Cameron Moberg is no stranger to murals or Great Falls.
Moberg, or CAMER1sf, is back in the Electric City to not only create, but to teach and work with area artists. He hails from San Francisco and is in town for the inaugural ArtsFest MONTANA.
The goal of this year’s ArtsFest, which is a partnership between the Great Falls Business Improvement District, Great Falls Montana Tourism, and NeighborWorks Great Falls, is to install at least three large-scale murals on buildings in downtown.
On Wednesday, Moberg was already at work painting a bison in an alleyway bordering Enbar along 5th Street South.
More than a dozen local artists will join him Friday for a workshop. They will learn about the tools they need to create large-scale projects and then apply those skills by painting collaboratively a mural in an alleyway between 5th Street South and 6th Street South downtown.
“I’m trying to teach them how to go from small-scale work to large-scale, basically the process of transferring that into large format,” Moberg said. “In the hopes that local artists will be the muralists that are doing the murals around town.”
Moberg said he understands there are local muralists, but he’s in Great Falls to offer his expertise. He uses a combination of regular house paint and spray paint and plans to teach the workshop attendees how to manipulate the can.
Moberg has already left his mark in downtown. He painted several murals last fall along 5th Street South.
He believes all of the art in the area will help contribute to downtown’s success.
“You’re creating an outdoor gallery,” he said. “It really helps economics in a city because someone will go to a restaurant and they’re like, ‘Hey, let’s go see the art.’ By the time they’re done with that, they end up at another venue.”
The festivities for ArtsFest MONTANA also include a walking tour that will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Davidson Plaza at the intersection of Central Avenue and 3rd Street. Participants will walk from one art location to the next to view existing pieces and look at murals being installed.
Tickets cost $25. Click here to learn more.
