By Shane Harms

Saturday, November 9th, Ballard businesses opened their doors with extended hours for the monthly Ballard Art Walk. From 6 to 9 p.m. viewers moved from shop to shop, enjoying snacks, beverages, and collections of amazing work by local artists.

One of the artists, Dan Voelker, has his work displayed at Umpqua Bank through November.

Voelker’s work is mixed media using collage and charcoal on paper. His process is to first sketch out designs with charcoal, usually filling a large sketchbook. He then carefully cuts designs from the sketches to use in building the collage. Voelker layers the cut pieces to create an image, using what he calls the “history” of a piece to build from. Retraction is rare because he uses a strong adhesive to secure the sketches, however he has been known to use a belt sander on occasion.

“The process is additive. It’s all about making connections that don’t usually connect, ultimately forming an image,” said Voelker.

Free association, sense of depth, and a patient calculation of spatial nuance embody Voelker’s work. In his piece, “Tidal,” there is an intricate use of line and fluid forms, creating a landscape with depth. One viewer described that the piece evokes an “eerie sense of place” and resemblance Puget Sound.

Voelker’s pieces are intricately put together and can take more than a month to construct. Voelker explained that one of the most important aspects in his work is knowing when a piece is finished. That is an art in itself.

“Getting close to finishing the piece there’s an internal logic that tells you when you you’re done and that you know it’s right … hopefully your viewers see that too,” said Voelker.

"Tidal," from Dan Voelker's Facebook page

From sculptor to collage to painting, there is a variety work featured at the Ballard Art Walk for all aesthetic tastes. Less than a block down from Voelker’s showing there was another artist with a poignant change in style and medium.

Annie’s Art and Frame featured Victor Melendez for Novemeber. His work uses vivid colors with Mexican tribal and iconography inspired images.

Melendez is originally from Mexico City but now lives in Federal Way. Melendez said he draws inspiration from his Mexican heritage. He uses iconography from Mexican masks and murals. Archetypes and images inspired from Aztec and Mexican rituals and traditions like The Day of The Dead are veining themes in his work.

Melendez process starts with ink sketches and watercolor images. He has a journal filled with sketches. He scans his sketches into Photoshop and then adds color and definition. Then he prints the images on heavy stock paper.

An eye-catching piece is “Tigre.” Melendez said the piece was inspired by a ritual practiced by the people of Guerrero called Tigre fights, where men dress up as jaguars and fight as a sacrifice for rain.

“To draw blood means good fortune,” said Melendez.

A draft of Tigre/From Victor Melendez Illustration Facebook page

The ritual has Aztec roots and is linked to Tlaloc, the god of rain and fertility. Images associated with Tlaloc are large fangs and eyes, along with lightning, water, and maize. These images are very apparent in Melendez’s work.

Images associated with life/death are further found in Melendez’s work with the Diablo mask pieces.

“In Mexican culture we look at death differently. Rather than fear it, we celebrate death and the lives of our loved ones,“ said Melendez.

Voelker and Melendez are just a couple of the many talented artists featured at the Ballard Art Walk through November.

To find out where artists are showing in Ballard, visit http://ballardartwalk.blogspot.com/.