Hey Boulder!
It’s that time of the year again! We are so excited to be hosting the Pearl Street Art Fest downtown. From whimsical and modern sculptures to traditional watercolors, oils & more, Pearl Street Arts Fest is a beautiful outdoor gallery nestled in the heart of downtown on the renowned Pearl Street Mall. Why should you come and join in on the fun? I’m here to tell you all about it!
The Pearl Street Arts Fest kicks off Friday, July 14, and continues through Sunday, July 16. This festival has completely free admission and we encourage you to come and experience art of all kinds in the heart of downtown Boulder.
This festival is not just a one-off occurrence. This year we are celebrating its 43rd anniversary! The Pearl Street Arts Fest began as the Downtown Boulder Art Fair in 1978 and remains one of the oldest art festivals in the state. The 43rd Pearl Street Arts Fest will showcase the talents of 98 artists from 22 states in a variety of different artistic mediums. We will be welcoming artists from Colorado, 19 other U.S. States and Canada to showcase their work. There will also be opportunities to purchase art whether you are an avid collector or a newcomer!
Want to bring your kiddos? No problem! Pearl Street Arts Fest is a very family-friendly event. On Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am-3:00pm, Open Studios will host the Open Studios Mobile Art Lab on the Boulder County Courthouse Lawn (east side) for on-site creative instruction and inspiration. This is open to kids of all ages. There will be plenty of chances for the little ones to try out art experiences at a variety of downtown attractions.
Now, let’s get to know some of the artists!
These talented artists specialize in numerous fields including ceramics, drawing, pastels, textiles, fashion, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, upcycling and woodworking. And did we mention some of them are traveling thousands of miles to be in Boulder for this event? You do not want to miss out on witnessing these incredible artists’ collections.
Starting off, we have our 2023 Poster Artist, Taylor Clendennen, from Houston, Texas! Each year Downtown Boulder works together with Art Source International to produce a commemorative print of a featured artist in the show. The beautiful 2023 print, created by Taylor, is available to purchase at Art Source International as well as Taylor’s booth (Booth 1212).
Taylor’s work is inspired by her love of colors and telling stories through abstract and nature imagery. Her art mainly focuses on encaustic wax and mixed media. Be sure to head over to Booth 1212 to check out the poster as well as Taylor’s other incredible art pieces! To learn more about Taylor’s art be sure to check out her website.
Picture Credit: https://taylorblaineart.com/
Meet Diane Portwood . . . Diane will be joining us from Pompano Beach, Florida with her incredible collection of pop artwork. With her background in engineering, she uses her artwork to merge STEM and the arts to create pieces of mixed media with a focus on introspection and personal growth. To learn more about Diane Portwood and her incredible art be sure to come to Booth 11 at Pearl Street Arts Fest and check out her website.
Picture Credit: https://www.dianeportwoodarts.com
Next, meet Wes Lannen and Katherine Hughes! They will be joining us from Severance, Colorado! They specialize in woodworking and crafting custom tables, desks, trays and much more. They are a husband and wife team that creates custom furniture and adds a lovely touch to your home. To learn more, visit them in person at Booth 1207 and check out their website.
Picture Credit: https://www.springcreekwoodcrafters.com
Meet Bala Thiagarajan from Arvada, Colorado! Originally from Chennai, India, Bala uses elements of her passion for Indian culture in her artworks. Traditional art forms that she experienced in her childhood in India, such as henna body art, kolams and rangolis, inspire her creative style in her paintings and ceramic projects. Come see Bala’s incredible artwork in person at Booth 1204 and learn more about her story on her website.
Picture Credit: https://www.artbybala.com/pages/artist-bala-thiagarajan
To read about all of the other incredible artists and the work they will be showcasing at Pearl Street Arts Fest, as well as where their booths will be located, be sure to check out our 2023 Artist Lineup.
Just to make things even more exciting, each year a panel of judges awards artists in the show in the categories of Best 2D art, Best 3D art, Best of Show and Best Functional Art. Be sure to check out our past award winners!
Are you interested in being a bigger part of this event? Sign up to volunteer! Pearl Street Arts Fest relies on the help and support of over 60 volunteers to make this popular community art show a success. Check out our volunteer page for more information!
No matter your artistic experience, come out and witness the incredible tradition of the Pearl Street Arts Fest. With over 13 disciplines of artwork joining us at the show, we promise there will be something that piques your interest! I cannot wait for this event this summer and I hope to see you all there!
Catch you around!
Rebecca
Got any questions? I’d be happy to help. Feel free to reach out to me, Rebecca, at intern@downtownboulder.org!