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Friday, April 29, 2016

WW Sketchcrawl 51, Earth Day and the Procession of the Species

It was a convergence weekend, the Fifty-first Worldwide Sketchcrawl fell on the same day as one of Olympia's best weekends of the year - Arts Walk, Luminary Procession and the Procession of the Species. 

The weekend begins with the closing of the main downtown streets on Friday night, stores display artwork from elementary school aged-classrooms to seasoned gallery artists. Kids draw with chalk in the streets, musicians play in the doorways and gift shops, Jugglers and fire throwers take over the intersections. 

Kids and adults blow bubbles in front of Washington Center for the Performing Arts.

Jules the Juggler dominates the intersection of 5th and Washington

Then the luminary procession, representing the fifth element, starts when it's dark. The paper lanterns, hand-made by the community members  who carried them, lit up the night like jewels dancing in the dark. 

Jewels in the night - the luminaries lend an element of magic and represent the fifth element: Spirit.

Saturday afternoon, the Procession of the Species wends it's way through town, with representation from the other four elements: earth, air, fire and water. Hence trees, slugs, birds of all feathers, the sun, fish and wales and even a wave rolls through town. 

Locals try their hand at chalk artistry as the procession lead approaches

The Sun, representing the element of Fire, leads the way flanked by batik wind-socks

A narwhale, octopuses, a flamingo and our college mascot, the infamous geoduck  are just a few representing the Water element.


It's a weekend of fun and celebration; color and light, music and dance.  You can read even more about the Procession and see more sketches on my blog, Olysketcher

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