Atlantic Magazine Talks Up RVA Street Art Scene
A collection of international artists transformed the former hydro-electric plant on Brown’s Island and a neighboring flood wall as part of the Street Art Festival.
The result is an engaging public space with the eclectic collection of works. “The public came to watch the artists do their work and that had a massive impact,” says Trask. “It changed the area abruptly.”
RVA Street Art Festival Photo Essay Retrospective
The Cheats Movement was a great promoter of the RVA Street Art Festival when it was taking place and remains so today. They have a great look back with a photo essay with photographer extraordinaire Nick Mastro.
“Mastro was there from start to finish and captured some of the most candid photos of the weekend. The more time I spent around Nick the more I understood that he “can” do it all. He is one of the best photographers I’ve seen in RVA. And he was willing to share bits of his knowledge with a rookie photographer that was a bit over his head for such an amazing festival (rookie photographer = me).”
Some more great shots can be seen here.
Henry Rollins Visits the RVA Street Art Festival
Henry Rollins was in town last week for a show at The National and The Cheats Movement blog got some great photos of Henry at the RVA Street Art Festival Gallery!
Trifecta of Artists Opening Tonight!
A third artist from the RVA Street Art Festival is having an opening tonight at First Fridays! Check out Chris Milk Hulburt at Pibby’s on Broad St tonight from 6-10pm!
Also catch the latest works of Mikael Broth at Studio Two Three and El Kamino at Books, Bikes, and Beyond.
El Kamino First Fridays Opening
If you saw or met El Kamino at the RVA Street Art Festival and admire his mural tribute to the James River (pictured below), he is returning to First Fridays tomorrow for a opening at “Books, Bikes, and Beyond” Thrift Store. Head on over and see what he has been working on and bringing back to RVA!
Meet Me at the Murals: Mickael Broth
RVANews continuing series takes a look at Mickael Broth who is a local artist that participated in the festival. Check out the story behind his mural as a tribute to Mayo Island. Mickael also has an exhibit opening Friday at Studio Two Three on Main St. Don’t miss it!
The recent RVA Street Art Fest is a prime example. Like Broth, many of the RVASAF artists have long histories in illegal graffiti and almost all have turned their talents toward sanctioned, shining public art.
“It is funny to think that I spent ten months in jail only a few blocks from where the murals were painted. Personally, I’m excited to be a part of the energy that is bringing positive, forward momentum to the city.”
Broth has not only created at the power plant an easy to enjoy work of art but has used his wall to comment on a community cause. Painted during April’s RVASAF, his Mayo Island mural is a critique on a sorely missing piece in our riverfront lifestyle.
New RVA Street Art app!
Be sure to check out the (beta version) for iPhone and Android! It’s free and has locations of the RVA Street Art Festival site, the G40 murals, and all kinds of other cool street art in RVA - plus you can upload your videos and pictures of you at the different murals and other cool functions!
Many thanks to Larkin Garbee and Kelly Ward and her team! 
Meet Me at The Murals
Ted Elmore at RVA News wrote a nice piece about people visiting the RVA Street Art Festival site and G40 murals and how the art all over town still has people talking, visiting, and photographing. Keep it coming!!
“The works at the power plant combines much of what we love: art, design, history, nature, sunshine, and community. There you will find all kinds of people on a visit or on their new daily route.
We have noted runners, bike commuters, downtown workers walking to lunch, mountain bikers returning from Buttermilk Trail, Segway tours, families touring the canal walk, couples on post-dinner strolls in the moonlight, out of town guests hitting the new RVA must-see, artists returning to the scene of the crime, in-laws, outlaws, and big-eyed babies–almost all of whom are amateur photographers. Maybe not the babies.”
Jeff Soto Paints A Mural with a Robotic Car
If you saw Jeff Soto’s Owl mural at the RVA Street Art Festival, you have to watch this video of Jeff create a mural using his own hand and that of a paint-spraying robotic car. Absolutely cool.
Favorite line: “I love that about artmaking. Embracing the unknown.”
Easy Way To Find the RVA Street Art Festival Satellite Gallery
If you are looking for the RVA Street Art Festival Satellite Gallery, operated by our friends at j fergesen Gallery, they will be open this weekend from Thursday through Sunday. Last chance to view and purchase works from the festivals’ artists! (Thursday-Saturday 11-6; Sunday 12-5 — 109 S. 14th St).
Just look for this installation by Mark Jenkins at the corner of 14th & Canal Sts. next to Lebury and LaDiff. And don’t call the cops.
Ryan McGinness’ Contribution to the RVA Street Art Festival
In case you missed it, Ryan McGinness’ banner is up on the floodwall across from the Canal Club and Bottoms Up Pizza at 17th & Dock St.
It is stunning, and it is no wonder he is one of the top artists in the nation today who has an exhibit opening this fall at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
Instagram Gems Using #rvastreetart
Here are some cool Instagram photos taken at the RVA Street Art Festival this weekend using the hashtag #rvastreetart. Some real gems…
The Trask Family Painters
There were so many great pictures from so many people at this weekend’s RVA Street Art Festival, but this was one of my favorites that I took on Saturday.
Here is Ed Trask taking the time during the busiest day of the festival to help his children Eleanor (left) and Loudon, add to Chris Milk Hulburt’s mural. Truly an artistic family!
A Suburban Makeover at RVA Street Art Festival
Pose, Dalek, and Hense got together at the end of the festival on Sunday to paint this 30 foot Suburban limo that used to belong to the Greenbrier Resort. This could be RVA’s coolest car or limo now that it has been tagged by some of the best street artists in the country!
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Richmond.com Article on the Festival
Missed this story from Richmond.com on Thursday. A great background on the story and the public art scene and potential in Richmond.
Trask says he’s most excited to see watch Pose, a young graffiti artist from Chicago, at the festival.
“He’s one of the most incredible talents you’ve ever seen. This is going to sound weird, but it’s like ballet, watching him work,” Trask says. “So graceful. He’s a real talent and everybody sees it.”
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Best of all, the festival doesn’t really “end” this Sunday. The artwork will be up and on view for the rest of the year…or even longer, depending on how the art holds up.
Bringing art to the people, year-round.
And the discussion of public art front and center.
“I wouldn’t have believed a year ago that public art would be the biggest discussion in the city,” Baliles says. “Which is a great thing.”
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“Richmond is becoming this great hub of innovation and creativity,” Trask says. “And we’re hoping this brings even more attention” to public art.
“The time is now,” Trask says. “And the city is seeing it.”
