ARTISTS!!! :)

Viewing the charcoal artist in class today reminded me of all of the amazing charcoal and chalk artists that are out there in the world today. As an artist myself, it drives me nuts when certain people (usually those who haven't picked up a drawing utensil since the third grade) rant on about what art does and doesn't consist of. The charcoal artist in the film today stated how even he had always been taught that one only was a "qualified" artist if they actually worked with oils. Although art is extremely subjective, art certainly consists of anything original that someone has created. This includes everything from sidewalk chalk and acrylics (which happen to be my favorite medium) all the way to painting with goose poop (which I would have to agree is a bit of a turn off - but hey, kudos to those artists for originality!!)

I have had the privilege of growing up with legitimately AWESOME parents who have let me draw and paint on their walls (so yes, my house has many murals) and who also let me put chalkboard walls in my room. Working with chalk is so freeing and smooth. I look up to chalk artists so much, especially those who have learned how to make their drawings look 3D from certain viewing points. I enjoy following these artists, and my current favorite extremely talented artist is named Julian Beever. All of his work is done ONLY in chalk. I put so much work into murals, and each time I finish one, a part of me becomes attached to what I have just finished painting. So I have trouble understanding how these artists can pour so much of their talent and emotion into these chalk paintings when they know that when the next rain rolls around, their chalk masterpieces are going to be washed away.

So far, the above right picture is my favorite Beever work. Truly amazing!! I am so baffled as to how he can create so much depth only through the use of chalk. Wow!!

Just an example of some of my mural work :)

The very top picture is a photo of one of the walls I painted this past year in a dive shop in Valpo called The Diver's Lair. I did paint all 4 walls, and it took me a whole 8 months. It was an absolute blast and such a learning experience!!