So I'ts been two years since I've started doing chalk street painting and there's nothing like it. The preparation, the long two to three day festivals with the beaming sun on your back along with the interactivity of the local folk who's only art knowledge or experience is next to none. While this is all fun and dandy, I've have learned that chalk artist have major fears when it comes to their work before judging time. Here are the top six things chalk artist fear:
1. Rain
To a chalk artist this is an ugly four letter word. This is especially bad when you are almost done and the sky threatens to wash your work away before judging time. What's even worst is that every average person has to ask you the same stupid question at every show "What happens when it rains?" Well it washes away you dumb ass, what do you think is going to happen. Of cores we can't say that to their face, but don't be fooled, we are thinking of it. This question is on the top dumbest question we get asked at festivals. (future blog).
2. The leaf blower
In rare occasion this maintenance tool becomes a major threat as bad as water, but it has happened to me in the past. Most events they warn the maintenance group from doing activities that could damage the art for the festival, but sadly you do come across that "tool" that just want to be a smart ass and do the opposite. We encountered this problem early last year at a local chalk festival. The maintenance guy was going around blowing off chalk off the artwork by using leaves as an excuse. Neat less to say one of the chalk artist caught him and gave him a lot of hell for it. They continue to do it after he was cought, so the artist had to stalked him to make sure he didn't keep doing it to other peoples work. The guys literally blew way several peoples days worth of work. It was brutal and just dickish of him.
3. Strollers
With so many parents trying to stimulate their children with art, you will think they would have more respect for it them selves. I've personally had my street painting run over by strollers and it's really boils my blood. Most of these people are simply to busy texting on their phone to pay attention where they are walking their bundle of joy. Really lady, the piece is over 10 feet and it's in NEON COLORS. How did you not see it. What is worst is that 90% of the time they literally go right through the center of the piece. Not to bad if you are doing abstract art, but if you are doing a portrait, this is hours of work you must back track.
4. Senile old people in their electric carts
Senior citizens are for most part our biggest audience. They are the majority of the people we talk too and tip us. However, every so often you come across that one elderly person that is not just slightly senile, but is also ridding on an electric cart. This makes them a big threat. Those tires on the carts are not small, and were ever they roll you will see a lot of damage. Nothing like having a bright or dark color land on your whites. The worst part is we can't really yell at them. I mean... yes we are pissed, but we also understand that this person is probably not all there so we are stuck with loudly asking for them to please move off the piece. Talk about biting your lip.
5. People walking right through, and sometimes with a drink in hand
Just like the stroller people, you have just the normal people walking through your piece. This is normally due to a conversation with another person, cell phone conversation, or texting. Some of these people are just being ass whole, and just don't want to walk around to their destination. So they walk right through thinking they can get away with it. What is even worst is when that person is holding a drink and they drip on your work or drop it right on your work. I had this happen to me the first time I did a chalk event two years ago. Sadly this happened over night so it was a very nasty surprise the next morning. Neat less to say I always cover my art work up before leaving after that experience.
6. Unsupervised children
Oh yes. Believe it or not, this happens often but not as often as people walking on your art. Nothing like having a small child pick up a chalk and start adding to the work, and smearing hard to hide colors. Some of these cases the parents are no where to be found, or they simply grab the kid and don't even bother to apologize. In that case I feel very bad for the kid for being raised by such poor mannered parents. Kids probably going to grow up into a little bastard.
So next time you are at a street painting festival, please be mindful of the artist work.
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