The first Friday night of October extended activities in San José’s SoFA district, led by various fashion communities, from vintage clothing to curated art pieces on display.
First Friday events are monthly, described as an indie urban art faire, according to ArtWalk SJ’s South First Friday’s website.
Cherri Lakey co-hosts ArtWalk SJ, which features displays of art inside local businesses and exhibitions, as well as outside at booths.
“It’s an evening of connecting with friends and strangers over transcendent ideas around beauty, imagination, and possibilities,” Lakey said.
She said the history of First Friday art events goes back to 2000.
It started at a warehouse gallery called Anno Domini, to not directly compete with art organizations’ First Thursday events.
Lakey said it’s important to have spaces for those searching for authentic creativity, as well as the sense of community it offers.
ArtWalk SJ doesn’t hold events in January and July, while the accompanying event, STREET MRKT, with this month, being the final one this season.
STREET MRKT was later added to accommodate artists in San José and offer more space for acknowledgement, according to Lakey.
“We wanted to find a way to connect our art patrons, collectors, and curators with the amazing artists in our midst, but rarely seen,” Lakey said. “We feel that the artists, poets, performers, and musicians are the soul of the city and should feel acknowledged and appreciated.”
Over 40 artists and vendors set up shop outside, giving passersby a chance to explore and support local arts and crafts businesses.
Priyanka Krishnan, an upcoming solo pottery artist, said this is her first big show and Friday market.
“I always feel like the First Friday of every month is all about vibing and finding something new,” said Krishnan.
Businesses offered classes and workshops for those interested in making art pieces, while other artists offered on-the-spot commissions.
Danny Hanson, a queer Latinx San José portrait artist, offered $20 portraits, while paying $25 would give you a unicorn portrait.
“This is my second time actually selling my own artwork just at an event,” Hanson said. “I just like getting out and meeting people … I think it’s really important to help get their artwork out there, and it’s mostly about community engagement.”
Hanson said aside from portrait art, she has experience with co-creating mural art, including the Post Street mural.
The mural on Post Street was made to celebrate LGBTQIA+ pride and the legacy of the Qmunity District on Post Street, according to a San José Downtown webpage.
Before the street mural was finished, other murals in the Qmunity district were defaced with homophobic and transphobic commentary, initially being reported on a post made on Aug. 11 on the weareqmunity Instagram page.
A scheduled re-painting event on Aug. 24 called for community members to erase the remarks and keep the space welcoming, according to the same post
Aside from the ArtWalk SJ event, another was taking place about a street from the SoFA district art fair.
Brilliant Star Society, a vintage and accessories fair, also hosted a packed and curated First Friday event directed to a younger crowd.
Jhoselyn Valle, owner of De La Luna Cosmetics, has sold her vegan-cruelty-free homemade cosmetics and perfumes since 2019.
“I was in high school, I had a car but no money,” Valle said. “I ended up borrowing $100 from my mama and I ordered supplies on Amazon to make some lip glosses.”
Brilliant Star Society is an accumulation of different vendors selling their collections of clothing, accessories, art, and more, labeled as a “fashion playground,” according to its Instagram page.
Vending a booth begins at $35 and goes as high as $135, depending on the product, according to the society’s vendor application.
“I think First Friday kind of allows you to get to know people and their small business because sometimes online is a little hard,” Valle said.
Despite the clashing events, there was no problem uniting the community through mutual interests in clothing, art, and keeping it local.
Frankie Meja, a passerby, said both events were important for the community to promote their businesses and have a platform.
“I think it’s important to have, especially, like now it’s just a lot of stuff being overrun by random junk,” Meja said.
The next Artwalk SJ event has not been announced yet, while the next Brilliant Star Society market is scheduled for Oct. 11, according to the group’s Instagram page.
“We feel that the artists, poets, performers, and musicians are the soul of the city and should feel acknowledged and appreciated,” said Lakey.
