What is Brush on the Bluff?
Brush on the Bluff is a free, family-friendly event that celebrates art's deep roots in nature. On May 20th, dozens of professional local artists will set up their easels on the bluff and draw inspiration from the natural beauty around them. The public is encouraged to walk the trail, meet the artists, and observe their work.
Check out the video recap from 2021's event!
Greenplay Northwest will be hosting several art workshops for kids at Polly Judd Park throughout the day. There will also be food vendors and non-profit info booths set up throughout the park.
After the event, the artists' paintings will be auctioned off online. The proceeds of the auction will support art-related community projects, Friends of the Bluff's wildfire reduction efforts, and the artists themselves.
Why should I sponsor this event?
Brush on the Bluff has grown in popularity significantly over its first two years. What began as a small event with a dozen artists and 200 attendees has grown into an art extravaganza with over 1000 annual attendees, dozens of artists, crafts for children, art hikes, goat grazings, food trucks, and numerous info and activity booths organized by local non-profits.
Any business partners that support this event will be recognized in the following ways:
Logo on Event Materials
All of our sponsors' logos will be added to the event brochure, posters, and online promotions.
Public Gratitude
All of our sponsors will be thanked extensively in promoted social media posts and email blasts.
Free VIP Booth at the Event
You will be given a prime location in Polly Judd and promoted individually on the event webpage.
Event Ownership
As a thank you for their generous support, the Title Sponsor will receive a "Brush on the Bluff, Presented by _____" credit.
Friends of the Bluff is a 501(c)3 organization so all donations are tax-deductible.
We will credit 100% of in-kind donations toward your sponsorship level.
We are looking for the following donations from sponsors:
We are looking for
$500
from "Event Partners"
Title Sponsor
We are looking for
$1500
from one "Title Sponsor"
Additional Supporter
Event Partner
We are looking for
$100
from "Additional Supporters"
If you have any questions or want to get involved, please email the event organizer at tfinchamp@friendsofthebluff.org or click the button below.
Watch Artists Paint the Bluff's Scenery
Dozens of professional local artists will be spaced out along the bluff (all within half a mile of Polly Judd Park) to paint the scenery around them. Friends of the Bluff will provide maps to their locations so visitors can take a short stroll and observe the artists in action.
Visit Healing Hooves’ 200 Goats
Every year, Friends of the Bluff hires a herd of goats to lessen fire risk on the bluff by reducing brush and tree sapling density. The goats also help with noxious weeds and invasive brush. Attendees are encouraged to watch the goats in action, but please, do not touch the electric fence, do not feed the goats, & keep dogs on leash.
Art Workshops at Polly Judd
Greenplay Northwest (an outdoor early education center located at the base of the bluff) will be on hand to lead nature-themed art activities for kids all day. These activities will include painting rocks, a floral bookmark craft, sidewalk chalk, nature bracelets, and more.
Art Hike for Families (Limited spots, preregistration required)
Take a short walk into the woods with Marit Fischer before settling in on your blankets for a grounding and mindfulness exercise. This will be followed by a brief lesson on the basic principles of drawing and an opportunity for the children to share their work.
Food Trucks
Feast World Kitchen brings delicious global cuisine to Spokane while supporting and empowering our former refugees and immigrants, helping to weave them into the fabric of our civic life. FWK will provide two cuisine options; Thai from Chef Tom Binyo & Venezuelan Caribbean from Chef Patricia.
2023's Event Details Are Coming Soon!
For now, 2022's details will give you a sense of what to expect
What does this event support?
Brush on the Bluff is completely free to the public, but donations are greatly appreciated and help ensure that we're able to continue the event in the future. The proceeds of this event are split between three groups. The artists receive 50% of whatever their artwork earns during the auction. The remaining proceeds are split between the event organizers, Friends of the Bluff and The Botanical Alchemists. You can learn more about how the money will be used below.
Friends of the Bluff's Projects
Goat Grazing Events
200 goats visit the bluff to eat the dry brush and invasive species that help wildfires spread quickly.
Lop and Scatter Events
Trained volunteers remove low-hanging limbs and thin out densely forested areas.
