PITTSTON — Main Street went from ordinary to artsy in a matter of minutes as the Second Friday Art Walk made its grand return Friday to kick off the new season.

Artists lined up and down the street from 5 to 9 p.m. doing live demonstrations of their work, or selling completed projects while musicians kept the flow going with live entertainment.

The Sunday Dispatch held an Open House during the event to showcase its new office at 71 N. Main St. Times Leader Media Group Executive Editor Tim Farkas played guitar and sang while Pittston artist Heidi Van Leuven set up in a tent outside the Dispatch office and refreshments were offered inside by Times Leader and Dispatch employees.

Residents from all over Greater Pittston joined in on the fun, and Main Street Manager Rose Randazzo was thrilled with the outcome.

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The best part, she said, was the diversity among age groups in attendance.

“What I’m most impressed with tonight is the number of young people — teens and early 20s,” she said. “In the past, I thought it was more of an adult crowd and we are packed with kids tonight, and I love that. One of our goals is to spark them young.”

Allie Maranti, 11, and her younger sister, MaKayla, 9, were as young as they got when it came to participating in the art walk as they were hard at work on a mural of a city church.

The Pittston siblings were instructed by Jan Lokuta, who ran an interactive mural for local children, calling it a calming experience.

“It really calms you down,” said MaKayla.

Allie said she’s always enjoyed painting because of how it makes a person think.

“I really like painting,” she said. “It’s so concentrating.”

Abigail Roberts, 18, a senior at Pittston Area High School left her mark on the event as well, being the winner of a contest in which a poster she designed will be the official art walk poster.

The Yatesville resident’s poster represented a sunset over an Arabian scene, but said there was nothing to her poster — she was just having fun.

“It’s not really interpretive of the art walk, but I felt the colors involved were really representative of how colorful everything is,” she said.

Roberts’ work will leave an impression at art walks, as will Pittston resident Kristen Rinaldi’s work, who painted a human canvas of none other than her boyfriend, Bradley Lee, also of Pittston.

Rinaldi painted Lee black and white to look like he was right out of the scene of a graphic novel. She said she started painting him a few hours before the event officially began.

“We were just brainstorming ideas as to what the theme was going to be for this project and we went with this,” Lee said. “She said, ‘You’re going to be the model’ and I said ‘Totally down with that!’”

Rinaldi will paint more human canvases at future art walks and will be stationed outside Gerri’s Bridal Shoppe.

Another main stay at the art walk is Mary Kroptavich, of Duryea, who sold photos she’s taken of nature and wildlife, such as lions and eagles.

She joined the art walk last year after being a patron in prior years.

“I was a patron walking around and I said ‘I can do this. I can sell my stuff here,’” she said.

As other patrons walked through her tent to glance at her work, Kroptavich interacted with everyone to answer their questions and explain her work.

She said that’s what she enjoys most about the art walk, interacting with the residents.

“I like meeting new people,” she said.

Pittston artist Heidi Van Leuven presents one of her signed pieces to a customer in front of the new Sunday Dispatch offices on North Main Street at the Second Friday Art Walk. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_PSD051417ArtWalk_1.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston artist Heidi Van Leuven presents one of her signed pieces to a customer in front of the new Sunday Dispatch offices on North Main Street at the Second Friday Art Walk. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch

Dave Jumper on trumpet, center, bass guitarist Nick Driscoll, and drummer Steve Kurilla perform as the Dave Jumper Electric Trio along Main Street in Pittston during the Second Friday Art Walk. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_PSD051417ArtWalk_2.jpg.optimal.jpgDave Jumper on trumpet, center, bass guitarist Nick Driscoll, and drummer Steve Kurilla perform as the Dave Jumper Electric Trio along Main Street in Pittston during the Second Friday Art Walk. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch

Eclectic Circus performers Dani and Shawn Davison make their way along Main Street in Pittston during the Second Friday Art Walk. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_PSD051417ArtWalk_3.jpg.optimal.jpgEclectic Circus performers Dani and Shawn Davison make their way along Main Street in Pittston during the Second Friday Art Walk. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch

Violinist Candice Blake of Pittston plays for passersby during the Second Friday Art Walk. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_PSD051417ArtWalk_4.jpg.optimal.jpgViolinist Candice Blake of Pittston plays for passersby during the Second Friday Art Walk. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch

Greater Pittston artist Kristen Rinaldi, left, paints the body of model Bradley Lee at the Second Friday Art Walk in downtown Pittston on Friday evening. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_PSD051417ArtWalk_5.jpg.optimal.jpgGreater Pittston artist Kristen Rinaldi, left, paints the body of model Bradley Lee at the Second Friday Art Walk in downtown Pittston on Friday evening. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch

Woodturner Sonny Jones of Pittston works on a bowl during the Second Friday Art Walk on Friday evening. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_PSD051417ArtWalk_6.jpg.optimal.jpgWoodturner Sonny Jones of Pittston works on a bowl during the Second Friday Art Walk on Friday evening. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch

People listen to the classic rock band Sonic Supper during the Second Friday Art Walk. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_PSD051417ArtWalk_7.jpg.optimal.jpgPeople listen to the classic rock band Sonic Supper during the Second Friday Art Walk. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch

Artist Jillian Matyjevich, of Pittston, left, shows photographs to Emily Chesner, of Tunkhannock, and her mom Angela Callahan, of Pittston. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_PSD051417ArtWalk_8.jpg.optimal.jpgArtist Jillian Matyjevich, of Pittston, left, shows photographs to Emily Chesner, of Tunkhannock, and her mom Angela Callahan, of Pittston. Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch Bill Tarutis | For Sunday Dispatch

By Jimmy Fisher

jfisher@timesleader.com

FUTURE EVENTS

The Second Friday Art Walk will return on the following dates:

Friday, June 9

Friday, July 14

Friday, Sept. 8

Reach Jimmy Fisher at 570-704-3972 or on Twitter @SD_JimmyFisher

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Video Caption: Pittston City’s Second Friday Art Walk makes it’s return for the first event of the 2017 season.

Video Credit: JIMMY FISHER

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