Boylan Heights ArtWalk

My daughter and I made it to ArtWalk for the first time. Not knowing what to expect, we arrived about 15 minutes before the official start time and scored prime parking. We were there to buy Christmas gifts from a specific artisan, and just walked around the corner from where we parked to buy the pottery I had been coveting on Etsy. The local artists set up shop on the front lawns and porches of homeowners; and the houses are so cute! Everyone was friendly and the art work and crafts were amazing. There are so many talented local artists. ArtWalk is a great venue to showcase and support them.

THE Cool Art Festival
Visits: 4
Each year on the first Sunday in December, enjoy the coolest art festival and discover the Boylan Heights neighborhood and the myriad of treasures from local artists.
The Cool Factor:
1. The Weather: The festival is held during the wintertime and it’s usually a bit chilly. The previous 3 years my husband and I donned our winter parkas and gloves. At least one shop will offer hot chocolate and coffee but you may wish to carry a thermos or a flask to help ward of the cold. Fortunately, this year the weather was quite balmy and no winter coats were required attracting a larger number of artwalkers.
2. The Downtown Locale: The Boylan Heights neighborhood is located in the southeast area of downtown Raleigh between Glenwood Avenue and Western Boulevard and bordered on the east by the Central Prison and the west by South Saunders Street. There is a collection of large and small, beautiful and unique homes some refurbished and some shabbily chic.
3. Neighborly Neighbors: What I think is really cool about this art festival is the residents open up their front lawns and porches hosting local artists to display their works. Many homeowners invite visitors into their home. That’s friendly and open! Two or three years ago, I climbed the few steps to a porch in which on the right side handmade purses were being exhibited and on the left was a woman sitting behind a table piled high with books. One of my favorite hobbies is reading and I was immediately drawn to the books. The woman was the author, Alexandra Sokoloff. She was very friendly and told me she used to be a screenwriter in Hollywood and now lives in area writing fiction novels. She signed the books that I bought. Definitely cool!
4. Support Local Artists: The festival is filled with a wide variety of unusual, one of a kind, art and crafts including jewelry, ceramics, metal sculptures, furniture, paintings, photography, and clothing… even books by local authors. This is a great opportunity to purchase a very special Christmas gift for the special people in your life. I really like shopping at the artwalk instead of the mall. I have found some awesome and unique gifts. One year I bought my husband a gorgeous, handmade scarf. I always find some cute piece of jewelry for my mom. I greatly enjoy talking with the artists. Everyone is so ‘chill’ and the event is a lot of fun and a good time for the whole family.
So mark your calendar and be cool by attending the Boylan Heights Artwalk.