Third Ward Art Fest Draws A Crowd

2017 Third Ward Art Festival. Photo by Jack Fennimore.

Over 140 juried artists got to showcase and sell their artwork at the Third Ward Art Festival.

The 6th annual festival lined N. Broadway between E. St. Paul Ave. and E. Menomonee St. with tents displaying tons of beautiful paintings, ceramics, jewelry, photography, sculpture, and more. You could even discuss the artwork with the artists themselves at their booths, whether talking about their process or bartering on prices.

Highlights included hand-painted oil paintings by Karina Llergo, whose paintings are so crisp that we were surprised they weren’t digitally constructed. Luis Gonzalez‘s supersize vegetable and fruit sculptures were so vibrant we almost took a bite out of them. Hal Koenig recreated the cityscape of Milwaukee in authentic and breathtaking detail.

In between appreciating fine art, festival goers could also grab a beer or wine with proceeds going to the Wisconsin Humane Society. Over by Splash Studio, guests could paint their own masterpieces outside while sipping on drinks. Parisian singer Michelet and guitar duo Patchouli treated guests to live music.

The festival not only benefited the Wisconsin Humane Society but also Bright Pink, an organization for breast and ovarian cancer prevention, through the Green Ribbon Project. According to the festival’s website, if an artist puts a green ribbon on an art piece, they agree to give 10 percent of their proceeds to Bright Pink if the piece is sold.

Our photos capture the action as well as the beautiful art.

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