Via Arté: Street Painting Festival
By Etelvina Castillo
It’s that time of year again. Fall colors are busting out all over. No, not on the trees but on the sidewalks. The Bakersfield Museum of Art hosted its 17th annual Via Arté Street Painting Festival at The Marketplace. Each year artists from all over California gather around to create chalk masterpieces on the pavement for spectators to enjoy. There is also entertainment such as live music and other performers for everyone to enjoy. The festival is full of color and creativity. Professional artists to student artists participate. This event is based on the Italian tradition of I Madonna and has been a tradition here in Bakersfield since 1998.
The heat in Bakersfield didn’t stop anyone from going out to show their support to the artists. The festival officially started Saturday morning and ended Sunday afternoon. Some artists got a head start on Friday. The festival was full of people who gathered with their family and friends. Some people even took their pets to join the fun.
Monica Mendoza
This year Monica Mendoza, who is a current student at Taft College, participated in the festival. She is a very passionate artist who was inspired to do a painting of one of her favorite surrealist painters Salvador Dali. Monica was intrigued by the green apple and its reflection. She started working on her chalk drawing Saturday morning and finished Sunday afternoon. With the support of her family and friends, Monica made it through the heat and completed her art work. She likes to paint and draw just for fun. For Monica what is seen as a masterpiece is simply her hobby.
Destiny Zambrano “Divided”
Destiny Zambrano is the person behind “Divided,” a masterpiece of her own. Two days of hard work were put into the chalk drawing. “Divided” is the name that Destiny gave her art work which has a powerful meaning. Her inspiration behind it was how people change as they develop into what society wants them to be, as she said “losing individuality as we develop, loss of creativity.” Destiny wants people to be themselves and to express themselves as she does through art and not let society change who they are.
Via Arte was a total success this year. Not even the heat was able to stop people from having a good time. People of all ages were able to enjoy and watch the pavement transform into amazing works of art. The Marketplace became an art gallery for the weekend; sadly, it had to come to an end. After the festival, the chalk drawings are left for an extra day for people to take a last look at the beautiful works of art, but after that they are washed away. The good thing is that this event is held done annually. So if you didn’t get a chance to enjoy the works of art and live entertainment, there is always next year. Maybe you can be one of the artists who transforms the pavement into a work of art.