From April 28 through 29, more than 300 artists will take over 17 blocks of downtown San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood. Mission Federal ArtWalk in the largest, and longest-running, fine arts festival is Southern California. Founded by local artists in 1984, this free upcoming showcase marks the ArtWalk’s 34th year of connecting the community, and visitors from across the globe, to local, national and international artists through interactive art pieces, musical entertainment and giving them a colorful taste of the city’s art scene. Featured at this year’s event are La Jolla artists Mona Ray and Ian Ely. Ray has been showing her acrylic paintings professionally for the last 19 years. While she is mostly known for her rich, abstract landscapes based on Southern California’s oceans and canyons, over the last couple of years Ray has been developing a series of abstract paintings that have “no relationship to observable reality.”
“Painting holds a special magic for me, and it always has,” said Ray. “I am constantly experimenting, and that keeps my energy fresh. The best moments are when the muse is in full flow, and a piece nearly paints itself.”
Though Ray has had the chance to feature her work at other arts and culture events throughout the region, including the Beverly Hills Art Show, she says that ArtWalk is particularly special to her.
“It connects me to my home city,” said Ray, who has been a La Jolla resident since 1995. “I am excited to be a part of the creative buzz that Artwalk creates, meeting and reconnecting with collectors and other artists. Having a collector connected to a piece of my art is extremely rewarding.”
Likewise for Ely, who has been a working artist for 16 years, the most important aspect of the event for this landscape photographer is not the chance to make a profit, but the opportunity to connect with other creative minds. “I have my own gallery in La Jolla, so my collectors and fans get to come out and meet me and talk to me, but I’m most excited about being with my fellow artist friends,” said Ely. The fact that he has not been featured at other artist events before also makes this ArtWalk a treasured experience for Ely, allowing him to share his love for capturing the world’s most beautiful settings with not only a live audience but a larger audience than he’s ever had before.
“I love being able to explore the far ends of the world and bring the hidden, and most rare beauties to people in a picture,” said Ely. “I’m always looking for ways to expand my business and become more world-renowned.”
Ray says that the most challenging aspect of working as an artist is juggling the many tasks required to get the work out of the studio and into the world. Luckily, ArtWalk is doing just that, giving both visual and performing artists, of all mediums, the chance to show their work to thousands of individuals, passionate about creativity.
Scheduled to be at booth No. 150 at the ArtWalk, Ray will be setting up on date street between India and Kettner, across from La Pensione Hotel and Ely will be at booth No. 198-200 on Beech Street. But visitors can see more of Ray’s work online at MonaRayFineArt.com or on Instagram @monarayfineart and guests can see Ely’s photography in his own gallery in La Jolla (1141 Prospect St.) or online at ianely.com.