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Street Wise Arts
  • About
    • About Street Wise Arts
    • Board & Staff
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletter
  • Murals
    • Community Murals
    • Youth Murals
    • 2024 Festival
    • 2023 Festival
    • 2022 Festival
    • 2021 Festival
    • 2020 Festival
    • 2019 Festival
  • Programs
    • Mural Festival
    • Arts Education
    • Community Programs
    • Mural Tours
  • Opportunities
    • Call for Walls
    • Join the Board of Directors
    • Call for Teaching Artists
    • Call for Artists: Artist Roster
    • Internships
  • Events
  • News
    • Blog
    • Press
    • Youtube
  • Map
  • Donate

2025 Art Battle + Community Mural at Boulder Creek Festival Lineup

Boulder Creek Festival is just around the corner! Street Wise Arts is excited to announce our artist lineup for the 2025 Art Battle and Community Mural.

Community Mural:⁠
Lizzy Truskin
⁠
Art Battle: ⁠
Dan Ossandon
Ian Chovies
Isaac Lucero
Julie Young⁠
Katie Curcio
Paula Camacho
Ram Jillio
Shaylen Broughton
Sofi Rami ⁠
Wey Mnky


Join Lizzy Truskin for a Community Mural Project in the Kids Zone! A great activity for the whole family. ⁠
⁠
Watch 10 artists live paint Adirondack chairs during the Art Battle on Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25 in the Art Zone.⁠ Vote for your favorite chair during the festival weekend. The top 3 artists receive an additional cash prize. ⁠The finished chairs will be available for purchase through an online auction to support future programs of Street Wise Arts (a 501c3 nonprofit organization).⁠
⁠
Learn more about each artist or sign up for a volunteer shift below!

AUCTION
volunteer

Community Muralist: Lizzy Truskin

@elizabeth_truskin_studios_

Lizzy Truskin is an artist from Denver who specializes in mixed-media paintings. She grew up in Denver and was a public high school teacher before moving to art full-time. Lizzy currently instructs after-school art programs for Redline Contemporary Arts Center, art classes for Denver Parks & Rec, and youth and adult art programming at the Denver Art Museum and Art Students League of Denver. She loves combining and experimenting with new materials and connecting with her community through art-making!

Art Battle: Dan Ossandon

@dano_dro

Dan Ossandon is a graphic artist known for bold, colorful, and playful designs that blend retro-futuristic charm with a modern aesthetic. Influenced by mid-century modern design and vintage posters, their work features strong geometric shapes, clean lines, and vibrant compositions. With a focus on striking outlines and simplified forms, their art evokes both nostalgia and contemporary energy. Each piece tells a visual story, balancing classic design principles with a fresh, dynamic sensibility.

Art Battle: Ian Chovies

@ian.chovies

Ian Stewart aka Ian Chovies, is a multidisciplinary mural artist based in Manitou Springs, Colorado. He graduated from Humboldt State University in 2013 with a Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design and Illustration. Ian combines his love for all creatures, both real and imagined, in his artwork

Art Battle: Isaac Lucero

@isaaclucerotattoos

Isaac Lucero is a local Xicano tattoo artist from Southwest Denver who specializes in black and grey tattoos. Isaac’s style of art is influenced by his love of graffiti and his Mexican and Xicano cultural heritage. He has been tattooing for 16 years and currently works at a private tattoo studio in Arvada, CO.

Art Battle: Julie Young

@artbyjulieyoung

Julie Young is a visual artist based in Northern Colorado. After growing up in Indiana, she later spent time in Florida and the Big Island of Hawaii, and she moved to Colorado in 2022 to further pursue her visual art and circus-arts career. Each of these experiences has infused Julie's work with a deep appreciation for movement, energy, and the unseen connections that weave through life.

Her art explores the balance between the spiritual world, the circus, metaphysics, and the complexities of human existence. Through various mediums - primarily acrylic paint - Julie creates vibrant and whimsical works that seek to enlighten hearts and bring joy to herself and to those who experience her art.

Art Battle: Katie Curcio

@katiecurcioart

Katie Curcio is a painter known for her vibrant, fluid depictions of nature. With a background in plein-air painting and large-scale murals, she captures the beauty of landscapes and wildlife with dynamic color and movement. Having painted in locations from southern France to the Rocky Mountains, Katie brings a deep appreciation for place into her work. She has participated in Colorado mural festivals, chalk art festivals, and plein-air festivals, and she enjoys engaging with the community through live painting.

