Greeley hosts inaugural WeldWalls mural festival
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GREELEY, Colo. — As September comes to a close and farmers hustle to harvest, artists and spectators will gather in downtown Greeley for the town’s first mural festival. The WeldWalls Festival will showcase murals from seven artists September 17 through September 21.
“Mural making is about telling a story,” said event organizer and Greeley-based artist, Armando Silva.
This year’s theme, “The New West,” plays off Greeley’s history — the town was named for New York Tribune editor, Horace Greeley, who famously proclaimed, “Go West, young man, go West.”
Silva, who was born in Zacatecas, Mexico, and moved to Greeley in 1990, believes that the town remains a fertile ground for newcomers and artists.
Greeley is one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country. Silva hopes this growth will initiate a conversation about what the idea of the “New West” means.
“The Mural Festival is going to be a great exercise to tell stories about where we are right now in the New West,” he said.
“It's a way for us to come together and poke the conversation. Let's put this up on the wall and see what that feels like so that we can keep things moving.”
This year’s lineup of artists includes well-established painters such as The Worst Crew as well as up-and-coming artists like Greeley-based graphic designer Alonzo Harrison.
In addition to the paintings Greeley will gain from the festival, Silva hopes that the event will open a dialogue between artists and the community.
“Young artists lack feedback, and for whatever reason, in the visual arts, it's a lot more isolating. We just need more people creating together,” said Silva. “It’s easy to live in your own head, especially nowadays on social media, where you could get likes from anywhere in the world, but does anybody on your block feel moved or have something to say about your art?”
WeldWalls will feature live mural painting and artist talks September 17-21 at the WeldWerks Brewery in downtown Greeley. The event is free and open to the public. Public viewing hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Follow along with Rocky Mountain PBS, as we plan to showcase one artist’s experience at the festival.
WeldWalls will feature live mural painting and artist talks September 17-21 at the WeldWerks Brewery in downtown Greeley. The event is free and open to the public. Public viewing hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Follow along with Rocky Mountain PBS, as we plan to showcase one artist’s experience at the festival.