Historic Downtown Oregon City

As a cobbler, Renaldo “Smoky” Pelosi puts soles on shoes. As an artist, he puts his soul into his art.

Several of his beautiful renderings of lilies will be on display from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, May 7 at Hopp’s Upholstery and Shoe Repair at 916 Main Street in downtown Oregon City during Oregon City’s First Friday Art Walk.

Pelosi is the May Artist of the Month and will join several dozen artists for this monthly event in Oregon City’s Downtown with artists celebrating their creativity and creative process on Main Street as well as at select locations on Washington Street and Seventh Street.

To kickoff this summer’s Art Walk events many artists are moving out of downtown’s shops and restaurants and onto the sidewalk. May’s First Friday Art Walk will also will feature a silent auction to raise funds for future arts based events and activities in Oregon City. Artwork from participating artists will be auctioned at 900 Main Street, home to downtown’s roaming art gallery – the “Nomad Gallery”.

Pelosi joined the Hopp’s team in 1996 as a shoe ad leather craftsman for the local shop that is a landmark in downtown Oregon City just off the corner of 10th and Main. The upholstery and shoe repair store was opened in 1925 and has remained opened continuously. The fourth generation of the Hopp’s family, brother and sister Andrew and Janet, now run the store.

Pelosi is a third generation cobbler from Ohio. He made the move to Oregon in 1974 and now lives in Garden Home. The son of Italian immigrants, Pelosi said he has always had an interest in art. He would watch his grandfather, who “lived to paint”, and learn from him. Pelosi’s paintings usually are done in a series, like the lilies he now is working on for the May First Friday Art Walk. They come in all sizes from small desk-top pieces to large paintings done in sections that might cover an entire wall.

“I’m a creative person and I have to do something with a blank canvas,” Pelosi said.

This month’s First Friday Art Walk will also feature music by Tumble Rye as well as Jesse Young and the Brethern Thread. Monthly musical performances will continue from 5 to 8 p.m. on the First Friday of each month through out summer.

First Fridays in Summer 5 to 8 p.m. First Friday artists move outside with Arts in Action with artists showing and creating work street side.

First Friday Art Walk is supported by the Oregon City Civic Improvement Trust and funded in part by Work for Art a program of the Regional Arts and Culture Council. The non-profit Main Street Oregon City and the Three Rivers Artist Guild produce Oregon City’s First Friday Art Walk. The Oregonian is a print media sponsor for the series.

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