Written By: Heather Hoelscher
Assistant Features Editor
The Bakersfield Art Museum presented the 16th annual Via Arte on Saturday and Sunday at The Marketplace. Children, students and professionals all participated in the event and came together to showcase their talents for everyone to enjoy.
Viewing of the artwork was accompanied by live music near the center of The Marketplace. Smooth Jazz with Tony O’Brien, Claydoh the Clown and Lawanda Smith Jazz Quartet were among the bands performing this weekend.
People danced to the music as the jazz started. While others, of all ages, strolled around to catch a glance of the artists in action. They were amazed at all the talented people working with chalk and drawing so detailed.
Seventeen year old Jenna Carpenter, an art student from Highland High School was inspired by Tim Burton. She and her classmates are interested in Tim Burtons work with Johnny Depp.
“We really admire Tim Burton, we’re huge [fans of] Edward Scissorhands, it just made sense,” said Carpenter.
“[Art] comes naturally for me,” she said, “We do drawing, painting, sculpting in the art classes and in the art club,” said Carpenter.
This is Carpenter’s second year at Via Arte. She loves to hear different people’s reactions to the art, and to be recognized and complimented.
“It makes me feel happy and it makes people feel happy. It’s so rewarding and nothing else can fulfill you like art can,” she said.
Taren Alexander, 31, is part of California State University Bakersfield’s 75th anniversary of “Grapes of Wrath.” This is what inspired her artwork at Via Arte. She is the project manager for the Grapes of Wrath Celebration at CSUB and also office manager for the arts council.
“Art is a form of expression, art is a way for people to connect and it is fun,” she said.
Alexander has been doing art her whole life.
This is Alexander’s fourth year at Via Arte.
“I love the brevity of it. I love that we’re all out here chalking like crazy then Monday it’s gone, I love that. I also love that I get to pick up new techniques just by walking around,” she said.
She also enjoys making new friends and seeing some old friends at Via Arte.
“It brings out a huge number of the community, just to see what kind of art there is in Bakersfield,” Alexander said.
Kathryn Ramos, a professional artist, has participated in Via Arte for six years now.
“I love art because it is a universal language. I think it heals, I think it is a form of expression that has no boundaries and we all need that.”
Ramos chose to do a floral piece for this event. She was paired with the sponsor Garden District Flowers.
“I usually don’t do floral [art work]. I just love the brightness and joy that flowers bring, so I decided to do the biggest brightest floral I could think of,” she said; as she draws a huge sunflower each day of the event.
Ramos said that Via Arte is “the super bowl of an artist.”
“We get to spend an entire weekend completely submerged in what we are passionate about and we get to come out here and tell people about what we love and why we love it,” Ramos said.
For more information and to see the art from this year’s Via Arte and past years visit viaartebakersfield.com.
