icon next to each of them.
Art on Alberta is getting ready for its tenth annual Art Hop festival happening on May 16th. The street will be closed to motor vehicles to allow folks to meander through the 'hood, taking in the exhibit spread out in five galleries and taking in the music, street performers, demonstrations and activities set up for kids. There will also be a parade in which the public is allowed to participate. The organization's flyers for the parade suggest: "Ride your bike! Roller your skates! Bring a band! Sing a song! Wear a costume! Scream real loud!" It sounds like it should be a good time for all ages.
This year's featured artist is Thelma Johnson Streat, a painter and dancer in the 1930s, whose work was internationally recognized in her day. One of her paintings was the first piece by an African American artist to be purchased for the collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Streat was an Oregonian and attended the art school then affiliated with the Portland Art Museum. Streat's family still resides in the Portland area and has been working to obtain her works through auctions over the years. This event marks the first time all of Streat's work will be shown together in one place, and Art on Alberta has been working hard to showcase her work in our neighborhood, believing that she is a great symbol of the community, and hopes her personal story will inspire others, too. Art Hop will be showing 50 of her pieces, newly restored and framed.
In order to properly insure and appraise these works, Art on Alberta is actively seeking donations as well as members to help support this event. For more information, please visit the website: www.artonalberta.org.
