Art Pedestrians of Ellensburg
Ellensburg is a cozy, country town lined with historic brick buildings, bustling Central Washington University faculty and students, and an exceptional amount of art. Whether you’re a local, student, or tourist, you’ll find yourself frequently stumbling into art becoming an “Art Pedestrian”. This can happen accidentally as you’re perusing the town. An Art Pedestrian can be anyone, people walking down the city streets who might stop and take a photo with the Ellensburg Bull, or often those who peer into a window display while they walk by the Clymer Museum of Art. In Ellensburg, you’re consistently surrounded by diverse artwork.
There is art you can walk to, and then there’s art you can walk into. At first glance, pedestrians and passengers often find themselves drawn towards a mural, one of many displayed across town. Some are vibrant and some are ghostly impressions of old advertising, but all speak to the diversity of the community and its history. These murals are not confined to the outside walls either. One of the more surprising murals stretches across the recently opened Hotel Windrow displaying bright colors and polygonal shapes representing crop fields.
Murals aren’t the only art you’ll find yourself walking into if you’re not careful. There is an affluence of animal statues scattered across the town. You might just find yourself sitting next to the Ellensburg Bull or resting in the shade with Kitt the Coyote. Washoe, a chimpanzee who lived in Ellensburg from 1980 until her death in 2007, was the first non-human animal to learn sign language and is celebrated by a statue outside of Friendship Park.
While you’re embracing your new Art Pedestrian self, wander over to Dick and Jane’s. Passer-byers can view the reflective road art from outside the fence enclosing a wonderfully weird display of home art. The pieces in the yard are always evolving as older parts decay, new ones take their place.
The first Friday of the month is celebrated by local artists, galleries, vendors, and the newly labeled Art Pedestrians. Many begin their Friday night excursion by walking into Gallery One, the mecca of galleries in this town. This open concept gallery showcases local, national and international artists. They feature various visual art pieces and host a quality gift shop that features handcrafted art by Washington State and Pacific Northwest artists that include unique jewelry, ceramics, paintings, original prints, photographs, and oftentimes seasonal inspirations. Beyond the giftshop, Gallery One offers education programs, art classes, networking opportunities, and studio space for resident artists.
By now the rodeo influence over this town is undeniable. You’ve passed the bucking cowboy and wandered into the Goodey Gallery and where you now find yourself shifting between fine art and western artifacts. The gallery hosts artist meet and greets, displays renowned exhibitions, and sells intricate and handmade pieces of art. The Western Art Association, who operates the Goody Gallery, was established in 1972 to encourage interest in western art while preserving the unique western heritage of Ellensburg.
Pivoting your view from the past to the future you’ll find yourself navigating the inspired pieces of CWU’s students and faculty at the Sarah Spurgeon Gallery. The Gallery, located at Central Washington University, was created in memory of Sarah Spurgeon, a celebrated art professor. Here you’ll find yourself parading and pondering various mediums of art including photography, painting, jewelry, sculpture, collage, mixed media, pen & ink, lithographs and more. Shows and exhibits are constantly changing and rotating, creating a fresh experience to ponder every time.
Ready to take a stroll in the garden, Art Pedestrian? The Japanese gardens are an immersive experience that provide zen and delicate peace among the bustling collegiate life. These gardens are a refuge to many CWU students and faculty but also to locals and tourists. The balance of botanicals and sculpted water features provides an artistic nature walk that showcases the relationship between Japan and Central Washington.
Ellensburg’s devotion to Visual Arts has created a town-wide art district that stimulates and inspires not only art enthusiasts but the everyday pedestrian. The outpouring of local support for artists has elevated this town to an art treasure. To plan your art journey visit myellensburg.com to learn more about local artists, galleries, and events.
Have you heard of chatGPT? Put simply, ChatGPT is a chatbot that can engage you in a conversation, just like a human would. Is this a breakthrough AI technology with far-reaching impact, or a new, hyped, fad hype that will slowly dissipate as initial curiosity fades?
We thought we’d take some questions to the chat-bot and see how it stands against our expertise. We’re battling the bot!
The screenshot shows the responses:
We knew we had the upper hand, but this completely shocked us. We see that it’s pulling incorrect information and completely missing all current galleries. We also would like to add that we had to wait for an email to enter the generator due to full chat rooms. Find up to date information on our website 24/7 right at your fingertips.
Our Ellensburg Experts win this round! Better luck next time, Chat-bot.
