First Friday Art Tour

Great time at First Friday in Santa Cruz tonight! Spent most of the time in NutKreations which is an awesome store and bought plenty of nuts! Got a body fat test by Todal Fitness, Massage and introduced to new Organo Gold Coffee! Another successful outing with great community!

We saw some outstanding photography at Louden Nelson Center and some more unusual pieces at Felix Krupa Gallery. Closer to the main drag there were a variety of downtown shops with art of various kinds. It was nice to see big crowds in the olive oil & vinegar specialty store & Nut Kreations. On Pacific St. it was a bit harder to tell which venues were part of the art tour, but the atmosphere downtown was incredibly pleasant & festive, without the rowdiness & seediness one sometimes encounters in Surf City.

This is the most brilliant idea since the invention of… well, SANTA CRUZ ITSELF.
Started in Feb 2004 by a group of Artists, Patrons and Business partners who wanted to launch the Santa Cruz Institute of Contemporary Art in the city’s mainstream. According to them, «The purpose of founding an ICA in Santa Cruz, CA is to provide both, creative and educational opportunities in the area of Contemporary Arts for this community, rich with creative resources and intellectual diversity. By forming an ICA in Santa Cruz, CA the SCICA has joined a distinctive group of ICAs in communities around the world who have devoted resources to the pursuit of encouraging the relationship of Contemporary arts in the areas of Film, Dance, Theater, Visual and Performing Arts to the community in which they reside.»
It’s awesome! It’s a living, working creative space that runs the Friday Art Tour!
Their mission in establishing the Santa Cruz Institute of Contemporary Arts is to, «Provide leadership in the presentation and development of contemporary arts. Through exhibitions, performances, educational programs, and community partnerships, the SCICA has begun to engage the public by sharing in the experience, interpretation and understanding of the work of established and emerging artists. The SCICA enables artists and audiences alike to push the limits of artistic expression and explore provocative new ideas illuminating life here and now.» Visit their website — it’s really well-​made and informative!
Love the idea… SO COOL!