Chalk of the Town uplifts Wheat Ridge
Photography by gpdenileon of the Denver Post
Creating beauty to uplift Wheat Ridge residents is the goal of Chalk of the Town, a summer-long series of pop-up art around town organized by LocalWorks and the Wheat Ridge Cultural Commission. The first installments of the June event were created on Sunday, June 14, and Monday, June 15, by professional chalk artists Kyle Banister and Destiny Humrich.
Bannister, who began his chalk art career on a dare in 2009, produced “Looking Up,” a happy woman’s face, in front of Clear Fork Cider, 4965 Iris Street. Bannister was glad for the work because all his spring gigs, including a commission to create work in front of Coors Field for opening day, were canceled because of the COVID-19 shutdown.
The tasting room and retail outlet for Wheat Ridge’s only cidery, Clear Fork Cider, opened last September. Although currently only open limited hours on weekends, owner and cider maker Jay Kenney is hopeful the artwork will draw attention to the business and customers will return when conditions allow.
Humrich, an ink and tattoo artist by trade, drew an image of a woman of color in front of the retail space of West 38, the new apartment complex on 38th Avenue just east of Wadsworth.
“As an artist, I feel it’s important to represent what’s going on right now and this is a way to do it beautifully,” Humrich said, adding that she reached out to the model, Nova, whose face she saw on Pinterest and received permission to use her image as a muse for the work.
The professionals’ work will be complemented this week by the work of volunteers at five other businesses in Wheat Ridge: Wheat Ridge Poultry, Craft Works, The Clothes Mine, Learning Academy, and iPIE. LocalWorks and the Wheat Ridge Cultural Commission are posting maps on their websites and FaceBook pages for residents to make a day of viewing the art around around town.
Additional pop-up Chalk of the Town events will be held the weeks of July 12 and August 9.
Posted in Featured, Jefferson County, Wheat Ridge, Wheat Ridge Business, Wheat Ridge Government | Tagged City of Wheat Ridge, Clear Fork Cider, Craft Works, iPIE, Learning Academy, LocalWorks, The Clothes Mine, West 38, Wheat Ridge Poultry
