Denver Chalk Art Festival 2021

This past weekend I had to opportunity to join the Denver Chalk Art Festival, which this year was combined with the Cherry Arts Festival. This was a new festival to me and each one is a little different, so I was nervous and excited to get started. One different part of this festival is they give out awards at the end, which I’m not used to, but I was awarded 2nd Place Best in Show! What a treat!

This was a two day festival rather than 3 days which is what I’m generally used to, so I picked Da Vinci’s La Scapigliata as my image. This is an unfinished painting by Da Vinci, so the face is well defined but the rest is just a sketch, so this was a perfect image to finish in two days! I’m so proud of how this turned out ~ her face has such a warm glow and adding the ring of blue around her added a rich contrast to the yellow. This was an encouraging accomplishment for me and I’m hoping to have more chalk art opportunities in the future.

I Madonnari 2021

Santa Barbara’s Chalk Art Festival took place over Memorial Weekend! I Madonnari is a three day chalk art extravaganza where local businesses sponsor artists to create large scale street art using chalk pastel. I have participated in this festival for about 10 years. Usually the festival takes place at the Santa Barbara Mission, where onlookers can follow the artists’ progress over the 3 days, but in order to follow local guidelines the festival took place remotely this year. I worked on my piece at my sponsor’s home and we chose a 4’ wood board for the art instead of on the ground. Via Maestra is (in my opinion) the most delicious Italian food in town and the owner and I have become good friends over the years that he has been my artistic sponsor. His only request for the image was that I did something Italian, so Da Vinci it is! This is a portrait of the angel from a larger Da Vinci work, “The Virgin of the Rocks.” Recreating a Da Vinci portrait is a challenge that I took on for myself, but I’m so proud of the finished product and I believe it’s my best portrait yet. I learn a little more each time I do this festival!

A work in progress

ADA Conference

Zyris sent me to the ADA Conference in San Francisco on September 5-7! Such a great weekend doing chalk art for them and offering art for the conference attendees to enjoy.