Welcome to my blog. This is where you will be able to find dialogue and information concerning all things related to my work and the art forms I work within, including street painting chalk art, painting and drawing, mural and decorative painting work and other art related subjects. I’ll be posting articles related to specific…
Back in 2003 I got a call from then director of the Youth In Arts Italian Street Painting Festival, Sue Carlomagno, about a crazy idea she was dying to share with me. ‘How would you like to tackle the Sistine Chapel ceiling?’ I knew she & her husband Joe were planning something big for the…
Yes, anyone with a desire can make a street painting. I have seen people of all ages from 2 to 82 make street paintings. You don’t necessarily need experience in art to participate either. Experience comes with practice and application and for the serious student, some art training would be very helpful. Most participants in…
Yes for some, but a definite no for me! This is one of the things I love most about street painting – the interactive aspect. I thoroughly enjoy explaining, discussing and educating the public about what I am doing. Not only do I feel connected with the community in this way, I appreciate their interest…
Depending on location, weather and traffic, a street painting can be visible for many months after it has been completed – not clearly but faintly. Rain, moisture, wind and traffic will diminish its beauty very quickly, but typically it can be seen in a fairly good condition for a few weeks after its completion, if…
It can be very taxing to create a street painting, especially in hot weather. When the ambient temperature goes up, so does the heat on the pavement. This can not only be strenuous but dangerous. Hats, sunscreen and plenty of water are a must; I usually work under an umbrella when possible for hot climates.…
Chalk pastel is not a highly stable medium that does not bond, like paint, with the surface it is applied to. There really is no sealer or preservative you can apply to it without creating some damage. I have created many ‘street paintings’ on artificial surfaces with intentions to preserve them and have been somewhat…
Every street painter hopes for good weather – rain is the enemy of the street painter! If it rains you can try to save your image with plastic, etc. but this can create more harm than good so we usually just start all over when the weather clears up. Wind can also be damaging as…
Here is a recipe that many street painters I know use. It does take some practice to get the recipe exactly the way you want it. I use powder pigments from Daniel Smith, Sinopia and Kremer. This recipe can yield a few hundred chalks, especially if you double the emulsion recipe. If you don’t use…
I am a purist with this art form so I only use chalk pastels. I use all kinds of chalk pastels – Koss, Eternity Arts, Sennelier, Unison, Rembrandt, ArtSpectrum – usually color choices dictate manufacturer preference. I am particularly addicted to Eternity Arts right now. They are buttery homemade pastels that glide on like silk!…