Press Release
Via Colori Street Painting Festival, 2005
by Katherine Crowley
September 24, 2005

Via Colori is the modern-day practice of the centuries-old tradition of street painting. It was originally practiced by Italian war veterans of the early Renaissance who painted religious icons on the courtyards of the great cathedrals. Today it is popularized in festivals throughout the world.

Unlike other art festivals, Via Colori artists create their works live – directly in front of the crowd – during the event. Artists start with blank squares of asphalt and by the end of the weekend, squares have been transformed into brilliant pieces of artwork. After the festival, the chalk drawings simply wash away and remain only in photos and memories.

The event includes live entertainment at the main stage, vendors, food and drinks plus much more. Many people spend the whole weekend watching these works of art take shape as we celebrate the creative talent in our region.

On September 24 and 25, 2005, F.A. Goodman Architects became part of the tradition by sponsoring a square illustrated by our own Katherine Crowley. Employing a team of friends and family, the group set out to recreate “Christina's World” by Andrew Wyeth. Using soap-based chalk provided by the event coordinators, Katie and her group crushed the chalk sticks into a fine powder and added water to create a substance closer to paint than chalk. They then brushed pigment onto their asphalt square near Goodale Park in the Short North Arts District of Columbus. The square measured four feet by four feet and recreating the iconic image of a young handicapped woman gathering flowers outside her Maine home took about 8 hours to complete.

Katherine Crowley is employed with F.A. Goodman Architects as an in-house graphic designer, office manager, and receptionist. In addition to her daily office obligations, Ms. Crowley works as an independent fine artist, showing her painting and sculpture work in various shows around Columbus . She would like to thank the following individuals that helped to make her first foray into street painting such a success: Matthew Anderle, Alison Wagner and Caroline Crowley.

To learn more about Via Colori in Columbus , Ohio please visit www.shortnorth.org/viacolori and see images from past street painting festivals.

To learn more about Via Colori nationwide and future street painting festivals in Columbus , please visit www.viacolori.com .

To learn more about the fine art and design work of Katherine Crowley please visit www.katherinecrowley.com .