Huge Hole in Sidewalk at Pier Park

With 24 peices of art and over 15 artists, the Emerald Coast Street Painting Festival (aka Madonnaro 2008) held at Pier Park in Panama city Beach this weekend was a huge success.  There were artists from as far as California, but most were local to our area.

Signature artist, Tracy Stum returned this year to share her interactive talent with the crowds that often surrounded her performance.  I say performance, because all weekend, the artists could be viewed creating their work.  I have to say, it was one of the coolest events I’ve been to all year.  The energy of being outside, with beautiful weather all weekend, with all the people was amazing.

This was her second year to come to Bay County for this event.  Last year she did a painting of the Dalai Lama that actually looked like she was sitting next to him.  This year, she did a Alice in Wonderland piece where it actually looked like there was a huge hole in the ground with colorful cartoon mushrooms planted in the bottom.  The caps looked as though they were level with the pavement, it was amazing.

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2267878&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1

Madonnaro 2008 – Street Painting Festival in Panama City Beach from Jason Koertge on Vimeo.

Jeanie Burns did a painting of a scene from Jack and the Beanstalk.  The detail was amazing, regardless of the rough and pitted surface.  The colors were vivid and the effect was amazing.

Ellen Killough, from the Visual Arts Center, painted a recreation of Lord Frederic Leighton’s Fisherman and the Siren.  The detail was amazing, the colors perfect, and the size was actually quite enormous.

Other paintings included an excavation site, beautiful parrots with an azalea, a portrait of Edgar Allen Poe, and the logo from the Panama City Beach Seafood Wine and Music Festival just to name a few.

Madonnaro has begun!

This weekend’s street painting festival at Pier Park in Panama City Beach began yesterday with artists from around the county and around the country.  High school students started their paintings yesterday, despite the threat of rain, and the two signature artists are beginning their paintings as I write this.

As they cordoned off their square many of the artists spoke their concern of rain, as it threatened the entire festival this weekend.  Today is overcast with a chance of rain.  The temperature is a almost perfect, but a little chilly 65.

The artists will be out all day, painting in various spots around the main boardwalk area of Pier Park, and bring the kids, as there will be a special kids painting section.

The Modannaro Street Painting Festival is put on by the Visual Arts Center of Panama City.

Tracy Stum to Paint the Streets of Pier Park

This weekend, at the Madonnaro Street Painting Festival in Pier Park will feature returning artist Tracy Stum.  Tracy painted the portrait of the Dalai Lama that when looked at from a specific angle, it appears as though he is actually sitting next to Tracy.

You guys should all come out to Pier Park this weekend to see all the awesome art. Tracy will begin her painting, along with Jeanie Burns, on Friday, and everyone else begins painting on Saturday at 9 am.

Here is some of her other work.