Artists create elaborate pieces of art on the pavement of the Santa Barbara Mission each year during the I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival on Memorial Day weekend.
This year, Noozhawk photographed some works in progress over the three days of the festival.
Follow along below.
Sharyn Chan
Artist Sharyn Chan has participated in I Madonnari for 25 years and created a piece for Cleverific this year.
Day 1
Sharyn Chan works on her artwork for Santa Barbara’s I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photoSharyn Chan works on her artwork for Santa Barbara’s I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Day 2
Sharyn Chan works on her artwork for Santa Barbara’s I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Day 3
Sharyn Chan works on her artwork for Santa Barbara’s I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photoSharyn Chan’s finished piece. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Cheryl Gutherie and Terri Taber
Cheryl Gutherie and Terri Taber are the 2025 I Madonnari Featured Artists and created a large-scale artwork below the steps of the Santa Barbara Mission.
The 12-by-16-foot centerpiece is titled “Let it Bee” and it features the coastline near UC Santa Barbara, with a figure resembling Mother Nature in the foreground.
Day 1
Featured artists Terri Taber, left, and Cheryl Gutherie at I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Day 2
Featured artists Terri Taber and Cheryl Gutherie at I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photoFeatured artists Terri Taber and Cheryl Gutherie at I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Day 3
The completed 12-by-16-foot artwork by featured artists Cheryl Gutherie and Terri Taber at I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Erik Montanez
Artist Erik Montanez created a piece for Burke Wealth Management at this year’s festival.
Day 1
Erik Montanez works on a piece for I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photoErik Montanez works on a piece for I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Day 2
Erik Montanez works on a piece for I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Day 3
Erik Montanez’s completed I Madonnari artwork. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
A Group Effort
This was the fourth year of participating in the festival for artists Wren Stepan, Ray Gaggia and Sydney Straetz. They created artwork for Nora Mcneeley Hurley and Michael Hurley.
Day 1
Artists work on a piece for I Madonnari including Wren Stepan, Ray Gaggia and Sydney Straetz. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Day 2
Artists work on a piece for I Madonnari including Wren Stepan, Ray Gaggia and Sydney Straetz. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Day 3
Artists work on a piece for I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Andrea Johnston
Artist Andrea Johnston has been involved in the festival for 12 years. She originally helped her friend Sharyn Chan, and then started doing her own pieces. This year she created artwork for The Burrows Family.
Day 1
Andrea Johnston starts her artwork for I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Day 3
Andrea Johnston, center, looks over her artwork for I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photoAndrea Johnston’s completed artwork for I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Cecelia Linayao
Artist Cecelia Linayao created a piece for the Santa Barbara County Education Office & County Board of Education, which organizes the annual festival.
Day 1
Cecelia Linayao works on her artwork for I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photoCecelia Linayao works on her artwork for I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Day 2
Cecelia Linayao’s in-progress piece for I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Day 3
Cecelia Linayao’s finished piece for I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Out of the Box
A group of artists worked on a portrait of Stephen Sondheim for the Out of the Box Theatre Company.
Day 1
A group of artists works on a portrait of Stephen Sondheim for I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
Day 3
A group of artists works on a portrait of Stephen Sondheim for I Madonnari. Credit: Sydney Hlavaty / Noozhawk photo
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