This Friday will kick off the third annual RVA Street Art Fest bringing together national and local muralists, sculptors and other artis
This Friday will kick off the third annual RVA Street Art Fest bringing together national and local muralists, sculptors and other artists to bring life to the dilapidated Southern State silos in Manchester.
First held at the Canal Walk, then the now purchased former GRTC bus depot, the arts festival was a way for artists to express themselves in a major way on a large canvas’ and an opportunity for the public to enjoy beautiful images and a part of the rich, ever-growing and changing art community in Richmond.
This year, the organizers are focusing on “Bridging the River” by revitalizing a park in Manchester alongside the James River and some surrounding warehouse spaces.
There will be an interactive exhibit along the Slave Trail in front of the silos to educate visitors on that piece of Manchester’s past.
In addition to the interactive exhibit, there also be steamroll printing from Studio Two Three, sculptures, a makers market, food trucks and craft beer from Taste the Local. You can read more on the festival details in our initial coverage here.
About 15 local artists including RVA’s own muralist Mickael Broth, Chris Milk, Matt Lively, Andre Shank, Ross Trimmer, Hamilton Glass will be on site painting along with six national artists. We talked with a few of the artists involved to get their take on arts festival, what they think about it being held at the silos, the impact a festival like this on our arts scene and their projects.
Nathaniel Russel is an Indiana native artist who’s come to the RVA Street Art Festival to paint a camper.
“I make a lot of different kind of work, prints and paintings and drawings..I’ve done a lot of murals over the past few years, some in Indianapolis where I live, some in the Bay area too,” Russell said.
Russel said he was contacted by Ed Trask to participate and he joined on to bring a little color to a vintage camper which will be taken to different areas around town.
“From what I understand two families split it and it will be used and drive across the country later this summer,” he said.
Emily Herr is a custom mural painter based out of RVA and owner of mural painting service Herr Suite, and she will contribute a trailer at the festival.
Herr said she painted during last year’s festival and as soon as she heard about plans for this one, she contacted artist Ed Trask so she could be a part of it.
She plans to incorporate a vibrant nature scene onto her trailer.
“I paint a lot of birds and plants so I’ve been doing something of a series I’ve done three pieces so far called “Thrive” so the idea is just like lush, overwhelming growth and a sense of positivity,” she said. “A lot of street artists hold a lot of angst and i feel if you’re going to be painting something that large I think its important to put something positive in there.”
Like Russell’s camper, Herr’s trailer will also be used after the festival.
“The trailer is a functioning construction trailer so it’s going to be moved off site after the festival, from what I understand a development in Short Pump where Ed Trask has set up a future plan of more murals.”
RVA muralist Chris Milk known for his colorful, folksy and peaceful artwork around town has been involved with the festival from the beginning.
Milk is also painting a trailer, but didn’t reveal any plans for what we would see.
The artist said he really enjoyed the location of the festival this go around and said he likes the focus put on RVA artists.
“Its my second day here it’s nice, it’s on the river,” he said. “I think it’s nice that this one focuses on local {artists}. There’s a handful of dudes from other places, but for the most part it’s local, which is cool.”
At the helm of the RVA Street Art Fest is founder and longtime muralist Ed Trask. He’s been there from the beginning and seen it grow from The Canal Walk, to the GRTC bus depot and now that the location is no longer an option, Trask said he saw the silos has a great place for the next location.
“The great thing about this one is it’s a little more spread out, but the road we’re standing on it’s a city street. It cant be closed down. It’s a continual footpath,” he said.
Trask said the past festivals were positive events for our city and paved the way for future artists.
“That was all part of a giant amalgamation of things that have really jacked up our city,” he said. “It’s the mural project. It’s put the city on the map. There’s a new generation of artists that have really been inspired by it.”
Trask sees the silos as a future arts district and a place that can grow and evolve with the help of all of these artists.
“It opens up the dialogue for more artists to come and do stuff,” he said. “We have six sculptors coming here, I’m putting up these big photos of this African american photographer who lives in Brooklyn, there’s going to be a mixed bag of stuff…The city now expects to see public art. A positive development goes along with art.”
The three-day RVA Street Art festival begins its rebirth of Manchester on April 22 and runs through the 24th. To be apart of this process you can donate here or sign up to volunteer here.
