Street Art an Inspiration
LANCASTER - A dozen murals are going up on buildings around downtown, created by nine professional "street" artists and three local artists, one of them an R. Rex Parris High School teacher assisted by local students.
Lancaster Museum of Art and History staffers coordinated the murals with a Hawaii-based artists network called POW! WOW! - whose name is inspired by comic book art. The painting will culminate with a festival from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, when the public can watch the artists finish their work.
Museum staffers said the festival is intended to be the first of many events designed to inspire artistic growth and inspiration among Valley residents. A city spokeswoman on Wednesday was unable to provide a cost estimate for the murals, which are all within walking distance of the Museum of Art and History at 665 West Lancaster Blvd.
Saturday's festival - called "POW! WOW! Block Party!" - at Lancaster Boulevard and Ehrlich (Elm) Avenue will include performances by local bands Vultures of Vinyl, How Scandinavian, DROSS and Devil McCoy, as well as a car show of American-made vehicles and refreshments from Zodiac Grill Food Truck and BEX Beer Garden.
On Friday, a VIP party will including a private preview of "Made in America," the museum's new show, and the opportunity to mingle with POW! WOW! Antelope Valley's artists. Friday's party runs from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Museum of Art and History and costs $45 a person.
The "street" artists, who MOAH officials said are internationally known, are Amandalynn, Andrew Schoultz, Bumblebeelovesyou, David Flores, Lady Echo, Mando Marie, Mark Dean Veca, MEGGS and Yoskay Yamamoto.
Murals are also being created by three local artists: R. Rex Parris High School teacher Kris Holladay, Julius Eastman and Michael Jones. Local students will help Holladay complete her mural.
"Made in America" opens with a public reception from 4 to 8 p.m. Aug. 13 at the museum and runs through Oct. 30.
This exhibit emphasizes common themes of American innovation and culture, including baseball and sports memorabilia, quilting, sweet treats, Native American tradition, engineering and popular media in installations, photography, painting and mixed media by artists Daniel Albrigo, Alex Yanes, Jae Yong Kim and Gerald Clarke.
In addition, the museum will display "The New Vanguard," featuring works by more than 55 artists from the New Contemporary Movement.
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