Fine Arts

The Carnation Festival Fine Art Show is presented by the Wheat Ridge Art League, which showcases its members’ artwork. The Fine Art Show will be located in the Anderson Building at Anderson Park, 4355 Field St. during the following hours:

Friday - August 7th – 4:00pm until 8:45pm
Saturday - August 8th – Noon until 8:45pm
Sunday - August 9th – 11:00am until 4:00pm

About 30 WR Art League members will be exhibiting their original work, including: paintings in watercolor; acrylic; pastel; colored pencil; oil; charcoal; and 3D pieces such as blown/fused glass. The vast majority of artwork will be for sale – most at affordable prices for first-timers as well as the seasoned collector.

The Fine Art Show this year will be marvelous as usual and is a great way to celebrate & support these talented local artists in the Wheat Ridge area. Past years’ attendees have said the Show presents the best artwork they have seen with a great variety, with the 2026 show promising to be the same with over 500 pieces being displayed. The Carnation Festival Fine Art Show is exceptional and exciting because it offers the public an opportunity to experience original artwork and interact with the talented artists in person.

The Wheat Ridge Art League, organized in 1974, has about 40 members, most from Jefferson County. The purpose of the league is, “To pursue the study of the arts, to encourage originality, and provide members with the opportunity to obtain public recognition.”

The 2026 Fine Art Show is honored to feature the award-winning Juror, Bruce Gomez, who will decide on this years’ artwork award winners. Gomez has been painting since the late 1900’s working in pastels. He has won prestigious plein air events, and has been featured in the Pastel Journal, The Artist Magazine, Art and Antiques, and recently won Best Pastel in Plein Air Magazine November competition.

His work can be found in Holland and Hart, Transamerica, The Federal Reserve, Kaiser Permanente, Porter Memorial Hospital, Presbyterian St. Lukes, Children’s Hospital, The Bachant Collection, and the Spitz Collection. The WRAL is honored to have Bruce Gomez as our Juror for the 2026 Carnation Festival Fine Art Show.

The Juror awards help fulfill the League’s mission to offer its artists, from amateur to professional, the opportunity to earn recognition for their creativity. During the Fine Art Show, the public is invited to vote for ‘People’s Choice Award” by filling out a ballot after viewing the exhibition.

The Wheat Ridge Carnation Festival serves as the League’s annual membership art show. The League also had the privilege of a May 2026 member show at Artcentric in Wheat Ridge. Other venues that WRAL members display their work during the year include at the: Arvada Department of Motor Vehicles; Arvada Methodist Church; Highlands Senior Center; Holy Cross Lutheran Church; Pietra's Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant; West 29th Ave Restaurant & Bar; Wheat Ridge Active Adult Center; and the Wheat Ridge Grange.

The WRAL holds regular meetings at 6:30pm on the second Tuesday of the month (except August and December) at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, which is located at 4500 Wadsworth Blvd in Wheat Ridge. Most meetings include a demonstration by an area artist. Anyone interested in joining the League is encouraged to visit us at a regular meeting.

For other membership information you may email us at contactwral@gmail.com, visit our Facebook Page, or Instagram, using Wheat Ridge Art League. The Co-Chairs for the 2026 Fine Art Show at the Carnation Festival are: Paula Weisz and Mickey LaFave.