Weather sends Art Walk to TLC

It was a change of scenery for artists and patrons alike as Art Walk Aurora was relocated to The Leadership Center (TLC) for its 11th annual run on Sunday.
Originally set to take place at the courthouse lawn, Art Walk committee members made the decision on Saturday to relocate, due to the risk of rain and cold winds.
“We knew had to have something as a precaution, because I know rain is always an option, it can happen,” said Tonya Grosshans, committee member. “It was a little stressful rearranging all the artists to come in here, but I think it was the best thing we could do for today, just because of the wind coming or else it was going to be rainy.”
Lynette Fast, who uses flowers and plants as her inspiration in metalsmithing and mixed media painting, was pleased with the relocation.
“I was really worried about the rain,” Fast said. “I could see that it might be raining when we were trying to set up and with the cold and wind, I didn’t think patrons would be very comfortable being out in that. So I’m glad that they had this as an alternative.”
Being a seasoned artist at Art Walk, Fast shared several of the artists’ gratitude in seeing regular patrons return despite several changes made over the years.
“I really appreciate the people that come out to this every year,” she said. “There’s return customers and people who say, ‘Oh, I wouldn’t miss it. I come every year.’ That’s what makes it worth coming.”
Many of the 20 artists who attended this year’s Art Walk with many returning have come back year after year. They included April Schweitzer, owner of Blue Eyed Bootique in Stromsburg, who displayed jewelry and crafts made from upcycled leather boots.
“I gather my pieces from all different places and then I put them together and design them myself,” Schweitzer explained. 
Carol Pralle, a retired teacher from Wymore, returned to Art Walk for a second time to display and sell her macrame creations.
“I was an art teacher for 37 years (at Southern Schools in Wymore),” Pralle explained. “I taught macrame when I first started teaching and it just came back.”
Pralle also offered hand made cards containing her stitching in holiday season styles.
“They’re counted cross stitch, but they’re (my) little art cards,” she said. “You could frame them... and hang them later if you wanted to.”
Pralle said part of the draw to Art Walk for her is having an opportunity to come back into town to spend time with her daughter, Kelsey Pralle Gooder, a realistic and abstract painter, who is getting back into participating in art shows.
“I had a daughter (Elsie) recently, so I was getting out of doing things in my own personal time,” Pralle Gooder shared. “I normally do a couple of other art fairs in the summer, but couldn’t because I had a daughter. Being a part of this today has re-inspired me to get back into this and get creative again.”
For other artists Sunday marked the first time they had participated in Art Walk.
Lillian Larsen, an artist from Clay Center, has been making pine needle baskets since she self-taught herself the Native American craft in 2004.
“I collect them in September or October and I’m bundling them from then until about the first of the year,” Larsen explained. “I work on them a little bit every morning, so it takes me time to bundle them. So the numbers I put on (the price tag), like (one basket) I made it took me 11 hours, but that’s just making the basket, not collecting, bundling, washing, spraying them.”
Melinda Montoya, a 2021 Hampton graduate and art student at Hastings College, was eager to showcase her work in stoneware and earthenware sculptures.
“I walked around last year and the year before and it was really fun,” Montoya said. “Someone told me that there weren’t any potters this year, and I don’t think there were any last year, and they said I should go for it.”
While demonstrating her craft, Montoya brought fun into her work by giving younger patrons a chance to mold the clay.
“I like the idea of letting the kids touch it, because you could just see in their eyes that they want to feel it,” she commented.
Bringing acrylic flowers from their business, The Colored Petal in Omaha, Troy and Ally Devine said they wanted to encourage other people through their work and put out the message that art can be more than just a hobby.
“There is opportunity to make a businesses out of doing artwork,” Troy said. “I didn’t know that until somebody else showed me that and showed me how to do the business of art. That’s what we try to stand by, to be able to help others build businesses in the art field.”
“It’s really big for us that we want to help encourage other people to be who you’re created to be and create the things you love to create,” Ally added. 
Patrons were also offered food made by staff at TLC as well as treats from Snackology. They were also treated to music performed by Myles Jasonowski as well as Andean musical group, Kusi Taki.
Taking their name from the Quechua words meaning “Enchanting Music,” the Lincoln-based group has performed throughout North America and Europe sharing the beauty of Andean cultures using South American instruments.
Kusi Taki director Oscar Rios Pohirieth commented the group was excited to be part of Art Walk and to share their music with the community and families in attendance.
“We love playing music which brings the heart of the people where we come from,” said Pohirieth, a native of Southern Mexico. Fellow musician Daniel Martinez is from Peru.
“We also love to play cover songs like ‘Hotel California’, simply because it brings themes that people know. It’s part of the cultural perspective of the North American people. So when we play that type of music or cover songs using native instruments, there’s something about it that really tells people that we care about music, no matter where it comes from.”
“We’re just really thankful that TLC gave us this as an option,” Grosshans commented. “We checked with other buildings around town and they weren’t available. We’re thankful to have it at TLC, (they’ve been) providing food and have been very accommodating to us.”
Grosshans also thanked the patrons for their continued support of Art Walk.
“We’re so thankful that everybody showed up and that people supported the artists,” she stated. “Having people that did come and support artists, that’s our main goal. To support small businesses and to keep Art Walk going. The more the merrier.”
Information regarding the artists and their work can be found on Art Walk Aurora’s website at ArtWalkAurora.org.