Valencia resident Judy Penman admired a wall in a downtown Newhall shop covered with Mexican folklore-themed art made of tin, wood and acrylic paint as she asked Valencia artist Bob Hernandez about his work.

Hernandez, a Valencia artist participating in the first Art Walk on Main Street, told her the works contained folk-wisdom sayings called "dichos."

"(They're) things mothers or relatives will tell their children," Hernandez said.

The works were on display at OutWest Marketing, a Western-themed store, during the first downtown Newhall Art Walk. The event brings together local artists and businesses to generate some excitement around Old Town Newhall.

Penman, a senior citizen, passed through the strip of stores displaying the work of local artists for the first event of the series.

"I love the art," she said. "I am so thrilled to see so many people down here... It's rejuvenating Old Newhall, which is what we need to do."

And Penman was not only captivated by the art - she was also drawn in to browse the Western wear sold by the recently opened store.

"It's been exciting to see this new store and some of the other stores down here," Penman said.

While the Thursday evening start of the first Art Walk was slow, more people started trickling in as time passed.

"We were really slow for the first hour, and it's just starting to pick up," said Sabina Fetter, the event's planner and owner of Capelli Salon, as she colored a customer's hair. "By the time the farmer's market closes at 7, I think everything will be in full swing."

Art admirers browsed oil paintings, digital art pieces, pen-and-ink drawings and works in other mediums as they strolled through Capelli Salon, El Trocadero steakhouse, the Canyon Theatre Guild and other participating venues.

"I would love to see more of it," said Canyon Country resident Carol Higgins who inspected oil paintings at the theater guild with a friend. "We have such a great resource here and so many great artists. What we've seen is beautiful."