It brings customers, not just to pick up food or household necessities, but to spend some leisure time, business owners said.
“It always brings people to town,” said Dale Dawson, president of the Montrose Shopping Park Assn. “It’s great.”
Artists displayed their work in booths along Honolulu to passing visitors, some of whom would not have explored the area if it weren’t for the event, they said.
“I was doing my errands and I saw the art,” said La Crescenta resident Donald Danlag, who was touring the tree-lined sidewalk and gazing at canvases along the way. “I was just curious, wanted to see what it looked like.”
Artist Karen Winters was pleased that smoke from the fire had cleared in recent days, creating a comfortable atmosphere for the community and alleviating concerns that the showcase event would be canceled.
“We were so thankful that the smoke finally cleared,” she said.
Winters brought more than 70 paintings to the event, including landscape and still-life pieces.
She was continuing work on a landscape water color painting she began earlier in the week and had set up a small easel for passing children who wanted to stop and test their own artistic skills, she said.
“I think it might enhance their appreciation of art and the parents appreciate it too,” she said.
Other artists were enjoying interacting with passersby in the shopping park, where the renewed activity was good news for all.
Artist Rosia Gomez was especially excited as she displayed a variety of works, including an abstract oil painting of a face made up of a patchwork of landscape images.
It was her first-ever art show, and she had made a sale, albeit of a very small piece for only $30.
“I’m very excited,” she said.
