(Where were you on Halloween weekend? We certainly hope that Laurel Park residents made the short stroll to Burns Square to check out the incredible chalk art created by artists from all over the world. The renowned 3D chalk artist Edgar Mueller even came from Germany to do his first work on American soil!! In case you missed it, here’s a recap:
The Sarasota Chalk Festival celebrated the spectacle of Street Painting, a 400 year-old performance art cultural tradition, during the weekend of October 30 & 31st when it became America’s First International Street Painting Festival. The art-form that originated in Europe when Madonnari (street-painters) would recreate images of the Madonna on the surface of the streets for tips had a contemporary feel during this festival that for the first time in street-painting history celebrated the theme Halloween – with all its delicacy, beauty and a little spooky fun.
Professional I Madonnari (street-painters) and artists from all over the world transformed South Pineapple Avenue and all of Oak Street from Pineapple to Palm Avenue in Burns Square into a gallery of fine art using the street pavement as their canvas and chalk as their medium.
This years theme was… a little funny… and a little spooky… all Halloween style! The theme was a total opposite of last year’s theme, the Goddess Flora, springtime and birth. Discussions are well under way for next years theme among the Board of Directors, “We see the need to educate the public on the 500 year-old history of the art-form so we are pondering doing a traditional I Madonnari themed event by recreating images of the Virgin Mary.” But… the board did not stop there… there is talk of an adult only street that requires ID to enter! (keep reading at chalkfestival.com)