You'll love this First Friday

Feb. 1—If this month is about love, spread some to local creators this First Friday enjoying the art around downtown Bakersfield.

The ArtWalk, put on by the Arts Council of Kern along 19th and Eye streets, returns again after relaunching in December.

Judith Cassis, who handles marketing for ACK and is one of the ArtWalk coordinators, said interest continues to grow for the event that allows artists and vendors to set up along the sidewalks.

"Our first ArtWalk in December was well-anticipated by the community following the limitations set by pandemic guidelines," she wrote in an email. "It was moderately attended, but the audience grew as expected for the January event, and vendor participation in the upcoming event on Feb. 3 has swelled. We are very excited.

"Under the leadership of Executive Director Jeanette Richardson the ACK is broadening our reach to support the outlying areas of Kern County so they can maximize their involvement in our events while creating their own."

Vendors have until 1 p.m. Friday to register to participate but Cassis said those already signed up include jewelry makers, painters, woodworkers and more.

The event, which runs from 5 to 9 p.m., will also include music from 4U&I, a DJ collective that will provide an eclectic and family-friendly music environment along with special musical guests Lauren Wilson, JT Paradox, Faith Angeles and Best Dad.

Local artists and artisans interested in taking part can contact the council at info@kernarts.org or call 661-324-9000.

Those wanting to support local can also head out to the Bako Market, which will bring more than 100 merchants and food vendors to Centennial Plaza outside of Mechanics Bank Arena.

Participants include Sweet Clouds Cotton Candy Rentals, which has a fully automatic cotton candy machine with a variety of designs and flavors. Customers can watch the machine create their treat.

Also set to take part is teen entrepreneur Kendall Jade who sells permanent jewelry.

The market runs from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the plaza at 1001 Truxtun Ave.

Visit the market's Instagram page (@thebakomarket) for more information.

Vicki Meadows embraces "A Bit of This and That" for her show on display at Dagny's Coffee Co.

Always a doodler, Meadows started painting in the second grade motivated by a teacher who entered her artwork at the Kern County Fair at which she was awarded a first-place ribbon.

"Surprising how a little blue ribbon can motivate a 7-year-old!" she was quoted as saying in the Bakersfield Art Association newsletter.

Drawn to both math and art, Meadows hoped to study to be an architect but her school would not let her enroll in architectural drawing.

That setback led her to put aside painting for nearly 40 years until she was asked to paint a donation for the Michael J. Fox Parkinson Foundation. That project reignited her passion to paint.

She enjoys painting architectural works, old buildings and structures. Knowing her local audience, Meadows has also created art highlighting Bakersfield's history, including the original sign for Wool Growers in Old Town Kern, which is included in the show.

"A Bit of This and That" is on display at Dagny's, 1600 20th St.

At the Bakersfield Art Association Art Center, Micki Shulz will present "Silk," her first solo show there.

Not surprising, based on the show's name, this collection consists of at least a dozen paintings as well as pillows and scarves that Shulz created with ink on silk.

"The tricky part of silk painting is learning how the ink will spread," she said in her artist's statement. "It is awesome when the colors blend together, much like watercolor, only on steroids and not as forgiving."

The longtime BAA member and current vice president credits fellow artist Kathy Schilling with teaching her the process of painting on silk.

Unlike many local artists who have been creating since they were young, Shulz didn't start painting until her 60s. Despite the late start, she continues to enjoy the process of learning and developing her artistic abilities.

Along with silk painting, Shulz also tries her hand at a variety of mediums including watercolor, oils, pastels, acrylics, sketching, multimedia, encaustics (wax), collage, resin, sculpting and more in a process she refers as her "creative exploration."

An artist's reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the art center, 1607 19th St.

Also on display at the center is student artwork from West and Centennial high schools, part of the program with the Kern County School District.

Students from the classes of West High teachers are Beth Chaney, Gelacia Torivio and Spencer Lawhon and Centennial instructors Yvette Stockton and Gabrielle McDuff are on display through February.

The Bakersfield Museum of Art will feature a number of exhibitions highlighting the creative talents of women.

Ongoing exhibition "Of Rope and Chain Her Bones Are Made" is a unique collection featuring works from nine Los Angeles-based female artists rendered in textiles, oil paints, cast bronze, porcelain and other materials.

It is joined by the new show "Rotem Reshef: Vista," a large-scale installation of scrolls and stretched canvases painted using imprints of native flowers, trees and shrubs.

The immersive presentation is meant to evoke the view from the Panorama Bluffs, with the Kern River Preserve on one side and the Kern County Oil Field on the other.

Also on display are "Dynamic, Surreal, Vibrant: Marion Osborn Cunningham," featuring the work of the museum's namesake, and "Color and Abstraction: Select Works From BMoA's Permanent Collection."

Open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., the museum (1930 R St.) offers free admission for First Friday.

Moderngigi Gallery (900 18th St.) will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. with work for sale from local artists and vendors.

End with the night with a snack at Radio Sandwich (1229 19th St.), which will be open from 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

The sandwich shop continues to defy your deli expectations with options like the saag paneer melt with gooey cheeses, fragrant curried farm greens, and chunks of fried paneer on house-made sourdough naan.

Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter at @realstefanidias.