AUGUST 31, 2017 // 21
ART IS THE WORD IN ILWACO
Galleries and
IF YOU GO
businesses unite
ILWACO ART WALK
to cap the summer 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday,
By PATRICK WEBB
Sept. 1
FOR COAST WEEKEND
ILWACO, WASH. — One
simple three-letter word
may spark a renaissance for
businesses in downtown
and waterfront Ilwaco.
Art.
That’s the hope of Penny
Treat and Marie Powell,
artists and gallery owners
who organize the Ilwaco Art
Walks.
The fourth Art Walk of
the summer takes place 5 to
7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1.
Supported by the Ilwaco
Merchants Association and
Port of Ilwaco, the duo
helped lure visitors to this
summer’s three prior “First
Friday” events.
“It was like a watershed
— people had been waiting
for something like this to
happen,” Treat said.
They are hoping for a
good turnout for the final
art walk. Seven galleries are
signed up, five on Howerton
Way, the waterfront street at
the Port, plus two down-
town. As well as the gallery
owners and the artists they
support year-round, work
by Wally Mann of Tokeland
and David Campiche, of
Seaview, will be highlighted.
Additionally, nine
neighboring businesses,
including several cafes,
Ilwaco’s bookstore and its
yoga studio, will welcome
visitors.
Powell, who splits her
time between Ilwaco and
New Zealand, is delighted
the art walks have returned.
She was involved in pro-
moting them about 10 years
ago before the peninsula’s
roller-coaster tourism/fish-
ing economy took a dive.
“I am glad to see them
GALLERIES:
Artport Gallery, 177 How-
erton Way
Marie Powell Gallery, 177
Howerton Way
Don Nisbett Art Gallery,
167 Howerton Way
Purly Shell Fiber Arts, 157
Howerton Way
Schroeder Woodworking,
157 Howerton Way
Bill Atwood/A. Eskelin
Studio, 114 Main St.
Jacob’s Hammer Custom
Metal, 114 Main St.
BUSINESSES:
Riverszen, 177 Howerton
Way
Time Enough Books, 157
Howerton Way
Olebob’s Seafood Market
and Cafe, 151 Howerton
Way
Salt Hotel and Pub, 147
Howerton Way
Antique Gallery, 208 First
Ave., S.
Serious Pizza, 103 First
Ave., N.
Roots Juice Java and Salad
Bar, 111 First Ave., N.
Olde Towne Trading Post
Cafe, 108 First Ave., N.
Queen La De Da’s, 124
Spruce Ave.
revived,” said Powell,
whose colorful monotypes
on display at the Marie
Powell Gallery are pro-
duced using layers of oil-
based inks. “My main hope
is that Ilwaco could become
an art destination. We have
galleries here, and we just
have to attract more artists.
The art walk is one way to
do this.
“The economy is picking
up, and we are seeing more
and more art buyers coming
to the galleries this year.”
Treat, a watercolorist and
woodblock artist, operates
ArtPort Gallery in conjunc-
tion with silversmith Luisa
Mack and Barbara Mallon,
who produces encaustic art
using hot wax.
She, too, has high hopes
that the art walks will help
spark a revival of Ilwaco,
which has some empty
storefronts. “This could be
something that transforms
the community around a
wonderful sleeping fishing
village to somewhere sus-
tainable,” Treat said.
She is delighted that
the city of Ilwaco and the
Columbia Pacific Museum
support continuing the con-
cept next year. “We may try
to get wineries or a brewery
involved, and maybe do an
art fair with even a street
dance, like in the old days,”
she said.
Treat invites those at-
tending this year’s final Art
Walk to enjoy a pleasant
evening walk between the
port and downtown while
savoring the treats on tap.
“There’s uniqueness in ev-
ery one of these businesses.
There’s something charm-
ing about them all.”
And she believes that
experiencing the beauty of
art could have a therapeutic
effect.
“Original art is for
everyone — and art has a
way of calming the nerves
of many people,” Treat said.
“There is an undercurrent
of sadness in the world,
but the arts can take away
sadness and transport you
to another time and another
place.” CW
PHOTO BY PATRICK WEBB
Penny Treat, one of the organizers of the Ilwaco Art Walks, describes her watercolor of wildlife
on Willapa Bay at her Artport Gallery in Ilwaco, Wash. Also pictured is part of a steel sculpture of
mother and child by Bill Atwood.
Meet
Award-Winning
Oregon Artists
Diana Poorman
Watercolorist
Jack Allen
Cityscapes and Jigsaw Puzzles
Saturday September 9 th
1-4 pm
Exhibiting through September
Second Saturday Art Walks
Art Classes, Workshops, and Studio Spaces
106 3rd St. @ Marine Dr.
Astoria, Oregon 97103
503.325.4442
AstoriaArtLoft.com
AstoriaArtLoft@gmail.com