Anyone can be an artist, right? Lily Hotchkiss certainly thinks so; 4½ years ago, this South End art teacher realized that art wasn’t reaching as many people as it should, so she concocted a community project, bought a truck and repurposed it into a mobile art lab.
The Makery has made its monthly way around South Seattle ever since, bringing art, inspiration and materials to young and old alike. Occasionally the workshops will be themed, but more often, the materials donated will determine the masterpieces created. Lily and volunteers Jaala Smith and Melissa Bookwalter lay out what she terms “the provocation,” a table full of odds and ends. One month it might hold buttons or pipe cleaners. Another month, old magazines or metal candy containers. The supply options change depending on the suppliers. “The table is an open invitation to create,” says Lily. “When we make art materials accessible, it makes art accessible.”
It’s always free and all-ages. Starting Jan. 4, The Makery will meet monthly in the SEEDLab, above the Collaboratory in Hillman City. You can also spot them at Columbia City’s Full Tilt Ice Cream in February. Find up-to-date pop-up event times and locations on Facebook.
