie film makers and films made my students for the Historical Society. Phil Florian, Filmfest coordinator and Scott Plumer have volunteered their time and talents to organize this event at Omega.

Traditional galleries, like Wobblefoot Gallery and Pop Shop will host a variety of artists. The Pop Shop will have an opening reception for their 3rd Anniversary Art Show and an after party, next door at Mullens of Letterfrack.

There will be musical performance at Vance Music, Coffee Pot Restaurant, Pet’s General Store, Mahall’s Twenty Lanes, and Madison Rose BookStore which will host anything from folk to jazz to blues to rock. A mixed bag of talented musical artists! Additionally, Sirens Hararidance will perform at the Waterbury Coach House at 5pm and Omega Cut at 7pm. Bela dubby will finish off a culturally fulfilling evening with live, original music being performed late into the evening. You can pick up your Artwalk Map for a full list of events at Lakewood Observer/LIA tent at the Cat Clinic 17306 Madison Avenue on Saturday, May 17th at 4pm.