Via Colori 2011

This years Via Colori festival is quickly approaching! I have decided to recreate Sandro Botticelli's version of the Birth of Venus, and signed up for a 6ft by 6ft square to do so.



The Birth of Venus

 I am really really hoping for everything to go well this weekend. Last year I was sick as a dog, it was insanely hot, my spot was right in the sun, it rained overnight, and I had to work. I am really crossing my fingers that none of that happens this year!!!

I just started practicing for the festival by recreating the painting in a 16x20 format in prisma pencils.

Practice, practice, practice!

During the month of September the Ponshop is hosting a show for Via Colori artists only, in order to give us a chance to advertise representations of what we will be drawing in chalk. I will be submitting my Venus of Sebastiano Ricci painting, and possibly my Birth of Venus practice as well.

More of Via Colori to come as the date approaches...

Weekend of Via Colori Fredericksburg

Well, I have to say that this weekend certainly did not go according to plan. Saturday morning I arrived, got my supplies, set up, and got to work. I even upgraded to a 6 x 6 square. It was a very hot, very sunny day, and with little means of shade other than personal umbrellas, it was hard on everyone. Besides this, I developed a cold the night before, and wasn't feeling so well. It was a good day though. I got to meet a lot of new artists and see all their work. The public reaction was great. There were tons of people coming to see despite the heat. There were newspaper and television reporters filming and interviewing the artists as well.

I was doing pretty well until about 1pm, when the combination of sickness and sun exposure began to be a bit overwhelming. I ended up leaving the festival, intending to return early the next day to make up for lost time. I feel like I didn't get as much done as I wanted. I only got to grid, sketch, block in, and then do most of the detail on one face.

But of course, after a summer with almost no rain at all, it had to happen this weekend. I awoke this morning to a slow drizzle and an email saying that all of the drawings got washed away despite the efforts of the volunteers trying to salvage them with tarps. A little disappointing for everyone, but in a way it was sort of a relief. Now at least I won't have to drag my sick but out there and doodle on the sidewalk for 8 hours today in the rain (not that I would mind if I wasn't sick). Even though we didn't get to finish, the festival got great exposure, and I know the turn out of artists and the crowd will be a million times better next year! Here are a few more pictures:

May Kimmer; her piece is about metamorphosis.



Curtis Goldstein; street artist and founder of Via Colori.



VIA COLORI

VIA COLORI - FREDERICKSBURG

Saturday and Sunday, September 25 & 26, 2010

Downtown - Sophia St & Charlotte St

10am-5pm

Via Colori is finally here! It is basically a street art festival taking place downtown, following the style of the centuries old tradition that takes in Italy (I am guessing, haha). There will be live music, entertainers, food vendors, shopping booths, ART, and much more! Gabriel Pons is our area's featured artist, and will be recreating the image above on the streets of our city.

My 4 foot square will be located halfway down Charlotte St between Caroline and Sophia, in Via Area 2. Square 2D to be exact. I (hopefully!) be recreating Leonardo da Vinci's famous work 'Virgin at the Rocks', with a few changes of my own of course. ;P

 

I will be downtown Saturday 9:30am till 2pm, and Sunday 9:30am till whenever the heck I finish this monster. I am a little nervous about the festival, but I know it will be a lot of fun. The reception was tonight, and I was surprised at how small the stack of papers for the artists was. I figured I would just be lost in a sea of better talent than mine, but maybe not after all...

More than anything I am worried about the completion of the piece. It's fairly detailed, and I honestly have no clue if it will work out. Unfortunately, if it doesn't, I can't just say "I hate this!", ruin it, and start over. Hundreds of people will be watching every little mistake. I REALLY hope it goes well!

I saw only briefly saw Gabriel Pons today, but I read an online interview with him recently. He was talking about he was apprehensive for the exact same reasons I am. Today he told me that he was also worried that his piece might be too complicated as well. It's actually kind of reassuring that little ol' me that no one knows exists will be up all night thinking about the same exact things that the famous local artist Gabe Pons is. Everything always works out though, so I know everything will be fine for both of us.

I decided to go out and practice once more tonight, to try and calm my nerves. My last practice was about 30 minutes just before nightfall on my front porch using soft pastels. Tonight was similar, except on the back stoop and with hard pastels. After a while I was just drawing in the dark so I had to call it quits. Not to mention the mosquitos were driving me mad!

Please please PLEASE stop by the festival this weekend! I know it will be crazy amazing and tons of fun. Hope to see you all there! :)