Heavy Machinery Rentals
For some work, a chipper or other heavy-duty equipment must be rented.
The Botanical Alchemist's Projects
Sarah Edwards and Ava Barany of the Botanical Alchemists will be offering a three-part, seasonal, free-to-the-public Community Nature Art Workshop Series, seeking to engage people of all ages in Spokane. This workshop series will give participants the opportunity to explore the amazing botanical variety of beautiful Spokane and use it to create ephemeral art.
There is also something magical for the broader community in finding one of these artworks unexpectedly. It brings about a sense of awe and wonder—something so many people long for. Prior to each of the three outdoor events, Ava and Sarah will visit the park location with a team of volunteers to clean up any trash and non-nature items.
At each session, participants will create a personal artwork and then join in the creation of a large community collaborative project. Individual artworks will range in size from a few inches to a few feet, while the collaborative projects will reach 7-10 feet across. The works will then be left for the public to discover in their wanderings. A gallery show documenting the workshops, artwork, and the public’s role in creating the pieces will culminate the series.
Learn more and donate directly to their project by clicking the button below.
Last Year's Artists
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Robert Sevilla Naudon
This offering is part of the set of 3 living canvases made on the day of the event. A living canvas is made with the natural process of oxidation, essentially rust. This painting will change based on its display location. If it’s regulated and dry it will stay the same. If the location is in a dynamic range of humidity, heat, and dryness it will change into something else. This piece, titled “Cold Spring”, is done with a focused firing process to speed up the oxidation along with the help of some rain, natural brushes used from grass reeds and wildflower leaves you’ll discover botanical textures and themes. The frame is made of 2”x2” plain sawn oak. There is no stain or a poly sealer. The color is made by firing the oak and the wood is sealed with wax.
The other living canvases are available for purchase.
Contact the artist for details.
Nathan O'Neill
Local professional artist. Spokane native. I've been a professional artist for 13 years with a heart and mind for community awareness and activation of the arts. A recluse in nature, finds his own social and spiritual healing, within his own creations. Nathan has worked throughout the city, ranging from the Liberty Gallery to the Art Alley in Garland dist. Nate desires to bring ascension through vulnerability and boldness in his works.
Nikki Gamon
Nikki Gamon is a self-taught mixed media artist and eastern Washington native. She delights in color and loves to paint whimsical adventures. Nikki works primarily in acrylics and watercolors, mixing in many different mark-making tools. Previously a quilt artist, Nikki played with mixed media painting for years before committing to developing her skills and style during the pandemic. She now has a daily painting practice (assisted by her studio cats, Bobby and Sark) and sells her work on Etsy.
Star Ryan
Hi my name is Star and I am a multimedia artist, originally from Canada. I specialize in portraits and love incorporating nature and surrealism into my work.
Summer Milson
Born and raised in the Spokane area, I have been influenced by nature my entire life. Being a local means loving the land and all that comes with it. I show my love with my acrylics on canvas, how they fluidly move like my surroundings, painting nature is my passion!
Wakan Zion Burrows
Wakan has been carving mushrooms since 2017, repurposing wood that comes from his profession as an arborist.
Andrea Parrish
Website - Instagram
Andrea says she's never had a mind’s eye – the ability to visualize. This aphantasia created an interesting relationship with her visual art. For many years, she relied on photography to record and tell the story. However, after a hand surgery left her unable to use an SLR camera, she took a friend’s dare to pick up a paintbrush. Since she's unable to visualize what she paints, it’s a matter of just trusting what appears.
Mallory Battista
Jorden Heidal
I am a self-taught visual artist currently based in Spokane, WA. My work primarily focuses on bold abstract designs using bright colors with acrylic paint, pastels, spray paint and paint pens. I’m here to tell a story. Each color, each design, and each brushstroke are an expression of my emotion and feeling. Often depicting my personal journey, I aim to make each piece its own experience for both myself and my audience. My work is also inspired by the world and nature I surround myself with.
Mokeph Wildflower
Mokeph Wildflower dabbles in multiple artistic mediums. From a young age, they fell in love with both dance and photography. Mokeph is a published poet, avid dendrophile, and a Spokane local. As a member of both the queer and autistic communities, Mokeph advocates for equity and understanding. Their latest endeavor is “Mokie Rocks Designs” which was borne from a rock painting hobby.
