One hundred and fifty artists from around the country will showcase their creativity this weekend, with Garden of the Gods serving as a scenic backdrop.
Rock Ledge Ranch will host the second annual Garden of the Gods Art Festival, featuring woodwork, paintings, jewelry, ceramics, glasswork, textiles and other mediums. The success of last year’s debut festival made this year’s artist lineup even more competitive, with about twice the anticipated attendance, said festival director Liz King.
“Within every booth, around every corner, attendees can meet the creative entrepreneurs who are behind the artwork right there in the booth,” King said.
“We always encourage conversation between the attendees and the artists. There’s so much to learn from every person who’s there showing and selling their work. It’s a fantastic opportunity to shop for artwork directly and support artists.”
Outside the selection of artwork, there also will be food trucks and live music, including performances by local bands such as Delta Sonics, the d’Lovelies and The Manitou Strings. And this year, attendees can sip on some Colorado brews as they browse.
“The atmosphere is really hard to beat on a spring day,” King said.
The location of the art festival at Rock Ledge Ranch is not only captivating, but an important piece of Colorado Springs history. The ranch once belonged to Gen. William Palmer and now serves as an educational outdoor museum. Organizers chose the space in part to fill the void left by the beloved folk art festival that was discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic, King said.
“Rock Ledge Ranch is a treasure of a site,” King said. “A surprising amount of locals haven’t been there, so the art festival offers a great chance to celebrate the arts and highlight community history at the same time.”
This year’s featured artist is Colorado’s Andrew Barker, a mixed-media artist who primarily focuses on the landscapes and life of the Rocky Mountains. Barker uses watercolor, often combined with ink, gouache and colored pencil on paper and wood.
King highlighted his piece “Of Bloom and Indigo,” which depicts a bighorn sheep alongside the birds and fauna of the Front Range.
“It really pays tribute to the wildlife that you see when you’re hiking through Garden of the Gods,” King said about the painting.
Other Articles
No Comment! Be the first one.