What's a Little Chalk Dust?

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My curiosity was piqued by a small clip in a local newspaper last week. It stated that Forest Grove would be holding its 15th Annual Sidewalk Chalk Art Festival, and anyone was welcome to come and participate. Since I had only passed through Forest Grove several years ago, I decided this was a perfect Saturday afternoon activity that would introduce me to the town.

The ambitious arrived at 9am, although it appeared that a number of participants had just started not too long before I arrived around one o’clock. For only $10, you were assigned a 3 x 3 sidewalk block and given a tray of colorful chalk. The rest of the creation was up to the individual.Some came prepared with sketches or books to guide their illustrations. Others seemed to employ a freestyle approach to the content of their squares. For several, it was a family affair. A number of the participants were students at neighboring Pacific University.

Some pieces conveyed a political or personal belief, while others expressed whimsy with their bright colors beaming up from the sidewalk. A variety of techniques were also evident among the artists. Carpet placed over completed sections of the collage would protect it from smudging, while allowing the artist to sit on top of it to finish hard-to-reach places. Spray bottles and brushes gave wet chalk a new patina. One piece even had a dusting of glitter to enhance its eye-catching appeal.

Drawings were to be finished by 3 pm, and following by an evening Italian-styled passegiata from 4-8 pm during which visitors and community members could stroll along and enjoy the artwork created earlier in the day.

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Photos

I Survived Hurricane Katrina
The artist of this piece was a young women from Gulfport, Mississippi. She recently moved to Oregon to stay with family while her husband is stationed in Japan. In the interim, their house has been completely flattened.

Comments

[Same Admirer]

Added Comment :)
Your picture taking and writing abilities are awesome. I love getting your travelblogs. I also admire your zest for life---your finding all of the places of interest to visit and share pictures of. Many thanks!

[Heather]

Smile
This was lovely to read about and see! Thanks for sharing!