Sidewalk Chalking is Now A Crime???

My daughter, Carmen, chalking at the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival in 2004.

According to an HOA in a Colorado neighborhood, drawing with sidewalk chalk is against the rules.  Read story here.  Three year old Sarah Cohen got in trouble for decorating the "common area" sidewalk with chalk.  The HOA claims that because it's a common area, it is off limits.  Well I say, CHALK ON, GIRLFRIEND!

Don't we all have more important things to worry about?  As a past board member of an HOA, I know firsthand how idiotic neighbors can get.  In our neighborhood, we had a neighbor complain about a kid's lemonade stand, for pete's sake!  Read story here.  They claimed that they were running a business, which is against the rules within our gated community.  Thankfully, our HOA quickly wrote an addendum to the rules, specifically saying that it was OK.  Colorado, are you listening? 

As a professional street painter and chalk artist for Amazing Street Painting, this story hits home.  If it wasn't for chalk art/street painting, I wouldn't be able to travel the world chalking amazing art.

Chalking at Downtown Disney, November 2011.

Any attempt to squash a child's artistic creativity should be discouraged.  As director of the International Street Painting Society, my goal is to get chalk into as many kids' hands as possible, all over the world.  CHALK ON!

Chalking in the Mile High City

A day of firsts.  This was my first time chalking in Denver, and my first "older male" face (i.e. wrinkly).  I usually do women and children with beautifully smooth skin, so I was looking for a challenge.  Well, this piece (original art by Colorado artist Kirby Sattler titled "I am Crow"), is certainly a challenge. Not only were the wrinkles a challenge, but the feathers also took a lot of time to complete.  I worked from 8am til 6pm on Saturday, and was exhausted.  It was hot, and was even hotter on Sunday.  I had to slow down around 2pm, just because the pavement was so hot, and they didn't allow any umbrellas or shade. 

Sunday morning, we arrived at 8am to find technicolor footprints all over everyone's work.  The drunks had a dance party in the street - and I was not happy.  Luckily, my piece wasn't too badly affected, but some were terrible.  It was very sad to see.

I spent about an hour fixing the art, and was done a little after noon on Sunday.  I was working hard to get it done because of the 90 degree heat in the middle of the day.  I was very happy with the finished piece, and the crowd LOVED it.  Some said it was very spiritual and commanding and they were drawn to it.

Thanks to my area sponsor - Big Hoss Bar B Q!