La Bella Strada Will Beautify Streets Of Del Ray In May

The streets of Del Ray will come alive with colorful street art during the annual La Bella Strada festival. Street artists will create chalk paintings along Mount Vernon Avenue Saturday, May 12 to benefit the Del Ray Montessori School.

Over 20 artists will make their paintings between Bellefonte and Hume Avenues from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Inspired by the street painting tradition from Renaissance-era Italy, the event will draw artists from around the Northern Virginia and DC region. In addition, anyone can also create their own street art in a designated area with a donation.

Last year, the festival attracted sizable crowds to watch the artists in action, significantly increasing foot traffic along Del Ray's main street.

Participating artists this year include:

• Erin Nicole Gordon, a Del Ray resident, is a former muralist turned corporate visual strategist.
• Patrick Kirwin has been an art teacher at the Art League in Alexandria since 1994, among other places.
• Margaret Wohler is a longtime naturalist and illustrator at Huntley Meadows Park.
• Kim, an Alexandria resident, is a self-taught artist and management consultant for federal government agencies and non-profits.
• Suzy Scollon is an artist and long-time art teacher.
• Remy Lavelle is a Virginia-based mixed media painter and has done a solo show at the Durant Center in Alexandria.
• Mamatjan Juma used to teach art in China’s province of Xinjiang and now lives in Virginia.
• Jamie Alyse Smith is a store sign artist for Whole Foods Market.
• Pamela Underhill developed the gardens at the Del Ray Artisans and has artwork displayed on traffic control boxes in Alexandria to places along Duke Street.
• Benjamin Wood is an artist who uses vibrantly colored, crudely painted and occasionally disturbing works to tell a wide range of stories stories.
• Sara Bukoski Lovelace of Alexandria is an art teacher at Del Ray’s Mount Vernon Community School, where her students inspire her.
• Briam, originally from Peru, has been an artist since he was a kid, and his art is driven by being far away from his homeland.
• The Community Kids Club is a group of middle school students in Del Ray who are committed to volunteering and actively participating in their community.
• Adrienne Iannazzo, a graduate of George Washington’s University Art Therapy and Counseling program, is a behavioral health clinician for Fairfax County.
• Nicole of Arlington, has been participating in street painting festivals since 2004 and has won awards across the U.S.

The rain date is Sunday, May 13. For more information, visit labellastradadelray.com.

Images courtesy Leslie Duss/La Bella Strada