More than 100 local, national artists on display at the 44th Pearl Street Arts Fest in Boulder – Boulder Daily Camera

The Pearl Street Arts Fest featured over 100 artists from Boulder and around the world. (Andrea Grajeda/ Staff writer)

Hundreds of people gathered in Boulder over the weekend to look at a variety of artwork from artists around the world at the 44th Pearl Street Arts Fest. The festival hosted more than 100 artists in a variety of mediums from Friday through Sunday.

The festival began as the Downtown Boulder Art Fair in 1978 and it became the very first community event to be held on the then-brand-new Pearl Street Mall. The event is still one of the oldest art festivals in the state, according to its website.

Danielle Kirby, owner of Danielle Kirby Fine Art, creates Western landscape paintings. She has been an artist for as long as she can remember. She started painting clouds in 2019, and that inspiration slowly evolved into wildlife and scenic landscapes.

She said there is something about the drama and ever-changing nature of clouds that has her in awe. This inspired her to start painting the clouds.

“I try to do something new every time I do another painting,” Kirby said.

Kirby said she uses multiple reference pictures to create her paintings, so none of her paintings are from “real places.” Despite that, however, she said she believes the paintings still remind people of locations they have been.

Vendor at the art fair Elise Weitz, owner of Creative Potter, makes functional stoneware. From trays, mugs and pots, Weitz said she hopes her work gets used to help people’s everyday lives.

Weitz said she uses a variety of surface techniques on her pottery — from underglaze transfers or pressing plants or laces onto the pottery to give it a unique texture.

Weitz took her first pottery class 20 years ago, and she describes those classes as being her happy place. She loved being able to find a creative outlet outside of her job and the chance to connect with other students in the class.

Weitz is now retired and has more time for pottery, but she still loves pottery all the same.

“I love to continue to hone my skills as a potter, never stop learning,” Weitz said.

She said pottery is also very community-based. Most people do not have a pottery wheel and kiln in their home, so pottery studios often become second homes for people. And despite many being busy with their lives, Weitz said the pottery studio is where they could all gather together to create art and catch up with friends.

Weitz said one of her favorite parts about being at the Pearl Street Arts Fest was being able to connect with people through her art. She said the best part is when people point to a creation stating it’s their favorite because it often is Weitz’s favorite piece, too.

“The joy they get from getting a handmade piece of pottery that they’re going to treasure is very rewarding to me,” Weitz said.

Anne Byrd, owner of Anne Byrd Art, describes her art as a mix of flora, fauna, folklore and science.

Byrd, a long-time artist, said her art first came off as “cartoony,” and that didn’t suit her style, so she decided to start drawing the things she enjoyed, like nature.

She hopes that through her drawings, people take notice of nature on their own. Byrd said her art is her interpretation of the world, and sometimes when she is creating a piece she is surprised by the outcome.