About a year ago, when Troy Hawkins and Adam Mankoski moved from Sacramento to Redding - Hawkins’ childhood hometown - they immediately acquainted themselves with the north state’s art scene. The partners, who own and operate HawkMan Studios in Redding, specialize in art and creativity classes, original art, artist representations and after-school art for kids.

Fortunately for Redding, these energetic, entrepreneurial-minded guys are optimistic idea machines.

Fortunately for Hawkins and Mankoski, they were new enough to Redding to lack any historical, institutional baggage that might restrain or discourage them.

So when they dreamed up the idea of an art “hop” around Redding, and they realized they needed a partner to help make it happen, they approached Enjoy Nothern California Living magazine, which Mankoski described as ”the most creative, beautiful, innovative publication in the north state.”  

Enjoy said yes.

Tuesday evening, after weeks of hints, but absolute secrecy, Mankoski and the Enjoy team unveiled their plan to a crowd of invited guests at Vintage Wine Bar and Restaurant.

Behold: the 2nd Saturday Art Hop Redding, a cultural, artistic collaboration between Enjoy magazine and HawkMan Studios. It’s an ambitious plan with three primary goals.

Mankoski elaborated Tuesday:

First, ”to make a significant contribution to the redevelopment of downtown and create an urban, cultural environment, and entertainment venue.” Second, “to create an incredible cross-promotional marketing opportunity for artists and local businesses.” And third, “to create a citywide, cultural event … to become the answer to, ‘What are we doing tonight,’ each second Saturday of the month for adults and families.”

Mankoski and Hawkins couldn’t be more pleased. The crowd - largely comprised of people from the north state art community - seemed wildly enthusiastic about it, too.

And judging by this comment from Michelle Adams and Yvonne Mazzotta, Enjoy’s publishers, they’re quite pleased, also.

“HawkMan Studios is pioneering an art culture in our community and Enjoy has the wings to help them fly.”

 Tuesday, the plan took flight and soared.

 As the name implies, the event will occur the second Saturday of every month. People can read maps, found inside Enjoy each month, then “hop” to a variety of businesses that will stay open until 9 p.m.

The hop stops will feature myriad cultural offerings: music, art, street performers, studio artist demonstrations, food, etc. People are encouraged to ”hop” from business to business, event to event. Activities will happen on both sides of the Sacramento River, to which Mankowski cleverly refers as uptown and downtown.

Click here for more details about 2nd Saturday Art Hop Redding.

We’re talking a very hip hop.