Mission Fed ArtWalk returns to Little Italy this weekend for the 41st year featuring more than 250 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 said she has been an artist for as long as she can remember. Influenced by her grandmother, she began her career about 10 years ago.
“I wanted to create opportunities for youth through the arts — that vision led to a solo show in downtown San Diego with over 250 attendees, and from there my art career really took off,” Weidner said. “Since then, I’ve painted over 100 murals, opened my own gallery in Upstate New York, and built a bicoastal business that blends fine art, public murals, and community engagement.”
Weidner’s most meaningful work is a contemporary floral collection.
“The work is bold and expressive, with each flower representing strength, softness, and womanhood,” said 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 joy, curiosity, and chaotic energy have pushed me to let go of perfection and be more present,” Weidner said. “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 2017 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 said. “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 support and joy, and my work often reflects the experiences, challenges, and growth that come with motherhood,” Duran said. “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 said.
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 education in schools throughout San Diego County by delivering free or low-cost workshops to schools that have no other resources for art, focusing on Title One Schools. Many of the programs ArtReach offers are provided at no cost to schools.
The event will run from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. until 5 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.
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San Diego Moms is published on Saturdays. Have a story idea? Email hoaq@timesofsandiego.com and follow her on Instagram at @hoawritessd.
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