Saturday, May 18, 2013
By Beth Quimby bquimby@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
BIDDEFORD - Kalii Potter, 10, of Limington plucked an assortment of chalk sticks from a bucket and went to work on Adams Street.
Addie Burman, 4, of Saco draws on the community chalk mural on Adams Street in Biddeford.
Photos by Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer
Vicky Leach, 11, of Biddeford shows her mother her colorful hand while working on a chalk drawing at the eighth annual Chalk on the Walk, a community arts festival, in Biddeford on Saturday.
Staff Photographer
Minutes later, she had created an eye-popping pink-and-red addition to the mural taking shape on the asphalt.
"First I thought of a circle and then a target," said Kalii, who was covered in chalk dust.
Kalii was one of dozens of children adding their chalk marks to downtown Biddeford streets at Saturday's eighth annual Chalk on the Walk. The event is intended to promote Biddeford's family-friendly downtown, said Delilah Poupore, executive director of the Heart of Biddeford, a downtown revitalization group.
This year's celebration focused on Biddeford's cultural present and past. While rain and mists limited participation in the morning, by midday the streets, closed to traffic, started to fill up with eventgoers who came to watch stage performances, ride ponies and play in bounce houses.
"There is nothing better than chalk and bounce houses," said Melissa Wallack of Gorham, watching her daughter, Kaitlyn, 3, help fill in the mural.
Alex Truehart, 10, of Biddeford said it isn't every day he gets to play and make art in the middle of the street.
"I like drawing with chalk," said Alex as he worked on a big smiley face.
About 25 University of New England students helped set up for the event, drawing big squares on the ground for children to fill in with their own creations.
Another 25 artists, some sporting knee pads to protect them from the hard pavement, also lent their skills.
Biddeford artist Nora Tryon, who has a studio in town, said she normally works in paint and had to modify her technique to pull off her portrait of four faces from around the world in the cracks and bumps on the Adams Street sidewalk.
"I try to simply go with the light and shadows," said Tryon.
Artist Kenney Dao of Biddeford said he wanted to participate to show his support for community events.
He worked on a portrait of his smiling baby cousin.
"When I think of happiness I think of her," Dao said.
Justine Leach of Biddeford brought a whole group of children to downtown Biddeford.
"This is something different," said Leach.
Her daughter, Vicky, 11, got down on all fours to work on what she called an angel heart.
"It just inspired me, for some reason," said Vicky.
Staff Writer Beth Quimby can be contacted at 791-6363 or at:
bquimby@pressherald.com
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Shelby Braese, a junior at the University of New England, smudges chalk in a drawing she created on Adams Street in Biddeford during the Chalk on the Walk event Saturday. |
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Vicky Leach writes the word love inside a heart she drew with chalk. |
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