San Diego Moms: Meet these moms at the Little Italy ArtWalk
Gretchen Weidner Courtesy photo Mission Fed ArtWalk returns to Little Italy this weekend for the st year featuring more than local national and international artists including local moms The event which runs on both Saturday and Sunday will feature Gretchen Weidner and Jen Duran Learn more about them here Gretchen Weidner San Diego resident Gretchen Weidner declared she has been an artist for as long as she can remember Influenced by her grandmother she began her career about years ago I longed to create opportunities for youth through the arts that vision led to a solo show in downtown San Diego with over attendees and from there my art career really took off Weidner announced Since then I ve painted over murals opened my own gallery in Upstate New York and built a bicoastal business that blends fine art inhabitants murals and locality engagement Weidner s most of meaningful work is a contemporary floral collection The work is bold and expressive with each flower representing strength softness and womanhood declared the mother of two These pieces are fast and emotional much like my painting style which is influenced by my athletic background They re perfectly imperfect and I think that resonates with people navigating their own mess and beauty Her role as a mother and an artist have intertwined in her pieces Their gratification curiosity and chaotic vigor have pushed me to let go of perfection and be more present Weidner stated That rawness and honesty show up in my paintings They remind me that art doesn t have to be polished it just has to be real Jen Duran and her family Jen Duran Like Weidner Duran has been a professional artist for about a decade The turning point in her career came in when she created the work Consumed by Chaos It helped me process personal frustrations and opened my eyes to the freedom of creating without boundaries Duran mentioned It was a moment of artistic liberation and remains a cornerstone in the evolution of my style and voice They re a constant source of assistance and happiness and my work often reflects the experiences challenges and increase that come with motherhood Duran explained My art evolves alongside my life and my children are very much a part of that journey She hopes ArtWalk viewers see that journey when they visit her booth this weekend My work is rooted in emotion and I hope that people feel something when they view it whether it s a spark of connection curiosity or reflection she commented ArtWalk The free annual festival attracts locals and visitors to San Diego s Little Italy giving all an opportunity to meet artists and purchase art directly from the artists The event boasts artists from every medium of art including painting sculpture glass work photography fine jewelry and more After browsing and purchasing one-of-a-kind works of art attendees can enjoy four stages of live music interactive art experiences street food family-friendly art projects at KidsWalk and more The event supports its nonprofit partner ArtReach San Diego an organization aimed at increasing equity in visual arts guidance in schools throughout San Diego County by delivering free or low-cost workshops to schools that have no other information for art focusing on Title One Schools A multitude of of the programs ArtReach offers are provided at no cost to schools The event will run from a m until p m on Saturday and a m until p m on Sunday along India Street in downtown San Diego Attendance is free For more information on ArtWalk San Diego and its programs go to www artwalksandiego org San Diego Moms is published on Saturdays Have a story idea Email hoaq timesofsandiego com and follow her on Instagram at hoawritessd
