Artists Bust Out the Chalk
By: Andrew Barra WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Updated: October 8, 2012
PEORIA HEIGHTS-How many of you remember coloring your parents' driveway with chalk when you were younger?
Well many "grown-ups" still do it --- but as a professional form of art.
And tonight -- WMBD's Andrew Barra takes a look at how they're expressing their creativity this weekend at a new event called "Chalk the Walk."
Beth Dutton says she is no Picasso,
Dutton says, " I am a stay at home mom. My sister gave me the opportunity to do this, and I was a little timid at first,. but I'm like 'sure, why not?'"
Dutton is taking part of the first ever Chalk the Walk Festival at Tower park in Peoria Heights. It lets artists from around the area show off their talent, not on paper, not on canvas, but sidewalk.
Organizer Sarah Whitbracht says, "Chalk the Walk is a sidewalk chalk art festival for local artists. It roots back to the Sixteenth century when artists and street painters would paint on the corners and hopes that their works would be noticed."
Dutton is using a photograph as the inspiration for her block of art. Shes trying to recreate it with each stroke of chalk.
Dutton says, "This is a picture I took this summer of my kids and their Grandpa fishing in Wisconsin. I think they got snagged on a lily pad."
She has dabbled in art as a hobby, but shes never done something like this.
Dutton says, "Ive done this on a smaller scale, like on a piece of paper. I like it, because it blends so well. It seems like on the sidewalk - its a little bit more forgiving than a piece of paper, because you can just spray it down with water and erase it.People are just coming by and stopping by. People on their bikes stop. It's kind of neat."
Sarah adds, "I would say not every artist out here is a sidewalk chalk artist. However, it allows them to express their art in a different way than they're used to."
Dutton says - she would want to express HER art this way if the village decides to do the festival next year.
20:39:55 - I know there's a limited space here, but if they do it next year, Id love to do it.
In Peoria Heights - Andrew Barra - WMBD 31 News.
The Heights says twenty artists filled up their sidewalks this weekend.
And you can go enjoy their work anytime -- until it rains of course.
Well many "grown-ups" still do it --- but as a professional form of art.
And tonight -- WMBD's Andrew Barra takes a look at how they're expressing their creativity this weekend at a new event called "Chalk the Walk."
Beth Dutton says she is no Picasso,
Dutton says, " I am a stay at home mom. My sister gave me the opportunity to do this, and I was a little timid at first,. but I'm like 'sure, why not?'"
Dutton is taking part of the first ever Chalk the Walk Festival at Tower park in Peoria Heights. It lets artists from around the area show off their talent, not on paper, not on canvas, but sidewalk.
Organizer Sarah Whitbracht says, "Chalk the Walk is a sidewalk chalk art festival for local artists. It roots back to the Sixteenth century when artists and street painters would paint on the corners and hopes that their works would be noticed."
Dutton is using a photograph as the inspiration for her block of art. Shes trying to recreate it with each stroke of chalk.
Dutton says, "This is a picture I took this summer of my kids and their Grandpa fishing in Wisconsin. I think they got snagged on a lily pad."
She has dabbled in art as a hobby, but shes never done something like this.
Dutton says, "Ive done this on a smaller scale, like on a piece of paper. I like it, because it blends so well. It seems like on the sidewalk - its a little bit more forgiving than a piece of paper, because you can just spray it down with water and erase it.People are just coming by and stopping by. People on their bikes stop. It's kind of neat."
Sarah adds, "I would say not every artist out here is a sidewalk chalk artist. However, it allows them to express their art in a different way than they're used to."
Dutton says - she would want to express HER art this way if the village decides to do the festival next year.
20:39:55 - I know there's a limited space here, but if they do it next year, Id love to do it.
In Peoria Heights - Andrew Barra - WMBD 31 News.
The Heights says twenty artists filled up their sidewalks this weekend.
And you can go enjoy their work anytime -- until it rains of course.
