The Seattle P-I featured South Park Arts founder Wendy Woldenberg in a great photo on the front page of its Seattle section today.

From the article (South Park draws artists, too, Debera Carlton Harrell, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 6 Dec 2008):

For South Park’s increasing number of artists, such rural-industrial contrasts come with the territory. Many are drawn by the paradox. “I love that industrial area over there; there are all kinds of great interesting things — it’s pretty gnarly,” said artist Koko Dahlquist, whose neon-art studio is in the back of her house.

Most artists and businesses want this wedge of land nestled next to South Seattle, Tukwila and busy freeways to continue hosting manufacturing jobs and local employees — they hope to keep South Park gritty, livable — and affordable.

There is a lot going on in South Park these days, in large part because of its burgeoning local art community, which convenes Saturday for its fourth annual “Under $100 Art Sale.” A big aim behind the event is to promote South Park as a more multifaceted neighborhood.

Wendy Woldenberg (Meryl Schenker / P-I)

“South Park is mostly known for Boeing strikes, toxic waste sites, prostitutes and Superfund cleanup sites … but South Park is also a neighborhood full of artists,” said Wendy Woldenberg, a 12-year resident, art teacher, jewelry artist and founder of South Park Arts, a local organization sponsoring the event.

“It’s a really tight community now because of all the things that need to be done — working on air quality, cleaning up the Duwamish, public safety,” Woldenberg said. “We’re overcoming a lot of those problems, and becoming a strong community.”

Tags: Art Under $100, Media