On a perfect Caribbean weather weekend in early February the Placencia Sidewalk Art Festival welcomed a huge crowd. At the invitation from the Reyna Gallery in San Ignacio, we arrived on February 7, to the sites of many vendors including galleries, arts non-profit and some of the top creatives in the country. Through the Belize Tourism Industry Association - Placencia Chapter, we learned that 'Sixteen years ago, a group of talented artists who formed the Placencia Peninsula Arts Association (PPAA) discovered how to make this charming walkway explode with colour while highlighting local talents, and every February that vision continues to be realized.
Thanks to the efforts of the Placencia Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association who have been organizing the annual Placencia Sidewalk Art Festival since the PPAA disbanded, as well as generous sponsors, the event has grown to see a diverse group of artists representing the entire country of Belize.'
The main strip featured slate carvers, woven and embroidered textiles, jewelry artists, local body care products and amazing local barbeque. The gorgeous diversity of Belize and beyond was clearly represented all up and down the strip. Starting at Omar's Seafood with a feast of creole shrimp, we meandered along the path leading from the beach to the main street. If you're familiar with Placencia you know that Omar's Seafood has been run by a local family since the 1990's and now the son Omar Sierra, who is a phenomenal painter and muralist, manages the restaurant along with a gallery attached featuring his painting of marine life (did I mention he's also a fisherman?). Omar has a brother, Grayson Sierra, who also paints - oftentimes they make a mural team known locally and affectionately as the Sierra Brothers.
With a vibrant palette and command of the brush down to the finest details, Omar Sierra creates seascapes that pull you in for a swim without fail. And he has a personality to match as we arrive at his booth to get photos. We find he has his friend Kevin Moralez, another incredible painter, who gingerly shares photos of his most recent turtle painting that sold and was featured by Oceana Belize on their recent Blue Sky social media post.
We had the pleasure of meeting the founders of the home of the Home of Indigenous Arts Belize Limited, the organization that founded the Indigenous Art Gallery and Museum that opened last fall in Punta Gorda. Marcelia Assi and her husband Nestor shared an abundance of art from Indigenous artists who are able to sell their art through this cooperative centrally located in PG. They shared textiles woven on backstrap looms, small travel-sized paintings, wood and coconut shell carvings, as well as jewelry. They feature the art of dozens of artists of all ages in the museum's gift shop.
The organization's mission is to boost the local economy to benefit Indigenous artists who create art as they work jobs to support their families. We first learned of their opening while walking through Punta Gorda in April 2025 then later saw an interview that Marcelia did with Belize Watch (watch here).
Arriving at the Reyna Gallery booth that features art by painter and owner, Fernando Reyna. Their booth is teeming with visitors. They also have customers interested in buying their Reyna Wine in the fresa (strawberry), blackberry, sorrel, uva (grape), enjibre (ginger) and carambola (starfruit) varieties they bottle themselves and usually offer at their gallery and cafe. They have a 10' x 20' tent that is brimming with large paintings including Fernando's Frida Kahlo series and one from his Bob Marley series that sold.
Saidy, the owner of Art Shack Gallery, spoke with us about the artists she features which include many of those present like Fernando Reyna and Lincoln Gordon, who we met later. She discussed some of the artists' backgrounds and education. What amazes here is how many artists are self taught in Belize yet can boast skills beyond most who studied art in school.
Lincoln Gordon spoke on attending art school in New Mexico - so we discussed attending the same school there and how much artistic talent we experienced in the state. He mixes nature, not typically the subject of contemporary art, and the cultures of Belize in his bold paintings. He uses a uniquely fine brushstroke style evident in his paintings in his booth.
Kelvin Baizar is masterful in his command of nature painting and a regular at the festival having participated for a decade. He's painted murals as well throughout Belize and discussed his experiences in exhibitions in galleries versus outdoor markets and festivals. His booth was equipped conveniently to sell paint supplies to participating and aspiring artists.
Alex Sanker unapologetically tackles politics in his art with powerful imagery and messaging that leaves no doubt what his stance is on any current news topic covering government. He is well versed in geopolitics and adds huge doses of humor to his art for intensified visual impact. Many travelers stopped in to have robust discussion and interact with his massive in-your-face artworks. Other artists had mentioned his high visibility at the Festival with the largest booth there and in Belize City streetside. He is unbothered and unbought - freely expressing that "art is not a crime."
While we missed Ernest Garcia, who ran a cocktail booth as well as his art booth the same day, we will plan to follow up with him to inquire about a studio visit in the near future. We also missed talking with Keion Griffith from The Artist Griffith Studio and Gallery in Belize City, but we did get to visit his gallery the following Monday, so stay tuned for that article coming soon...
In the meantime, our next quest is to find the women painters throughout Belize. So if you know of any talented women artists please don't hesitate to message us at IG: @belizesol
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