From Studio to Art in the Park: A Weekend of Art, Conversation & Connection

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to participate as an artist in Art in the Park at O’Brien Park in Parker, Colorado, held August 29–30, 2026.

There is something very different about seeing artwork displayed at home or in the studio and then seeing an entire collection hanging together in an art-show booth. As I finished setting up my space, I was able to stand back and see the pieces together as a body of work—and that was one of my favorite parts of the weekend.

Bringing the Work Out of the Studio

Much of my artwork begins quietly in the studio.

I experiment with painted surfaces, color, texture, composition, and ornamental forms. Many of the dimensional elements in these pieces begin as designs I create on my computer. I refine the shapes digitally, cut them with a laser, and then incorporate them into hand-painted mixed-media surfaces.

The finished pieces combine two very different ways of working: the precision of digital design and laser cutting with the unpredictability and freedom of painting by hand.

Seeing so many of those pieces displayed together at Art in the Park made that connection especially clear.

Some pieces are colorful and energetic. Others are muted, weathered, or almost architectural. Some use bold black ornamental elements while others feature metallic, copper, or lighter dimensional forms.

Even with those differences, they share the same visual language of movement, ornament, texture, layering, and the contrast between precision and spontaneity.

The Best Part of an Art Show: The Conversations

One of the things I enjoy most about participating in an art show is having the opportunity to talk with people about how the artwork is made.

At first glance, viewers often notice the color or the dimensional elements. Then the conversation changes when I explain that I actually create the ornamental designs myself on the computer before using the laser cutter to turn them into physical forms.

The laser cutter is not creating the artwork for me—it is another tool in my process.

The design still begins with an idea. From there it moves through digital drawing, refinement, laser cutting, painting, layering, composition, and hand finishing before becoming the completed piece.

Those conversations are a wonderful reminder that people enjoy discovering the story behind a piece almost as much as they enjoy looking at it.

Seeing the Collection Together

Art shows also give me something I don't always get in the studio: perspective.

When several pieces are sitting around my workspace at different stages of completion, I tend to focus on each artwork individually.

At Art in the Park, I could see the larger picture.

The sweeping ornamental forms, layered surfaces, color, texture, and dimensional elements repeat from piece to piece without making the work feel identical. Each painting has its own personality while still belonging to the same artistic family.

That is something I want to continue exploring as this collection grows.

A Weekend Worth Remembering

Art shows take plenty of preparation—finishing artwork, framing, pricing, creating display cards, packing, transporting everything, setting up the booth, and then taking it all down again.

But once the tent is up and the artwork is hanging, the experience becomes about something much simpler: sharing the work.

I loved having the opportunity to spend the weekend surrounded by art, meet people who stopped to look and ask questions, and watch visitors discover details in the pieces that caught their attention.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my booth, spent time looking at the artwork, asked about my process, or simply shared a conversation.

And thank you to Parker Artists Guild and Parker Arts for bringing artists and the community together for Art in the Park.

I came home tired—but also inspired and already thinking about what I want to create next.

What’s Next for Creationz Art Studio

The weekend may be over, but the work continues.

I’m continuing to develop this collection of Contemporary Ornamental Mixed Media, exploring new combinations of original digital design, laser-cut relief, painted surfaces, texture, and color.

I’ll be adding more of the pieces shown at Art in the Park to my online portfolio, along with their individual stories and details.

Quiet Craft, Lasting Beauty
Linda
Creationz Art Studio