Fatima Mendoza sits with a series of prints that will be on display at the Oak Cliff Art Walk. Photo by Emma Ruby.
Fatima Mendoza was grabbing a coffee from Peaberry when she saw a poster advertising an Oak Cliff-based art gallery that was in search of artists to feature.
Despite having never shown her work in a professional show before, Mendoza decided to apply to showcase her art prints at the event.
This Saturday, Sept. 23, Mendoza will be one of over 110 artists showing their work at the third Oak Cliff Art Walk hosted at the Oak Cliff Assembly. For a $5 entry fee, an array of art available for purchase, live art work, music and food will be at the art walk.
“It’s really exciting seeing how many artists and their art is here,” Mendoza said. “And I’m nervous, but in a good way.”
A decorated church pew from the first Art Walk. Photo by Emma Ruby.
The Art Walk will be held at the lighthouse church on Morrell Avenue that was purchased by the real estate firm Proxy Properties in 2022. The event began as a way to utilize the church pews — many of which were rotted and falling apart — as artists were invited to decorate slabs of the pews.
“It was an organic, natural experience,” said AJ Ramler, co-founder of Proxy Properties. “This was the very beginning of the project and it has really shaped the project.”
The first art walk hosted 35 artists. The second brought in 75. This year’s art walk is expected to boast between 110 and 130 artists.
Of the 110+ artists involved in Saturday’s gallery, a third have never shown their art work professionally before.
“We wanted a sector of the show to be the first time for artists showing art,” Ramler said.
The youngest artist whose work is included in the gallery is 6, and a group of 4th and 5th graders from Celestino Mauricio Soto Jr. Elementary School collaborated on a work.
Haley Leavitt, a community manager for Proxy Properties, helped coordinate the Art Walk and went through over 600 submitted pieces of art in order to select the 150+ that will be displayed at the show. Leavitt said an effort was made to select artists from Oak Cliff, as well as “funky” pieces.
Last year’s Art Walk was attended by 1,200 people, and Ramler expects this years show to be even bigger. The event is come-and-go, from 3-7 p.m.
Story updated 9/21 to reflect additional contributions of Proxy Property staff to organizing the Art Walk.
