Minds will be shaped. Art will be shared. Martinis will be sipped.

ArtWalk has arrived.

The first ArtWalk of 2013 kicks off tonight from 5-8 p.m. in various venues between Second and Sixth streets on Sherman Avenue and adjacent streets. The free event is open to the public, welcoming all ages to meander in and out of galleries and shops while enjoying art, food, drink and music from local artists and downtown restaurants.

One featured gallery is Summers Glass & Beads, owned and operated by Cindy and Clark Summers. The couple will be celebrating nine years in business next month, and this is their eighth year participating in ArtWalk.

"I like the first ArtWalk because there's so much energy in the air and people are just happy to get back out and start enjoying the downtown," Cindy said. "Downtown's a lot of fun, you've just got to get out and enjoy it."

Cindy said she always requests to be featured during the first ArtWalk because she finds people are eager to get out into the spring weather and "go do something."

"They need to come down and play with us," she said. Summers Glass and Beads will be providing a free workshop for ArtWalkers, what Cindy calls a "teaser class" because it gives the public an idea of what the shop is all about. People can come in anytime during ArtWalk to create their own glass pieces using mosaic cutters and a little imagination. The pieces will be fired in a kiln and ready in just a few days.

The other featured gallery is the Coeur d'Alene Art Association, which will be presenting local artists and multiple art mediums in the Plaza Shops Courtyard. The association is a community art club involved in art classes and community art events.

"It's fun to visit with people and talk about the artwork," said Yvonne Benzinger, Coeur d'Alene Art Association board member and membership chair. "We're a very friendly group. People can just come through and chat with us."

Benzinger will be demonstrating paper collaging, something she has done for a number of years. She said she thinks ArtWalk is a perfect fit for downtown Coeur d'Alene.

"It makes for a lovely atmosphere," Benzinger said.

ArtWalk exhibits include multi-media, multi-genre art in the Blackwell Gallery; new art and live painting demonstrations in the Painter's Chair Gallery; contemporary, modern and abstract original art in Steven A. Scroggins Fine Art; new work from 13 artists in The Art Spirit Gallery; "ARTfull Repurposing" in Gallery Northwest; oil painting demonstrations in Angel Gallery of Fine Art & Antiques; custom jewelry and fine art in Studio 107; and the Coeur d'Alene Galleries in The Coeur d'Alene Resort lobby.

A kickoff performance by the Coeurly Q's Squaredancing Club will take place in The Plaza Shops Courtyard at 5:30.

"That'll be great fun," said Cheryl Zainfeld, manager of the Arts and Culture Alliance. "I'm planning to have something like that set up each month to get in the spirit of ArtWalk." This will be the seventh year the Arts and Culture Alliance has presented ArtWalk.

Food contributors are The Cellar, Scratch, Pita Pit, Crickets Downtown Bar and Grill, Tito's Italian Grill and Wine Shop and Seasons of Coeur d'Alene. Seasons will be serving complimentary mini martinis and offering artwork and live music.

ArtWalk will take place the second Friday of each month until December, except in June when it falls on the first Friday. Info: www.ArtsinCdA.org