Art Thrives at the First Friday Art Walk

Luxuries in life may take a back seat to the gas you have to pump in your car.

Some of those luxuries include art.

KSMU's Erika Brame took a walk downtown for the First Friday Art Walk to see how this impacted the luxury of art.

Art takes on many forms, from lyrical, to visual, to physical and the First Friday Art Walk brings them all together.

People crowd the street weaving in and out of each shop filled with art.

The Art Walk features a lot of local artists in local businesses for local buyers to visit.

Now that summer has hit more people are out to enjoy the weather but they also face heavy gas prices.

Terry Bloodworth owner of Springfield Hot Glass Company says the Art Walk is a great way to keep people coming out to his shop.

"People love to get out for events, positive events. And Springfield does the Art Walk better than I think almost any other place in the country. And we like to acknowledge that. And I think people say hey 'cheap date' And it's a good time with out much money."

Prudy Bone is co-owner with her husband Duane who is both one of the artists and stylist for DB Design Salon and Gallery.

She says they've created a strong clientele for their business.

"We have a really good business here and we have a lot of people through the salon and gallery on a regular basis. We have three other stylists besides Duane, so we kind of have a built in clientele automatically. So therefore we seem to really be able to continue to be able to sell."

Art Walkers Becky White and her husband Bill came back to the Art Walk for the first time in many years.

He bought her a necklace from one of the galleries.

She says they're still open to buying pieces of art.

"Coming down here and if we see a little something that is, we feel is affordable then yeah we'll pick it up."

First Friday Art Walk is free and open to the public.

Shop owners say they see people coming back for that special piece the first saw at the Art Walk.

For KSMU I'm Erika Brame.