In a town full of coffee shops, rainy days and open minds, it's fair to say everyone in Olympia has an "inner artist" - each person has a story to tell through a stroke of a brush, a curve of a line or the ramblings of a doodle.

This town full of artists is precisely why the twice-annual celebration, Arts Walk, is in its 21^st year and going strong. Friday and Saturday in downtown Olympia, more than 130 businesses, artists and performers (including the finale, the Procession of the Species parade) will participate in the festivities. It's a contagious collaboration of creativity, a spreading seed of self-expression, an infectious institute of inspiration.

And Evergreen State College alumni, Simon Calcavecchia, caught the visionary virus. He put together a series of canvases he simply calls Community Art, a collection of nine pieces that were created by random members of the community.

The project took nearly five months to complete, with about 40 hours per canvas and more than 1500 participants.

Nine locations were involved and each piece is location specific.

Traditions Café, Batdorf and Bronson, Sizzis, Oly Coffee Roasters, Burial Grounds, The Reef, Evergreen Vic's and Oldschool pizzeria were all chosen by Calcavecchia.

"The idea was to capture the energy and vibe of each place, and also to break boundaries," says Calcavecchia.

"I wanted to see the places I go in a new light - a different medium. I wanted other people to see them in a new way, too," he says.

Calcavecchia's Community Art will be at Olyphant Art Supply for Arts Walk, and will continue there for a month.

It's no surprise that Calcavecchia is involved with Arts Walk. He's a member of OFS and has been know to roll in the hip-hop scene. For him, this was just another way to be active.

"I wanted to connect with the community," says Calcavecchia.

So, with oil pastels, colored pencils and paint pens in hand, Calcavecchia frequented his favorite hangouts. He approached anyone with an ear -   strangers, employees and familiar faces. He pitched his idea of capturing the essence of a location by having people contribute to the canvas.

"I felt like a telemarketer," says Calcavecchia. "But people were very responsive, they allowed a connection."

"Everyone I saw participate was very happy about it," says Traditions employee Jody Mackey.

"It was super cool," says contributor John Grieco, "you could just pick up were someone else left off." 

[Olyphant Art Supply, Community Art, through May, 313 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia]