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 18th, 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.
Greenplay Northwest will host 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' completed paintings will be displayed in a gallery and auctioned off online. The proceeds of the auction support art-related community projects, Friends of the Bluff's wildfire reduction efforts, and the artists themselves.
Check out the video recap from 2023's event!
Want to Be a Part of This Year's Event?
Artists
We are no longer accepting new artist entries for this year's event. Subscribe to our email list on the home page to be notified when next year's artist entries will open!
Sponsors
If your business would like to learn more about the benefits of sponsoring this highly-popular community event on the lower South Hill, you can do so by clicking the button below.
Volunteers
The event completely relies on dedicated volunteers! If you'd like to spend a portion of the event helping us out behind the scenes, please fill out the volunteer form below.
Vendors
If you run a non-profit organization, food truck, or local business and want to set up a booth at the event, please fill out the application 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.
Community Art Project by the Botanical Alchemists
Our co-hosts, The Botanical Alchemists, will be hosting a large community art project near Polly Judd Park that all attendees are encouraged to contribute to as well as a kid's nature bracelet craft.
Art Workshops for Kids 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 of all ages all day. In the past these activities have included painting rocks, a floral bookmark craft, making flags, sidewalk chalk, nature bracelets, and more.
Nature Journaling Workshop
Join therapist and artist, Marit Fischer, for a no-rules exploration of nature-inspired expression. This 90-minute workshop begins at 1pm in Polly Judd Park and includes a guided discussion, quiet time on the Bluff to journal, and a sharing-optional circle. Everyone is welcome, but the recommended minimum age is 12. Bring your own journal or paper, a pen and/or art supplies, and a camp chair or blanket.
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.
Event Details
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
2024 Sponsors
