Every fourth Saturday afternoon of the month beginning at 1PM until 3PM, downtown businesses participate in Tillamook’s very own ARTWALK sponsored by our local artist community at Art Accelerated and The Gallery located at 302 Third Street.  February 28th, 2018, marked ARTWALK’S second artwalk adventure in downtown.  Adventure you ask?  Yes, adventure, given the obstacle course that are our sidewalks and streets right now!  Amazingly, ARTWALK participants genuinely enjoyed all that the experience entailed with figuring out how to get from point A to point B, and all were impressed with what artistic treasures were found at each of the businesses participating.  Art Accelerated makes sure that each business features a different artist each month.
One of the first couples, both artists, into Sunflower Flats, had driven two and a half hours from Washington to come to our event, and were so complimentary and excited to see an Artwalk in our town.  They said they would be back!
At Sunflower Flats, we decided it might be a good idea to have live artists painting while ARTWALKERS browsed the art within our shop.  Since that idea hit my brain at the last minute, I quickly summoned two of my five grandchildren to help me out.  Callan and Chloe Rieger agreed that it would be fun to set up shop at the flower store with their easels, paints and brushes and paint with spectators watching them live while they created.  I wasn’t surprised at all by their subject matter:  Chloe a horse head and Callan a snake (it was a specific kind, but I can’t remember the kind).  With them both in action, the public watched them quietly and occasionally inquired how they came up with what they wanted to paint.  One man quizzed Callan on what type of snake he was painting.

Another was intrigued with the easels they were painting on and took pictures so that he could go home and try to make some himself.  My dad actually along with son, Sam, made the easels out of cedar poles and twisted wire about 16 years ago so that we could invite classrooms of students up to our sunflower patch to paint the sunflowers in the fall.  We did that for several years before teachers decided they couldn’t take time away from the curriculum anymore.  We still have the easels though, and use them whenever we paint up at Grandma Linda’s and Grandpa Ted’s sunroom, or outside in our gardens.
We’ve decided we want to try and have a different one of our local artists in our shop for each ARTWALK, if possible.  It gives the public a chance to actually see the creative process, plus it’s always exciting to actually get to meet an artist and learn his or her story.
Saturday, March 24th we featured Andy and Tami Toth of Wilson River Pottery.  We had a store full of people all afternoon who were pleased to meet the artists, and had the opportunity to purchase brand new mugs fresh from the kiln.

Saturday, April 28th, we will feature Dana Hulburt whose famous driftwood art has been a part of our shop for too many years to count!

Please come join the adventure downtown, and admire all of the local talent we have living among us.   Local artists and business owners appreciate your support when you make the effort with all of our construction.  Thank you for finding our front or back door!!!!

            There’s a new cultural phenomenon in town – Paint Night.  Gather with your friends for an evening of creating a work of art.  Teachers supply you with a canvas, paint, brushes, and instruction on how to create your own painting. 
            All you provide is an evening of your time, curiosity about your own creative juices, and a group of friends to share the evening.  While you sip your favorite beverage and enjoy some snacks, you pick up your brush and find your creative muse. 
            Working from a painting of a famous artist, you experiment with design, composition, color and techniques with your brushes, and are able to take home your very own creation.  Everyone else in the room is also at work, and enjoying their own creativity.
            Art Accelerated has sponsored several paint nights in Tillamook, partnering with the Pelican Pub, with the proceeds supporting Art Accelerated’s youth art classes, as well as raising money for the Oregon Food Bank. We have more paint nights in the works, including a benefit for the local Serenity Club.
            Other paint nights are popping up around town, as well, including the Tillamook High School charity drive’s annual paint night and Blue Heron’s Vine Gogh series. 
            Check out our website and our Facebook page for coming Paint Nights.  Register early, as they sell out!