Art Battle: Paula Camacho

@paulacamacho.art

Paula Camacho is a Colombian-born, Miami-raised multidisciplinary artist based in Denver, Colorado. Her work has been showcased in 38 gallery shows since 2019, including a solo exhibition in Miami during Art Basel week in 2022. She is currently a resident body painter at The Beacon in Denver, and is simultaneously working to expand her mural and tattooing portfolio.

Paula’s work is a visual exploration of change. There is an inherent oneness and interplay of external and internal phenomena that she strives to emphasize by artistically interpreting the boundlessness of the mind that shapes and is shaped by the physical realm.

Art Battle: Ram Jillio

@ramjillio

Ramon Orlando Trujillo Ill, aka Ram Jillio, is a talented Latino artist from Arvada, Colorado. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2019. Specializing in watercolor, acrylic, oil paint, and digital media, these practices form the core of his work, and he has recently began to explore sculpture. In early 2023, he became a finalist for the Larimer Bridge renovation sculptural project in Denver, and he continues to seek opportunities to showcase his sculpture debut.

Since graduating and navigating the challenges of the pandemic, Ramon has completed over 20 public and private art projects. An active member of the local community, he curates pop-up art nights and group exhibitions throughout the year, driven by his passion for art and culture.

Art Battle: Shaylen Broughton

@sabartstudio

Shaylen Broughton is an internationally-collected abstract artist living in Denver, CO. She obtained her BFA from The Savannah College of Art and Design in 2011. Her artistic ambition, however, began long before college. Formally taught by her Grandmother Grace, Broughton went on to excel in the arts throughout grade school and beyond.

In March 2014, Broughton began her career as a visual artist. She has exhibited in group and solo shows and appears in private collections worldwide. In addition, she has worked with several nonprofits, leading community art projects such as large-scale interior and exterior murals and after-school art programs.

Art Battle: Sofi Rami

@artworkofsofirami

Sofi Rami is a first-generation Colombian American whose vibrant style is a kaleidoscope of cultural influences and bold artistic exploration. Her journey began with a deep desire to forge connections on a human level. Sofi Rami's public murals are the ultimate expression of that desire. Her public works serve as bridges to empower communities, while her studio work delves into a more intimate conversation within herself - one that she works out in the studio using elements of realism, surrealism, minimalism, and abstraction. Sofi Rami utilizes acrylics and spray paint to create dynamic and dreamlike landscapes across both practices. These vibrant abstract spaces are vessels for weaving together personal narratives, cultural heritage, and a profound connection to the natural world.

Art Battle: Wey Mnky

@weymnky

Wey Mnky is a Denver-based artist and designer known for bold colors, intricate designs, and a dynamic fusion of styles. Drawing inspiration from graffiti, pop art, contemporary art, illustration, and abstract influences, his work bursts with energy and creativity. Playful characters and whimsical themes bring his art to life, blending spontaneity with meticulous detail to create immersive, visually captivating experiences.

Thursday 05.01.25
Posted by Allyson Burbeck
 

2024 In Review

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your support of Street Wise Arts over the past year! We are excited to share our program highlights with our ARTivist community. 

Street Wise Mural Festival (SWMF) made its return in 2024! Artists installed 19 new murals highlighting themes of environmentalism and climate action. Meaningful community events like art exhibitions, art and activism market, live music, panel discussions, workshops, and more further engaged the public around festival themes. Ninety percent of festival attendees agree that our Mural Festival positively contributes to making the City of Boulder an arts destination. 

In the last year, our Youth Programs saw an 89.6% increase in student participation, almost doubling our reach from 2023. Street Wise expanded youth programming to Aurora Public Schools, further expanding our reach throughout the Denver Metro area and bringing engaging arts education to even more students. 

Street Wise Arts continued to develop new and existing partnerships with local businesses and organizations. Our collaboration with Boulder Creek Festival grew to include a Community Mural Project in addition to the annual Art Battle showcasing 10 local artists live painting functional objects. We developed key collaborations for the 2024 SWMF with local art and environmental organizations to increase community awareness for all partners. 

Additionally, participation in our mural tours increased by 60% with 240 people attending mural walking, biking, or private tours. We continue to offer creative and engaging tour offerings with special tours during Boulder Arts Week and Street Wise Mural Festival, and collaborations with local businesses like Native Roots and Sanitas Brewing. 

Looking ahead to the new year, we aim to...

  • Increase student participation in Youth Programs to reach more students throughout the Front Range.

  • Expand mural installation and community programming to locations throughout Boulder County. 

