Downtown Vision, Inc.

IT has been over ten years since I been in the downtown area of Jacksonville. My residence was Orange Park-Fleming Island, currently in Bay Shore, Long Island. I enjoyed the privilege of working as a caricaturist at the Farmer's Market Art Walk. It was well-organized and efficiently maintained with the assistance of the downtown ambassadors. It was an honor to be present amid the local artisans and food caterers offering an variety of their services and unique styles and favors. My time there was helping me to author a short memoir recently published. In the book I am sharing my experiences as a struggling freelance artist and background actor and the stories behind many of the caricature drawings featured in the book. These pictures include people I drawn live at the Jacksonville's downtown Art Walk. I look forward to visiting the city again and many of my friends, thank you for reading this review. A number of the drawings from the Jacksonville Art Walk nights are featuring in a book. The publication is entitled, The Deserting Caricature Artist on sale at Barnes and Noble NookPress online store, CreateSpace, and iBooks.

I just wanted to write a review on Art Walk specifically. I think it's great! It's a lot of fun and they used to have fun activities and the giant jenga. And a few games for people to play by the entrance to the landing. Every month Monster used to pass out free drinks and I guess red bull did too for a while and it was really nice. Some of the vendors would have wine tasting or little snack tables and I like that you could get freebies. Or you could do little arts and crafts stuff for free. Well when you don't have a lot of money it's great. But tbh more and more they are taking stuff away. Monster no longer comes anymore. Vendors are coming less and less and the past couple of months the giant Jenga and some of the other games are being taken out. Also, I noticed some of the small bands aren't coming anymore. These little things are nice to look forward to but when you take these away it's not as fun and exciting anymore. Also, Art Walk and One Spark used to be a lot bigger and extend from block to block and down to the landing and now it's just on one little strip. It's kinda disappointing. I wish they'd bring the old Art Walk back.

Ran out of my office without my rain jacket this afternoon. One of the downtown vision ambassadors was standing at the corner of Hogan and Monroe St. with an umbrella. He offered to try to still keep me dry (I was already soaked) and walked me to my building's doors! So kind and friendly that I wanted to make sure I wrote a review! Excellent hospitality.

DVI is a great organization that helps to improve #DTJax every day through their ambassador program, artwalk and various other projects. This friendly and well-informed team work tirelessly (even when they aren't given all the resources they need form the city) to make downtown a better place to live work and play.