Published: July 01, 2009 01:11 pm      

A walk to remember

Zionsville welcomed artists and art enthusiasts for its Ninth Annual Gallery Walk Friday, June 26. The event, hosted by the Zionsville Arts Initiative brought hundreds of visitors wandering along Main Street, as the town cordoned off much of the thoroughfare for patrons to enjoy the warm summer evening.

Artists of all kinds displayed their art, and even created pieces as onlookers walked past.

It was the first Gallery Walk for Mooresville artist Jeanne McLeish, who painted with watercolor right out on Main Street.

“I’ve been to Zionsville, but not enough. This is just beautiful,” she said.

Noblesville artist Jerry Dreesen agreed as he painted on Main Street.

“It’s tremendous — I’m having a great time,” Dreesen said.

All the Zionsville galleries were open as well, giving local artists a chance to showcase their work.

Zionsville artist David Seward, represented by Wickliff Fine Art, worked on his oil painting and explained that Zionsville has a great arts community. Sometimes people don’t realize what’s going on in their own back yard.

“There’s a lot of great art here that could be noticed, and could be appreciated more,” he said. “These are trying times, and we’ll get through it.”

He was happy to see the Brick Street Gallery Walk so well attended, and said it’s events like these that help keep Zionsville’s arts community thriving.

Another Zionsville artist had the most original idea of the evening. Local artist Corey J. Mills, a 1997 graduate of Zionsville Community High School, placed the white paper along the brick Main Street, and encouraged visitors to walk over them for an imprint. Mills said he and friends did a similar project along the walkways at Ball State University in Muncie.