Jesica Kimberlin
Staff Writer
From the Claremont Museum of Art to the Packing House, the monthly Claremont Art Walk is a free event that showcases art all around the Claremont Village.
On Saturday, artists and art enthusiasts gathered from across California to enjoy the beauty of the Art Walk. The event, which started at 6 p.m. and ended at 9 p.m., happens on the first Saturday of each month.
Some of the works on display at the Packing House included paintings, drawings, handcrafted jewelry, homemade pottery, soaps, candle holders and more.
Booths featured in this month’s event included Creative Ceramics Mudslinger by Lane, Luz de Mano’s customized furnitures, Little Ghouls Art by Joanna and Julia Araujo, Sense About Scents and Que Sera Designs.
“It’s really cool, I’ve never seen the Village this busy before,” Maddi Guiett, senior organizational studies major at Scripps College, said. “It’s been really interesting talking to artists and finding the inspirations behind their art and what their future ambitions are.”
Ron Lane, a retired sporting goods screen printer who operates the Creative Ceramics Mudslinger booth, said he has been creating pottery since 1951, but did not return to the craft until a few years ago.
“It’s nice that I have a spot like Claremont to sell my goods,” Lane said.
He creates some pieces that were not only for display, but that can be used for dining as well. Lane and his wife Bonnie have been participating in the Art Walk for over a year and Saturday was their 14th time at the event.
“After retirement, I went back to the pottery that I learned in high school, so I’m learning it all over again,” Lane said. “I hope other people who retire can find something that they enjoy as much as I enjoy this.”
Jimmyah Simmons, an assistant manager at Subway, attended the event and said that even though it was her first visit, she will come back.
“It’s cheaper than the farmers market and it’s different,” Simmons said. “It’s stuff that you don’t usually see everywhere else and I’ve been to a lot of places.”
Simmons said she found Little Ghouls Art most interesting because their drawings were unique.
The business is run by twin sisters Joanna and Julia, who take customized orders as well as create their own works.
They are currently seniors double majoring in studio art and visual studies at Cal State San Bernardino.
“I was just researching art walks in the area and this one came up,” Joanna Araujo said. “And we really love Claremont,” Julia Araujo said.
The sisters have been painting since they were young and said that their inspiration comes mainly from Russian movies, Guillermo Del Toro’s films and Melanie Martinez’s music.
They said that artists should keep doing what they are doing, and that they will eventually get to great places.
Jesica Kimberlin can be reached at aljazi.birashed@laverne.edu.
