The Color Wave Mission
Color Wave’s mission is to enrich lakeland’s cultural landscape through large-scale public art that celebrates community, creativity, & place by bring renowned and emerging mural artists together with local businesses and neighborhoods.
Color Wave transforms shared spaces into vibrant landmarks that inspire pride, connection, and dialogue. The festival aims to activate downtown corridors, support local economies, amplify diverse voices, and make art accessible to all. Color Wave uses public art as a catalyst for community engagement, education, and long-lasting cultural impact.
Our Vision
Our vision is to beautify urban spaces while uplifting the local businesses that define our community. Color Wave is built on three pillars
-
Color Wave Walls shows up as a hopeful exchange between artists from different parts of the world alongside our local art scene and the everyday life of Lakeland. The festival brings together muralists who carry global perspectives, styles, and experiences, and invites them to connect with the unique stories, textures, and spirit of the community they’re painting in. In that meeting point, something special happens, international creativity doesn’t replace the local voice, it listens to it, learns from it, and builds with it. The result is artwork that feels both expansive and rooted: murals that carry the energy of a wider world while still reflecting the people, places, and pride of Lakeland. It becomes a reminder that our local stories are part of something much bigger, and that creativity can connect us all while still honoring where we come from.
-
Color Wave Walls is helping foster the next generation of muralists by making the process of creating large-scale public art visible, approachable, and deeply human. One of the most powerful parts of the festival is the quiet “if you see it, you can be it” moment; when young artists and community members watch murals come to life on the same streets they walk every day. Seeing professional artists paint massive works in real time turns something that can feel distant or out of reach into something tangible and possible. Through that presence, along with opportunities for conversation, mentorship, and hands-on involvement, the festival gently opens a door for emerging creatives to imagine themselves in those roles. It plants a sense of belonging in the creative world right here in Lakeland, showing that their ideas, voices, and future work can take up space on the walls of their own city.
-
Color Wave Walls brings cultural dialogue to life by transforming downtown Lakeland into a shared canvas where art, community, and place meet in meaningful ways. Through large-scale murals on local buildings, the festival creates open, accessible stories that reflect the spirit, history, and evolving identity of the city. It invites artists, property owners, and residents into a collaborative process that feels welcoming and connected, turning public art into a shared experience rather than something separate or distant. In doing so, the festival helps spark conversation, pride, and imagination across Lakeland while linking the city to a broader world of creative expression and possibility.
Meet The Team
Meet The Team
Gillian Fazio and Katerina Santos are accomplished visual artists with a combined two decades of experience in large-scale mural work.
Meet Gillian Fazio
Co-Founder of Color wave Walls
Fazio, a Lakeland native and award-winning muralist, is known for her richly detailed, whimsical nature-inspired compositions that explore the interplay between organic forms and patterns. With a keen understanding of what resonates with Lakeland’s residents, Fazio has consistently demonstrated an ability to create public art that reflects and enhances the community’s cultural identity. Her experience spans collaborations from international and national brands to local businesses and government agencies, giving her a well-rounded perspective on public art’s impact.
Meet Katerina Santos
Co-Founder of Color Wave Walls
Santos is an artist recognized for her dynamic use of color and her collaborative work under the TRATOS moniker. She brings strong technical mastery and extensive experience executing large-scale commissions. Her practice emphasizes a layered and expressive approach to public art, shaped by international projects and participation in acclaimed mural festivals. In 2023, she relocated to Lakeland, Florida, marking a pivotal step in her career.
Meet Juan Travieso
Travieso is widely recognized for his bold, nature-driven work that merges vivid color with refined line work . With over two decades of experience, he has partnered with global brands and led large-scale mural projects across international markets. As part the creative leadership for Lakeland’s upcoming mural festival, Travieso brings a global perspective and a highly collaborative approach, helping define a clear vision that elevates public space and strengthens the city’s cultural identity.
Creative Production Director
@11TRATOS