Different Strokes

By Paul Harkins

Grasping a filly’s tail can result in a bone-crushing hind kick, but attendees at the 27th annual ArtWalk can safely clutch a giant horsehair brush to express their inner Picasso.

The collaborative project, under the auspices of Cardiff by the Sea artist Rosemary KimBal, is one of several opportunities for attendees at this year’s event to immerse themselves in art.

The two-day festival, to be held on the weekend of April 30 and May 1, is expected to draw upwards of 120,000 people and will feature the work of more than 300 artists, as well as performances by more than 30 musical groups and 10 dance troupes.

Painters, ceramic artists, sculptors and glassblowers will display and sell their work within a 16-block section of Little Italy, off India Street.

“The event has developed an international reputation,” says Sandi Cottrell, the event’s managing director. “It’s just a complete indulgence of your senses.”

On Saturday, KimBal will lead collaborative demonstrations of the 3,000-year-old Chinese art of sumi-e, a Zen-inspired technique that includes a tai chi warm-up to unblock participants’ creative flow before they make their mark with a giant horsehair brush.

On Sunday, writer and photographer Kira Corser will introduce ArtWalkers to her vision of “creative action” by having them paint dove murals for her “Art is the Next Peace” project.