By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
By time the teenage artists were done with their street art, many of them looked like artwork themselves – camouflaged to blend in with their masterpieces.
The artists assured that the chalk would wash off their skin, though maybe not some of their clothing.
“I hope so,” said Kate Tyrrell, a colorful Bowling Green student on one of the chalk art teams.
Ten teams, of five teens each, competed in the Chalk Walk competition sponsored by the BG Rotary Club on Saturday at the Black Swamp Arts Festival in downtown Bowling Green.
They were given a few parameters. Each canvas consisted of an 8-foot by 10-foot section of asphalt on North Main Street. And each team had 3½ hours, using professional chalk, to create art with the theme of “Celebrating the Arts.”
The 10 teams represented four school districts, Bowling Green, Eastwood, Anthony Wayne and Wayne Trace.
As the teams began their masterpieces, the pavement quickly turned into pictures.
“They come with a concept,” said Erica Grossman, coordinator of the teen arts offerings at the festival. “It’s great having the high schoolers come together to collaborate and show the community what they can do.”
One of the judges for the Chalk Walk was a professional chalk artist from Columbus known as the Chalk Goblin. In his daytime job, Chris Fry said he works on the website for Bath and Bodyworks.
But during his “weekend gigs,” he gets to create massive messy art – all outside under the eyes of spectators.
“I’m not doing it in my basement and hanging it in a gallery,” Fry said.
There are many characteristics separating chalk from other artwork. Chalk art demands its creators work on a large scale, be willing to work in public, and not mind getting dirty from forehead to feet.
“It’s challenging. It’s on the ground. It’s big and it’s physically hard,” Fry said.
The Chalk Walk artists on Saturday were judged for their creativity, use of color and collaboration.
Each of the streetscapes showed arrays of art forms to comply with the theme. There was a rainbow of musical notes, strips of film, stages, tragedy and comedy masks, paintbrushes, a keyboard, saxophone, several Black Swamp lizards, a remake of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” and a giant balloon monkey like one currently on display at the Toledo Museum of Art.
One Bowling Green team turned their pavement portion into a place to admire artwork.
“Why don’t we make a museum,” Violet Grossman said of her team’s motivation.
Another BG team packed their picture with all types of artforms.
“We tried to combine all the arts,” said Ruthann Miller.
“I love how vibrant it is,” Miriam Faulkner said, noting this was her first foray into chalk art, beyond her driveway.
Checking out the competition, Meredith Buchhop was full of admiration.
“Everybody has a lot of cool ideas,” she said.
“Normally I work with watercolor and acrylic paint,” said BG student Alice Walters. “This was incredible. It’s a great medium. It brings lots of color – like the festival.”
As the deadline ticked closer, Anthony Wayne artist Izzy DeChristopher was putting finishing touches on her team’s work.
“We’re making everything look snazzy. It’s really crazy that this happened in three hours,” she said as she gazed at the colorful stretch of roadway.
Each teen group received $330 as a participation gift to go to their school art programs.
This year’s Chalk Walk Best Overall winner was a Bowling Green team taking home an additional $100 for their art program. The team members were Ruthann Miller, Meredith Buchhop, Miriam Faulkner, Cecilia Schultz and Sam Kozey.
All of the following winners received an added $65 for their art programs. One Anthony Wayne team won Best Use of Color while another group from the school was awarded Best Use of Medium. Best Interpretation of Theme, Most Creative, and Best Collaboration awards went to three more teams from Bowling Green High School. Wayne Trace, from Haviland, was awarded Best Composition.
Also on Saturday, unaccompanied vocal ensemble groups of three to 10 members competed in the “Beats on the Street” musical competition. This year’s Beats on the Street winners were tied between Bowling Green High School and Spencerville teams. Both teams took home $440 for their school music programs.
