Font ResizeDrawing with chalk on the sidewalk is a fun-filled lesson in impermanence.
The creative expression is dynamic, spontaneous — and inherently fleeting. It is an art form that needs to be witnessed "... before it's washed away.
For the sixth year, everyone is invited to attend the Italian Street Painting Festival this weekend in Martinez.
"It's like walking down the street and hearing someone singing this wonderful melody and it's gone, but you've had it for that moment and the only way to hold on to it is a little nerve memory," says chalk artist Troy Riggs, who has participated in the festival since its inception, "and that's part of the charm."
The Port Costa resident, who recently moved from Martinez, is drawn to the organic aspect of the medium and the feeling of being a part of the surrounding landscape.
"You can do something that's exquisite, and then a good rain or a good hose can wash it away. But you had that moment of beauty," she says.
Riggs also resonates with the interactive element as passers-by may offer their creative input.
"You have a symbiotic relationship — they're interacting with you the whole time you're creating it. It's subject to change. (Their comments) could have great bearing on what I'm doing," says Riggs.
And with this mode of expression, time is of the essence. Each time, Christine Pasadis wonders if she's bitten off more than she can chew when it comes to selection of
This weekend, the self-taught artist will transform an 8- by 8-foot segment of sidewalk into an inviting habitat for her tree frog. Its characteristically large eyes are sure to draw spectators into the experience.
She'll start around 7:30 a.m. Saturday, and with a palette of 48 colors, she'll "work until it gets too dark or too cold."
End-of-the-day muscle soreness and fatigue are something she just lives with as part of a creative process that captivated her when she made her first street painting in 1997.
"There's something about the time constraints and the fact that it's going to be washed away. It gives you some freedom to let things go," she says. "It doesn't have to be perfect. Just move on and get it done.
"It's a spectator event, a performance art. The idea is to entertain the crowd as they're watching these beautiful things come to life."
Pasadis has infused her daughters with a similar love of the craft that dates back to the 16th century, and both will join her at the festival, with her eldest, Michelle, 17, creating an impermanent image of her own.
Both girls have benefitted from their mother's wit and artistic tutelage.
"You can be out in the hot sun and feel like you're melting, and then we're sharing laughs about being covered in chalk," says Michelle. "She's one of the best art teachers I've ever had.
"She has taught me about colors — when you shade things, you can use purples and blues to make things pop. She's taught me how to look at things and pick things apart."
Her sister, Jessica, 13, has been practicing her recently discovered craft on her Rohnert Park driveway.
"(Mom) taught me how to make an image shine and where the shine should be," says Jessica.
And like her mom, Michelle is captivated by art chalk's vibrant array of colors.
"I like how you can make a giant image, much bigger than real life. I love the freedom it gives you. The chalk is very versatile," she adds. "I know if I really mess up it' going to be washed away, although sometimes I wish I could take the ground, the street, frame it and save it forever."
The Italian Street Painting Festival, which also offers live music, Italian fare, arts and crafts, and bocce, will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 26 and 27 on Main Street in Martinez.
Visitors also can try their hand at chalk art — a space in the Community Chalk Area and a box of chalk to keep is available for a $10 donation.
For more information, call 925-228-3577 or visit www.mainstreetmartinez.org.
