Now in its fourth year, Colfax Canvas has selected 10 artists to collaborate on four large-scale murals in the East Colfax neighborhood in Aurora. The murals will be painted between September 2 and 16, 2023. In a final celebration, a neighborhood block party will take place on Saturday, September 16, from noon to 5 p.m. on Fletcher Plaza in Aurora.
Colfax Canvas mural. Image: The Hip Photo
The FREE event will embrace all that makes the East Colfax community unique, featuring DJed music, cultural dance performances, Aurora Sister City activations, family friendly activities, a beer garden comprising all five area breweries, and food vendors representing global cuisines.
The four new murals bring the neighborhood mural count to 33. The goals of this initiative are to preserve and beautify historic buildings, offer artists paid opportunities to showcase their work, and give residents a sense of pride and place.
This area of the city is home to many immigrants and refugees; the murals also help create a shared identity for a culturally diverse and transient population.
This year’s artist cohort includes eight from Colorado and two from out of state (Virginia and Florida) who were chosen from nearly a hundred applicants.
Heritage is prioritized over aesthetics or experience, with the final mix featuring both seasoned and emerging artists who can collaborate with and learn from each other.
These four murals will be painted before the Festival:
Florence Square Apartments (9801 E. Colfax Ave.)
Artists: Koko Bayer, WEYMNKY
Florence Street (1593, 1571 & 1561 Florence St.)
Artists: Johnny Draco, Nico Cathcart, Alexandrea Pangburn, David Swartz
Mango House (10180 E. Colfax Ave.) – two murals / front and back of building
Artists: Brutus, Jannah Farooque, Sandra Fettingis, Tessa Fuqua