Spoke'n Art Ride

Another second Saturday in Northeast LA, another Spoke'n Art ride. Hosted by the Flying Pigeon L.A. bike shop and the Bike Oven, the monthly bike ride visits galleries during NELAArt's Gallery Night. 

The ride kicked off with a belated display of Dia de Los Muertos altars erected along the sidewalk of Avenue 34, where the Flying Pigeon and Antigua Coffee House are located. Antigua coordinates a monthly Tunnel Art Show in the underground tunnel that runs below Figueroa at the intersection of Avenue 34 and Fig. The show, which is serendipitously adjacent to the meeting point, featured art from the The Painted Brain, a peer-driven arts organization for young adults with mental illness.  

The Tunnel Art Show itself has evolved into a block party that filled with community residents, artists and cyclists from NELA and nearby, out to enjoy a night of creative expression and exploration in the neighborhood. The first stop on the ride was Alley Vintage, where etched glasswork from Gnarly Charlie was on display. 

Meanwhile, the gallery across the street was hosting a Graffiti show and Chris Anthony's lit up sound bike was bumping Mikey Walley's latest mix.

This stop was just long enough to check out the art before heading a few more blocks south down to the Guerrilla Market to enjoy some more art, crafts, food and libations. A ride down the Arroyo Seco river path and a pinata full of peanuts took the art out of the galleries and into the hands of the riders themselves, who took no hesitation in setting the festive Hello Kitty pinata ablaze once all the peanuts had hit the floor. 

Gallery 50 on Avenue 50 would be the next destination, but the finale was waiting for everyone at the Bike Oven, where art from local artist and cyclist Sofia Mas was on display. Chips, mole, and sweet potato tacos warmed the bellies of riders as the night grew colder, while the first band set up to play. The two-piece punk band Peg Love kept the ride moving even though the riding was done, and the funky-punky Danger Junkies turned it up to end the night on a high note.

Art, bikes, good people and a new adventure is what you can expect on Spoke'n Art. Old friends, new friends, art and who knows what else. Art is an adventure, take the ride.