DENVER — All across the Denver metro, people are hunting for art.
The first Tuesday of September is World Art Drop Day. Local artists are hiding their works in and around the city for people to find.
Artists use the hashtag #ArtDropDenver on social media to post clues about where they're leaving their pieces. It's a way to spread positivity and connection through art in the community.
"People always say, 'I wish it was Christmas every day.' Well, I wish it was Art Drop every day," said local artist Katie Vicuña.
Art Drop Day Denver is like hide-and-seek for art lovers.
"Just knowing that someday they're maybe going to look at that item that they found of yours and be like, 'That was a good day. That was a really good day,'" she said.
Vicuña brought a bag full of her handmade felt-art creations for the community to find and keep.
"You can make someone smile with something only you can bring," she said. “It’s all about coming together, celebrating these handmade creations and it doesn’t matter what people drop someone out there’s going to love it.”
She'll drop off more than dozen of her felt characters across the Denver metro. The next one ready to be hidden is a smiling blue mug of hot cocoa.
"Godspeed little mug!" said Vicuña, as she placed it next to a coffee shop.
She snaps a photo, posts a clue online, and then waits for someone to find him.
"This is one of those moments where I don't have to be making a living off of art to still feel like I'm alive because of art," she said. "You'll see someone walking up to where you hid it and you're like, 'Oh! Oh!'"
A few people walk past her felt mug without noticing it. But within five minutes, Cole Weiler comes up to claim his prize.
"Found outside a coffee shop too, so very relevant," said Weiler. "Cute little blue mug."
Weiler said his girlfriend saw Vicuña's clue online and he rushed over to find the felt character.
"We live a block over, so just came over as soon as we saw it got posted," he said. "I think it's such a great way to include the community in art and also give people the opportunity to see new local artists."
Across the street, Amber Fochi with Denver Arts & Venues left a framed print of the mural "El Viaje / The Journey." The original mural is located in La Raza Park.
"People all over the metro area are going to be hunting for art today," said Fochi. “There’ll probably be thousands of pieces of art hidden all around town, so we’re really excited about it.”
Fochi said they made prints of 23 different pieces in the Denver public art collection. At least one framed photo was dropped in each city council district.
"So many surprises that come in our life are disappointing surprises and this is a way to surprise people in a way that's going to make them really happy," she said.
It's a surprise that brought Mark Lonehill-Martinez back to his home neighborhood in Sunnyside.
"When I first seen this art, I was like, 'Wow that's very familiar,'" said Lonehill-Martinez.
He found the print of El Viaje next to the sculpture, "Homage to the Pioneer" in Zeckendorf Plaza. He said the mural reminds him of his roots.
"For me to find it all the way on a different side of town, yeah, it's pretty cool," he said. "It's part of my heritage. It makes me proud of where I come from."
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