Out for a Leschi ArtWalk

While the sky was gray, Leschi was popping with colors during the 13th annual art walk, with displays lining the sidewalk along Lakeside Avenue South on Sept. 14.

The art walk is presented by the Leschi Community Council and organized by a committee that LCC secretary Diane Snell says has dwindled over the years. There had been concerns about this year’s production, but everything ended up falling into place.

The lineup of musical performers was quite easy to fill when she reached out to Meter Music School on East Union, where most teachers are also performers, she said.

“I was slammed,” Snell said. “I couldn’t use all of them.”

This was the first Leschi ArtWalk for Adam Hansen, who uses stencils and spray paint to create graffiti art on canvas.

“I just found out about it a couple weeks ago and signed up,” he said.

Hansen never got into tagging, but said he appreciates some of the urban artwork he sees. A typical piece for him can take 5-10 stencils to create.

“It just depends on the photo and how I feel,” he said.

Lilia Karimi has been practicing yoga for 10 years, and teaching it for four. After years working on a children’s book that introduces youth to yoga, Karimi self-published “Lily Finds Her Om Way” in March.

She was at the Leschi ArtWalk to sell copies and give out coloring pages.

This was Karimi’s first experience writing a book, she said, having previously provided freelance articles about yoga for online publications.

“I felt super-inspired after one of the yoga trainings I did,” she said.

Attendees were asked to meditate on a part of nature and then share, she said. In “Lily Finds Her Om Way,” Lily learns lessons about yoga from the animals she encounters on her journey.

Turkish artist Elif Cansu Özen illustrated the book.

“We connected really well,” Karimi said. “She also practices yoga and understood what I wanted to do.”

Many Leschi ArtWalk staples were back in play this year, including a parade and dance performance by the award-winning Washington Diamonds Drill Team, a bouncy slide at Leschi Park and prime rib sandwiches at Leschi Market, which celebrated 70 years in business last year.

To get involved in the community council, visit leschicommunitycouncil.org.