Chalk art hits the downtown pavement

[August 26, 2011]  The first-ever Sidewalk Chart Art Exposition is open in downtown Lincoln. Schoolchildren, individuals and artistic partners have transformed the wide gray walkways into landscapes, open skies, cartoon characters, classic art, a little graffiti and backdrops for balloons. Lots and lots of balloons.

Visitors to the craft fair, art fair, flea market, barbecue competition and entertainment will have a lot to see as they make their way from one corner to the next. There are 63 artists represented. The pictures circle the square, cover the west side of the 100 block of North Kickapoo Street and both sides of the 200 block of South Kickapoo.

Aside from the assorted drawings by students from four schools and many individuals, there are four special sections -- one on each side of the courthouse square -- that highlight the four feature segments of the Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival.

The special sections, their location on the square and their artists are:

• Balloon festival, north side, Bethany Henry and Cindy Keller.

• Art fair, south side, Christi Wells.

• Barbecue, east side, Craig Bidwell.

• The Art of Wine, west side, Renee Sisk and Jodi Phillips.    

"We've pretty much covered the downtown square," co-coordinator Kathy Vinyard said. "If we need to expand next year, we'll have to think about going down the blocks on the side streets." Vinyard and Roy Logan, from the Lincoln Park District, coordinated the sidewalk chalk art exposition. 

Each entrant paid $10 and received a box of chalk provided by the Lincoln Park District. To preserve the chalk art for the weekend, Vinyard distributed cans of hairspray to coat the pictures. It won't preserve the artwork indefinitely, but it will allow foot traffic to share the sidewalk without erasing the images before most visitors can enjoy their colors.

[By MARLA BLAIR]