By SALINA POST
The 2022 Smoky Hill River Festival is less than a month away and Salina Arts & Humanities is bringing some pre-festival fun to downtown Salina Friday.
Festival Friday is scheduled for 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday in the parking lot at 140 S. Fifth Street, the site of the latest mural effort: the Artwork Alley Mural Expo '22.
The event is open to the public and is scheduled to include the following, according to Salina Arts & Humanities.
●A food truck, Wolves Eaton, from Lawrence, is scheduled to serve burgers, brats, and more.
●Cash Hollistah will be curating the music on Friday night.
●Artwork Alley Mural Expo artists will be working on their murals. Bring lawn chairs and watch professional artists paint murals.
●Artyopolis games will be out for family fun.
●Community members are invited to paint on festival trash barrels that will be dispersed throughout Oakdale Park.
●A place to purchase festival wristbands and t-shirts.
The Artwork Alley Mural Expo '22 is scheduled to continue into Saturday.
About the Artwork Alley Mural Expo '22
Kansas muralist Brady Scott has selected six local and regional artists to join him in painting multiple murals on the alley walls facing the parking lot at 140 S. Fifth Street, according to information from Salina Arts & Humanities.
To kick off the event, Scott recently completed the first mural on the south-facing wall of the lot.
Artwork Alley muralists include the following, according to information from Salina Arts & Humanities.
Kamela Eaton, Wichita, is a painter whose practice is focused on figurative paintings that explore all aspects of identity. Her African American, working-class, Midwestern upbringing is reflected in her bold, colorful, straightforward, no-frills perspective on emotional spaces and experiences. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design from Wichita State University.
Darren Morawitz, Salina, is the director of education at the Salina Art Center and an artist whose work explores contemporary issues through historical context. He studied at Fort Hays State University and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in studio painting and art education.
Hanna Lee Scott, Wichita, graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in studio art from Wichita State University and is co-owner of Vortex Souvenir in Wichita. She works as a freelance illustrator for private and corporate projects. She provides artwork and murals for clients such as Central Standard Brewing, Lululemon Athletica, Reverie Coffee Roasters, and Little Lion Ice Cream.
Ray (SAEB) Albarez, Dallas, is inspired by graffiti and urban landscapes. His art has evolved from graphite on paper to aerosol on buildings, catapulting him to use acrylic and oil paint. Ultimately, Albarez’s paintings allow you to view, construe, debate, and repute his artistic style.
Anthony (AMP) Parker, Kansas City, Mo., is an artist who embraces his energetic flow and skillful grace with both spray can and paintbrush, murals, canvases, and more.
Jeremy (SADAT) Fields, Fort Collins, Colo., is a self-taught artist of Pawnee, Apsaalooké, and Chickasaw ancestry, with culture serving as a primary influence on his creative endeavors. His work spans the creative gamut, including beadwork, photography, painting and design, and graffiti writing. He is noted for his affinity for style development and letter aesthetics.
Brady Scott, Hutchinson, is a father, artist, and musician living and creating in the beautiful rolling hills of central Kansas. Brady works in professional-grade spray paint and acrylic. He implements various techniques to create large-scale murals, one-of-a-kind illustrations, and intimate canvas paintings. He draws inspiration from wildlife, people, history, and the timeless prairie landscape with a unique, contemporary style.
Additionally, Salina artists Chase Wheeler and Colin Benson are painting downtown’s first trash corral mural for the Artwork Alley parking lot during the Smoky Hill River Festival, June 9-12, to be installed upon completion, according to Salina Arts and Humanities.