Chalked that Block

Do you remember when I decided to give myself a little push? Earlier this summer after being a volunteer for the chalk art festival up in Salt Lake I decided I wanted to add "participate in a chalk art festival as an artist" to my bucket list. But I was planning on that festival which wouldn't happen until next year. I would have a nice lovely year to practice and slowly talk myself into participating. And then a wonderful friend sent a message to me about Chalk the Block happening at Riverwoods in a month. She told me I had to sign up. 

My stomach seriously dropped and the nervousness set in. 

See, I love doing my chalk art every summer on the sidewalk that lays to the side of my house. It's secluded, and no one can really see me chalking, and if my drawing completely sucks then that's fine because no one can see it anyways. 

But participating in a festival where you expand the size of your drawing, where people are constantly walking by and watching you. Where everyone can see your work... and if you end up making a disaster  good luck hiding it. 

But at the same time, I really wanted this experience. So I hurried and paid the entrance fee before I could turn back. 

And I'm so glad I did. 

Seven hours later and I'm done!

It really was such a fun and different experience. Thankfully I was tucked away in a corner and all the artists around me weren't there on Friday so I felt mostly alone. There weren't a lot of spectators either so I was able to get lost in my chalk. 

It was hard chalking in the parking lot. The surface was bumpy (as can see in image above.... it gave my picture weird texture) and it took a lot of chalk layers and rubbing in to cover the surface. 

A sweet little side bonus was that I got my picture in the Daily Herald! (well, I don't know about the actual printed paper but it was online!) 

I also got incredibly dirty. Black feet, black all up the outside of my legs from sitting on that parking lot. I took a lunch break and walked over to Subway and this cute lady behind me asked if I was one of the artists, to which I replied, yes. She then told me she could tell because I had chalk all up my leg...

I really was such a mess. 

But it was one of those things that you're almost proud to show off because it meant you just accomplished something worthy of that black tar. 

The chalk art festival went on into Saturday as well. I chalked all day Friday and finished so that I could go back Saturday and just meander around and enjoy the other artwork.  

Side note: My thighs have never ever been as sore as they were the following few days after chalking. I seriously could not walk normal and don't even ask me about stairs. It was awful. 

But it was completely worth it! And I'm so glad I was able to have the opportunity. I don't want it to be a once in a lifetime thing though, I want to continue to push myself and participate in more festivals down the road. I want to increase this talent. And my thigh strength.