Fraser’s first Mural Festival this weekend

After nearly a year of planning, the Fraser Public Arts Committee (PAC) and the Town of Fraser kick off the Fraser Mountain Mural Festival on Friday, July 26th. Envisioned by PAC committee members Eric Vandernail and Ernie Roybal, the event has been brought to life by a host of PAC members, town staff and volunteers. 

Fraser Mayor, Philip Vandernail, said, “I’m excited to meet and watch the artists paint this Friday and Saturday for the first ever Fraser Mountain Mural Festival. The Fraser PAC and staff have put a lot of energy into the festival, including creating easels large enough to hold the 8’ x 8’ panels the artists will paint on. I thank them for all the hard work and time they dedicate to art.”

Located on the future site of the Fraser Center for Creative Arts (The Center) at 320 Eastom Avenue, the 2-day festival will feature an incredibly talented mix of 19 local, regional and national artists bringing forth their most inspired works on 8’ x 8’ primed panels. The artists will compete for cash prizes as they generate creative energy and raise awareness for The Center this Friday and Saturday. The mural themes celebrate the Fraser Valley with local history, preservation, transportation and outdoor life.

2019 Artist Line-up

• Cori Anderson, Denver
• Jeff Bartholomew, Winter Park
• Sara Bellamy, Fraser
• Stephanie Block, Arvada
• TJ Daring, Fraser
• Johnny Draco, Denver
• Lindsey England, Fraser
• Eagle Flame, Denver
• Lena Larrieu, Denver
• Walter (Onver) Macias, Denver
• Helena Martin, Austin TX
• MPEK, Denver
• Hector Palacios, Denver
• Alexandrea Pangburn, Golden
• UC Sepia, Denver
• Ashley Shafer, Denver
• Mikaela Taylor, Winter Park
• Jessica Vazzano, Denver
• Echo Zoyiopoulos, Tabernash

The 2-day festival gets started at 9 am Friday morning, when the artists begin painting. They will break from 11 am-1 pm and finish up at 6 pm each day. Local radio station, KFFR 88.3 FM, will be broadcasting live from 10 am-4 pm both days, and Hunker Down will perform Saturday afternoon from 4-6 pm. The awards will be presented Saturday evening between 6:30-7 pm.

Judging will be ongoing during the two-day event. The judges for the inaugural event are Fraser Mayor Philip Vandernail, International Artist Emanuel Martinez (he painted the mural on the northwest wall of Fraser Valley Elementary School last summer) and Local Renowned Artist, Karen Vance.

Artist and Judge, Karen Vance, said, “I was delighted to be asked to be one of the judges for this event. I enjoy judging art shows and have judged local and national shows using a pretty strict criteria on what is good art. All good art has a criteria to be met in order to win awards, and this is large art!” Vance believes the reason she is often asked to judge is due her unwavering use of strict criteria. “I try to keep emotions and personal tastes out and be as objective as possible when I judge. This event is going to be extra special because it’s so BIG!”, she said, referring to the large, 8’x8’ panels the artists will use to create their works.

Local artist, TJ Daring, said, ”I am really excited to be participating in the Mural Festival. I think Fraser is doing a great job of promoting art and this is a really neat way to bring art to the forefront of the community”. Daring just opened an exhibit of her artwork that runs through the end of August at the Fraser Valley Library. “I am looking forward to working alongside artists from the community and beyond. It’s a nice representation of artists and I look forward to seeing what everyone creates.”

“This is my first competition. Despite being intimidated, I am extremely honored to be competing and cannot wait to meet the other competitors. I have worked hard all summer prepping for this, so hopefully it shows!” said local artist, Mikaela Taylor. She added, “My mural this weekend will depict an iconic east Grand County geographical feature, from a spot many locals and tourists have enjoyed. I have worked hard to give it justice. I am beyond excited and can’t wait to see everyone.”

The Town will be giving away some amazing Fraser-logo shwag to visitors of the two-day event and the local restaurants, distillery and breweries will be offering specials during the event, all within walking distance of the venue easily accessed via the town’s newly completed pedestrian crosswalks.

“Fraser continues to embrace public art and I hope those attending the festival enjoy our town and all its offerings,” said Mayor Vandernail. 

The panels will remain on display through Labor Day weekend, when they will be auctioned off to the public at Fraser Valley Distilling. 50% of the sales will go back to the artist and the other 50% will go toward funding other PAC projects, including the Fraser Center for Creative Arts. 

Mural Artist Spotlight

Nineteen artists will highlight their talent at the Fraser Mountain Mural Festival this weekend. Each with 64 square feet of blank canvas, a supply of paint and creative genius, they will transform the primed panels into works of art during the 2-day event. With themes celebrating the Fraser Valley’s local history, preservation, transportation and outdoor life, each will offer a unique interpretation reflective of the artist’s style. After the festival, their pieces will remain on display in the Town of Fraser until they are auctioned off to the highest bidder Labor Day weekend. 

Below are just a few of the artists that will be creating at this weekend’s inaugural event.  

Cori Anderson

An ecstatic fan of art, particularly of the street variety, the first time Cori Anderson picked up a can of spray paint was before she graduated high school in a little mountain town. Her first project was taking construction cones, spray painting basic stencil designs on them, and returning them to their original locations. Two of those cones still remain in use by construction projects, and she smiles every time she sees them. Ever since that first taste of artistic rebellion, she’s been hooked, hopelessly hooked.

 

 

Helena Martin

Based in Austin TX, Helena Martin’s vibrant murals can be seen throughout the US and abroad. Portraiture, flora, fauna and a clever use of color are some of the signatures of her style.  Martin creates works for clients worldwide as well as teaching urban art workshops for children and adults alike.

 

 

 

 

TJ Daring

TJ is inspired by the majestic landscapes of her small mountain town. Her early work in watercolors has transformed into acrylics layered with oil pastels creating a magic and depth to the scenery. The bright, vivid canvases are playful, captivating and rich with vibrant color and texture. Her goal is to share the adventure of mountain living in all its awe and wonder.

 

 

 

Mikaela Taylor

My mother is an artist and had me painting at a very young age with my siblings. I have taken multiple art classes throughout my life. Acrylic, watercolor, oil, pencil, pottery, stained glass and photography. My college degree was focused on art as well. Nowadays, I stick to acrylic and I call my style geometric abstract. 

 

 

 

Jeff Bartholomew

Landscape artist, Jeff Bartholomew, studied painting at Metropolitan State College of Denver. His oil paintings feature the dynamic vistas of Colorado and are currently on display at an exhibit at Cozens Ranch Museum through the end of July. 

 

 

Lindsey England

Born and raised in the deep South, Lindsey migrated west to Fraser in 2008, teaching art at Fraser Elementary before relocating to Fort Collins for grad school. In the last year, Lindsey completed her M.Ed in Integrated Teaching through the Arts and accepted her newest life challenge: living in a 35’ converted school bus named Esmeralda: the biggest art project she’s tackled to date. Lindsey remains naturally curious and inquisitive, full of wonder about the world. “Art has always been a passion and expressive platform for me. I believe it’s important we each explore how to use our own art as a vehicle for learning about how to reflectively interact with and creatively respond to our personal and shared world(s).”