If you’re looking for a way to enjoy the outdoors (once it warms back up) — look no further than The Orchard Town Center in Westminster. The shopping center has become home to the “Flower Power Art Walk” — a mile-long loop featuring murals by local Colorado artists. The walk not only features 21 floral themed art installations — but is also accompanied by an audio tour in which visitors can hear descriptions of the art by the artists themselves.
For this art walk, the tour starts at the guest services booth located right at the center of the outdoor mall. There, visitors can grab a map and download the mobile app — VoiceMap Audio Tours. The app uses geo-positioning technology, which allows visitors to be able to listen to the audio tour without having to constantly check their screens. As you pass each art installation — you will be able to hear from the artists about their creative process. Each installation also comes equipped with a QR code that you can scan to see more of the artist’s work.
The art walk was created by marketing specialists Janet Jerde and Paige Jeschke. The idea behind the project is to encourage visitors to support local artists and businesses — while also engaging in a safe, physically-distanced event.
“We really wanted to put together something that uses all of the senses,” Jerde explained. “It was great to be able to include the app so visitors can hear straight from the artists about what their painting meant. Through the audio tour, you can experience the sights, sounds and even smells of the shopping center.”
You may not have heard of some of these local artists before — and that’s intentional. Many of the creatives included are up-and-coming in the local art scene. Some of the installations were created by high school students — while others were created by retirees. Jerde and Jeschke used social media and word of mouth to search for artists to include in the walking tour.
While the art walk is expected to run at least through the end of fall — the creators are hoping it will be up much longer.
“The artists have used materials that should be able to withstand the winter months,” Jerde said. “We also hope to add more artists in over time, as the shoppers have found this really fun.”
You can visit the art walk any day of the week and it is also kid-friendly. If you choose to take pictures of the art along the way — you can post photos on social media with the hashtag #ArtWalkOTC for a chance to win a prize. Also, this is not the first art event to take place in Westminster with Babe Walls transforming residential buildings during its womxn-focused mural festival earlier this summer. So if you’re looking to explore the area, make sure to put this floral themed art walk on your calendar and support local artists and businesses along the way.
The Orchard Town Center is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is located at 14697 Delaware Street, Westminster. You can find the audio tour of the art walk here.
Photography by Barbara Urzua