  • Secure a physical home base in Boulder to help us reach more youth and community members through educational and creative events.

  • And stay tuned for new mural tour routes in 2025! 

Since 2017, Street Wise Arts has catalyzed bringing creativity, diversity, and community to our cultural landscape, schools, and city streets. We are extremely close to reaching our year-end fundraising goal of $25,000! Please consider contributing to our year-end fundraising campaign. Your donation will bring more public art and free education programs to the Front Range in 2025.

With gratitude,

Leah Brenner Clack, Allyson Burbeck, Allison Greene, and Christine Stadnik-Poteroba

Street Wise Arts Team

Donate
 

Street Wise Mural Festival Highlights 

Photo by Cam Margera

  • 21 artists painted 19 new murals throughout the City of Boulder.

  • Launched the Emerging Artist Mentorship Program, pairing 4 emerging artists with experienced muralists. 

  • Launched the Skateboard Deck Design Competition with 303 Boards, showcasing the designs of 21 local artists competing to have 303 Boards reproduce a limited run of their decks.  

  • 89% of attendees strongly agreed that Street Wise Mural Festival provides a platform for historically underrepresented artists (womxn, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ artists).

Youth Program Highlights 

  • Youth programming ranges from after-school programs, in-school artist residencies, panel discussions, artist talks, workshops, and tours. 

    • 285 students involved in mural programming and installation;

    • 325 students reached in hands-on art making workshops; 

    • 738 students participated in guest speaker engagements and artist panel discussions; 

    • 74 students participated in mural walking tours; 

    • and 289 students participated in community activations. 

Community Partnerships + Events Highlights 

  • New partnership with Upslope Brewery, including community artmaking events during Boulder Arts Week and Upslope Holiday Bazaar, and Pints for the People program beneficiary.

  • Continued partnership with local artist Grow Love to host 2-Day Spray Painting Workshop for All Skill Levels. 

  • Growing partnership with Boulder Creek Festival, adding Community Mural Project painted in the Kids Zone in addition to live painting of Adirondack chairs by local artists for fundraising auction during the 3rd Annual Art Battle.

  • Expansion of community partnerships for SWMF, including key partnerships with Roots Music Project, Native American Rights Fund + Tribal Water Institute, The Spark Performing Arts, Creative Nations, GreenSheen Paint, Boulder Watershed Collective, Oceans First Institute, Harvest of Hope Food Pantry, Groundworks Art Lab, and CMCI Studio at CU Boulder.

Mural Tour Highlights 

Photo by Max Brager

  • 240 participants across 24 tour offerings, including monthly public walking and biking tours of existing Street Wise mural projects, plus special festival tours to watch artists in action as they created their murals during the 2024 Mural Festival.

  • Special Boulder Arts Week Bike Tour in partnership with Sanitas Brewing.

  • 420 Walking Tour in partnership with Native Roots Dispensary. 

Thursday 12.19.24
Posted by Allyson Burbeck
 

Grow Love x Street Wise Arts Mural Workshop

Workshop participants and Grow Love in front of their finished mural. Photo by Christine Stadnik-Poteroba.

Written by Christine Stadnik-Poteroba

The mural-making workshop hosted by Grow Love in collaboration with Street Wise Arts over the last weekend of April was a fun-filled success. With great luck, even the previously cloudy skies cleared just in time for the outdoor mural installation. 

Colorado-native Grow Love specializes in spray paint; they mastered its nuances and intricacies many years ago when beginning their muralist journey. With a deep-rooted passion for education, Grow Love has opened up the spray painting realm to enthusiasts through a series of hands-on informative workshops. These sessions are not just about technique and art-making; they are about sharing a love for a medium often deemed intimidating.

The mural workshop was an immersive experience, guiding participants through the initial planning stages and financial considerations in creating a mural. Attendees gained insights into understanding materials, the crucial steps of wall preparation, and more. Spanning over two days, this workshop offered a wealth of opportunities for participants to learn, create, and grow.

Inspired by the theme of Grow Love’s latest project for We Don’t Waste, the mural revolved around love for fruits and vegetables. When planning this mural, participants contributed ideas for subject matter ranging from bananas to carrots and mushrooms. In only a few hours, workshop participants installed the mural along an entire wall, learning essential painting techniques along the way.

Keep updated on upcoming workshops featuring local artists by signing up for our newsletter here.

Grow Love’s We Don’t Waste Mural (2024). Photo Courtesy of Grow Love’s Instagram.

Thursday 05.09.24
Posted by Allyson Burbeck
 
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