MANSFIELD — Luke Beekman sees opportunities for public art just about everywhere he looks.
“This pothole could be home to a mosaic work,” he said, pointing to part of a sidewalk on North Diamond Street.
The Mankind Murals Inc. director co-hosted the first artist pop-up and live music show at the ‘Luminous City’ mural on Saturday.
“Part of the goal here is to have a united front with the local downtown galleries and help the artists to hopefully sell some of their work,” Beekman said.
Beekman, who also chairs the Mansfield Arts & Culture Sector, said the artist pop-up drew some traffic from the Halloween Parade and other events in downtown Mansfield.
The Luminous City mural is a collaboration between photographer Braxton Daniels III and painter Robin Shoup, commissioned by Mankind Murals. It is located at 88 N. Diamond St. next door to Hursh Pharmacy.
“There’s plenty of opportunities in this space that we can use to continue to promote the local arts scene,” he said. “I think it would be super awesome to partner with Downtown Mansfield Inc. and do a final Saturday afternoon after Final Fridays.”
Anyone who visited Saturday’s pop-up and spent at least $15 with one of the featured artists also received free entry to the ticketed live music event. American Homestead Exteriors and Culligan Water sponsored the pop-up and beer garden.
“We had a costume ball and dance party with some local musicians, so that was great too,” Beekman said. “Any chance we have to promote local art and local music I think is good for everyone involved.”
The musicians at Saturday’s show included Keith Parker and Devy Kay, Neweracam, VaunDoom, Oddepoxy, DJ Thrash and RAVE 2 the GRAV3.
Pop-up artists are all featured in Galería Ekkles
Diane Googins helped select some artists’ work from her gallery above Relax, It’s Just Coffee to display at the pop-up show.
The artists included Evelia Sowash, Jac Googins, Talon Baker, Rachel Justice, Demetrius Howell, Shannon Volz, Jen Poppen and Rafael Serrano.
“A lot of them have affordable art or prints because not a lot of people are coming to a pop-up show prepared to spend thousands of dollars,” Googins said. “And everything here has such an amazing story behind it, that’s the thing I want to promote.”
Googins said her goal as a curator is to help local artists get recognized and find the right homes for work they want to sell.
“You can buy decorative art at chain stores or wherever, but galleries are worth going to,” she said. “Looking at people’s work, getting to know the artists and connecting to the art is a really great experience and makes it more meaningful.”
Galería Ekkles is at 103 N. Main St. suite 203.