Brandy Seistrup
The work of Spokane-based artist, Brandy Seistrup of Opal Fox Fine Art, is known for its bold yet calming use of color. It's her connection to the natural world that inspires the work. Movement that mimics the unpredictable lines found in nature; lines that are never straightforward; movement that can't be controlled. Reminding us to let go, trust how we feel, and see the beauty in the abstract.
Cinda Rodgers
I am a local artist in the Spokane area and have been known to share my creative talents in different ways and teaching forms to others throughout the years. During the pandemic, I realized that I personally am ready to explore my personal artistic journey and share it with others. My main focus is on watercolors and ink in an abstract way.
LR Montgomery
LR Montgomery creates original oil, impressionistic landscape paintings of our beloved Northwest. His paintings let you bring the ambiance and memories of your outdoor experiences into your homes, workplaces, and recreational abodes. LR Montgomery’s works are found in the collections of private individuals, corporations, environmental groups, museums, and educational institutions throughout the USA, Europe, Russia, China, Mexico, Canada, Africa, and Japan.
Aimee Croteau
Website — Instagram — Facebook
Aimee Croteau is an artist from Post Falls, Idaho, and a recent graduate of the Studio Art program at Eastern Washington University. Her academic efforts have earned her a Bachelor of Fine Art in Studio Art as well as two minors in Art History and Accounting. In addition to her passion for art and learning, she harbors a deep love for nature fostered by the picturesque landscape of the Inland Northwest. Her art commonly reveals her affinity for dry media, particularly colored pencil, which she often incorporates into her work. Currently, she is focusing on expanding her body of work by exploring different subjects, mediums, and styles.
Stacie Boyer
Website — Instagram — Facebook
Stacie is a multi-dimensional artist. She is the owner of Perennial Thrift, a creative venture that hosts mobile paint parties and installs residental and public murals. In addition, she recently signed on to instruct classes at Spokane's Corbin Art Center, using architectural air-dry clay and wood to make your own one-of-a-kind creature. She has worked with Spokane Arts, The Spokane Civic Theatre, The City of Liberty Lake and The City of Kennewick Wa. Bachelor of Fine Art, The Rocky Mt. College of Art and Design
Kelley Hudson
Website — Instagram — Facebook
Kelley Hudson is an artist and photographer currently based in Spokane. Her detailed drawing of the Monroe Street Bridge garnered encouragement from community members, who suggested she create a Spokane-themed coloring book which she received a Spokane Arts Grant to complete later this year. Her style is illustrative and highly detailed with a single pine tree sometimes taking up to 2 hours to complete. She focuses primarily on the landscape with a general love and affection for old architecture. “As locals and natives to the area we might see locations over and over, for years at a time; but we will all see these places differently and through different memories,” writes Hudson. “What is so unique about Spokane is this deep desire to connect creatively, both with each other and the landscape.”
Olivia Higgins
My name is Olivia Higgins and I'm a 20-year-old Mixed-Media artist from Spokane Washington. I incorporate many different mediums into my artwork such as acrylic, watercolor, oil pastel, marker, colored pencil, etc. Most of my art is inspired by metaphysics and altered states of consciousness with an overall psychedelic appeal. My current work uses entheogens to switch to a universal space. I find my inspiration there as art finds me. I see art as a meditative practice, and a majority of the music I listen to while I'm creating inspires a lot of the colors I choose to incorporate into my artwork as well.
Susan Webber
Susan Webber is a tattoo artist and muralist in Spokane WA. She also does some painting, woodcutting, sculpting, sewing, and whatever other creative things keep her hands busy.
Kelli Green
I’m an eccentric introverted extrovert who makes art out of pretty much anything. :)
Katherine Mandley
I had always wanted to be good at drawing and painting. In 2000 I went back to school at Gonzaga University and got the skills I needed from Bob Gilmore. While I am busy as a teacher, I have kept this dream of Art alive in my community of Spokane and am excited to a part of Art on the Bluff.