Top World Muralists Coming To Temecula for Street Painting

Festival June 27 and 28

TEMECULA, CA – Over 100 muralists and visual artists create giant pastel murals on Fifth Street in Old Town Temecula during the ninth annual Street Painting Festival June 27 and 28.

This year’s featured artist is local muralist Gayle DuRivage. She won the “Best of Show award” at 2008 for her entry “Ecstasy in Temecula.” DuRivage also won Best of Show in 2003, and has also won “People’s Choice” at the Temecula Festival.  The Festival draws muralists from all parts of California, and has an impressive list of top muralists for the 2009 event.

Cecelia Ramos Linayao, one of the muralists participating in the event, completed a street painting exhibition in Xi’an, China at the 2008 Olympics, and was part of the Guinness Book of World Record’s Largest Street Painting in Oakland, CA. Also in 2008, she was the Featured Artist in Napa Valley’s La Strada dell Arte and the Featured Artist in Houston, Texas’ Via Colori.

Other muralists include previous best of show winners Jesus Guttierez and Lee Rupp, plus muralist Emeraldo Galvez of Fullerton,  and Cheryl Andaya of San Diego, Lelsie Perdomo of Inglewood, and local favorites Lisa Owen-Lynch,  Shawndell Pickard,  and  Tim Krejci.  Pickard and Krejci have participated in numerous past festivals under the youth category. They and their art have grown through the nine-year history of Temecula’s Festival.

Families, children, and beginners join in the creative endeavor in the family section where more than 500 smaller squares are blocked out for spectators to paint with pastels on the asphalt canvas.

"What is so unique about our Festival is the free pastel chalk provided families and children. Any spectator can explore performance art with artist’ pastels instead of sidewalk chalk," stated Melody Brunsting the event coordinator.

Typical sidewalk chalk has less color pigment and is usually less vivid. Artist pastels have richer colors and a wider color palette, aiding the color and depth of the giant murals. Many of the murals are 10 feet wide and 12 feet high. All murals are painted on asphalt giving strong contrast to the pastels.

Street Painting awards are given on Sunday at 3:30 after the last mural is completed. Professional artists from cities throughout Southern California paint many of the estimated 300 murals on the asphalt of Old Town Temecula's streets. 

The Street Painting Festival coincides with the Ralph Love Plein Air Festival June 27 and 28.   Plein Air simply means that the artist paints the scene on location – outdoors. These artists will paint on small canvases and vie for the purchase award honoring the Best of Show.   A reception for both the street painters and plein air artists will be held at Butterfield Square at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday

Artists are wanted for both the Street Painting and Plein Air events. Street painters receive pastel chalk, shade, breakfast and lunch. Both events are open to the public. There is no entry fee for Street Painters. However, artists are encouraged to apply early to assure a place at the Festival. Applications for both Plein Air artists and Street Painters are available at www.temeculacalifornia.com or by calling (951) 678-1456.

Last changed: Jun 23 2009 at 8:12 AM