Brush on the Bluff will showcase artists at work at Polly Judd Park
The Friends of the Bluff are throwing an art party on Sunday and inviting people to watch local artists paint, create their own sidewalk chalk art or participate in a nature inspired art workshop.
“Brush on the Bluff” was the idea of Friends of the Bluff president Trevor Finchamp and his wife, Dee Finchamp, who wanted to combine their love of nature and art. They originally planned to host the event last year, but it was derailed by the pandemic.
“We just really appreciate art,” Trevor said. “We thought it would be something the community would be interested in.”
Trevor and Dee Finchamp, and their daughter, Poppy, are photographed at Polly Judd Park.
The Friends of the Bluff is a nonprofit organization run by volunteers who maintain and preserve High Drive Bluff Park. Though the park is owned by the city of Spokane, the group helps out by doing trail maintenance, wildfire fuel reduction, education and other tasks.
The Brush on the Bluff event will be headquartered in Polly Judd Park at 1802 W. 14th Ave. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Feast World Kitchen will be serving Thai food and local chalk and mixed-media artist Stacie Boyer will be there creating a sidewalk chalk art piece and answering questions.
“We’ll have chalk available for those interested in joining her and creating their own work of art,” Trevor said.
The Botanical Alchemists, who create large-scale nature inspired designs, will be on hand all day offering workshops for anyone who wants to stop in and create their own work of art. A family art hike is also planned, but advance registration was required and the limited space hike is full.
Several local artists will set up at locations along the bluff, all within a half mile of the park. Maps of their locations will be handed out in the park. People will be able to watch them paint the surrounding scenery and ask questions. The artists include Arlon Rosenoff, Andrea Parrish, Jorden Heidal, Randy McCrea, Aimee Croteau, Brandy Seistrup, Karen Mobley, Megan Perkins and Pamela Van Kirk.
“They all have very unique styles,” he said.
The event, which is free to the public, is a fundraiser for the Friends of the Bluff. After the event, the paintings created by the local artists will be auctioned off online, with the proceeds split between the artists and the Friends of the Bluff. “We’ll be able to make a fundraiser out of it and the artists will get something,” Finchamp said.
Finchamp said he’s hoping for good weather, though Polly Judd Park is well shaded and the artists along the bluff will be provided shade as well. The event has received a good response on Facebook with more than 250 people indicating they either plan to attend or might attend and Finchamp said he’s hoping for a good crowd.
“I’m very interested to see how many of those people show up,” Trevor said.
Finchamp said he hopes to make Brush on the Bluff an annual event.
“We’re hoping to do it in the spring in the future,” he said.