We were in Bartow this part weekend for the 2nd annual ChalkWalk. We had a great time, despite the repeated rain storms. There are two questions we get when we do festivals, “what happens when it rains?” and “Isn’t it upsetting when the rain ruins your piece?”
What happens when it rains?
The short answer is that it washes away, or at least gets damaged by the rain. Its the nature of chalk art and its meant to be an ethereal experience. Chalk art and street painting festivals are considered a performing art, one where spectators come out to watch the piece being created and interact with the artists.
And I love the idea of it being temporary. Its a great reminder of being “in the moment”
During a festival we do try to take precautions and cover our work with plastic if it is going to rain, or if rain is forecast overnight, but in a rainstorm it only has mixed results.
Do you get upset if your piece gets ruined?
It is frustrating at times. When we do a festival we really bust our butts. Its hot with very long days. And we pick really challenging pieces that require a lot of time and work. There is a real satisfaction when you push yourself and accomplish something difficult.
But we get over that pretty quick. At the end of the day I think chalk festivals are about creating a shared experience. We love spending time with other artists, vendors, the musicians and the visitors. We get to meet people from different areas and have some time to really connect with new people. And that occurs whether we finish our piece or if it gets washed away.
They say the important part of the journey isnt the destination, but the journey itself. I think the same holds true at festivals. Its not about the finished pieces of art, its about the process of creating and sharing that process with people. And those moments occur regardless of the end result. It also happens in little moments like when strangers run over and help you cover up your artwork with plastic as it starts to rain.
In the picture above we were fixing issues from the 3rd rain storm. I think the picture perfectly captures our attitude when things don’t go our way.