Original Art Takes to the Streets in Downtown Walnut Creek at the 58th Semi-Annual Fine Arts Sidewalk Festival

Downtown Walnut Creek celebrates the arrival of spring at one of the nation’s top outdoor art shows – the 58th Semi-Annual Fine Arts Sidewalk Festival. The spring festival celebration extends along the sidewalks of Cypress Avenue, Locust and North Main streets between Mt. Diablo Boulevard and Civic Drive, Friday and Saturday, April 27 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sponsored by the by the Downtown Business Association and Contra Costa Times, this free event will feature more than 175 professional artists traveling from throughout California and the Western United States to showcase original paintings, sculpture, collage, jewelry and other fine works.

Among this year’s highlighted artists is Dennis Nagatani of El Dorado Hills, California, a self-taught artist who creates oil paintings in a contemporary style of abstract impressionism. His large-size paintings are made by combining layers of transparent colors that evoke feelings of movement, energy and light. The non-objective nature of the paintings allow viewers room for interpretation, although Dennis acknowledges that many of his works are referred to as impressions of the sea, earth, sky, space and light.

Lorra Lee Rose of Pine Grove has been creating original artwork since 1987, using feathers as her principle medium to design masks. Lora Lee collects the feathers from a network of aviaries and pet owners who gather the shed feathers. The naturally-colored feathers are primarily from parrot, pheasant, chicken and turkey. Because some birds may molt only a few feathers a season it can take years to collect enough to make one of her signature masks. It took 12 years to gather enough male and female Eclectus parrot feathers to assemble the "Pair Made in Heaven," which consists of two beautifully made masks displayed and mounted each in its own box.

Ronald Pratt of Fremont will be displaying his watercolor paintings that feature some of California’s most scenic destinations such as Big Sur, San Francisco and Yosemite, as well as numerous landscape and floral settings. “I try to express the amazing beauty and fascination of life in my work,” says Ronald. “The more I paint the more fascinated I become with life.” His paintings are included in private collections in England, Ireland, Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and North America.

Other artists participating include Juan Archuleta of Walnut Creek featuring his oil paintings, many of which highlight scenes from the East Bay; Dennis Barloga of San Leandro with his beautiful travel photography, and Meg Black-Smith and Randy Smith of Nevada City, California showing their fine, handcrafted jewelry. For more information about the 58th Semi-Annual Walnut Creek Fine Arts Sidewalk Festival contact the Walnut Creek Downtown Association at (925) 933-6778 or Pacific Fine Arts at (209) 296-1195 or www.pacificfinearts.com.