Fort Wayne Museum of Art is taking it to the streets. 

Since 2000, the museum has hosted the Chalk Walk during the first weekend of the Three Rivers Festival. This year will be no different. Thousands will descend on Main Street at the Arts Campus to gaze at the creations Saturday-Sunday, July 8-9.

Though it’s not actually a part of the Three Rivers Festival, the museum’s Vice President and Chief Operating Office Amanda Shepard sees the benefit of being an “affiliated event.”

“It seems like a smart move to have it when there’s so many people already downtown,” she said.

Keeping it local

According to Shepard, who took part in the event as a museum intern in 2007, the Chalk Walk is much more than drawing with chalk. It’s an art form.

“Sidewalk chalk wouldn’t actually work because it’s too … chalky,” she said. “The chalk pastels we use, the colors are a lot more saturated. They have just the slightest moisture in them to bind up the material to help it flow a little more smoothly. And people come prepared with extra packs.”

When artists sign up for a 4-foot-by-4-foot square for $10 or 8-foot-by-8-foot square for $15, they are supplied with some chalk pastels. However, most bring their own to get the most out of their square.

When you visit the area and watch as the artists create their scenes, you’re going to be seeing your neighbors at work, not pros flying in.

“The great thing about Chalk Walk is it’s mostly Fort Wayne residents,” Shepard said. “Many have been doing it for years, so they’ve perfected techniques. They’re not really professional artists. They’ve just learned how to do this. Maybe they studied art in college, and we’ve had a couple college professors do this. But by and large, they’re ‘amateurs’ that just really love it. It’s one of the mainstays of their year.”

Categorization

Shepard said there is no application process to take part. You just need to sign up in April, although she does notice the questions about signing up come in early.

“People start asking in January,” she said. “It’s first-come, first-served. There are no qualifications.”

There might not be qualifications, but you could fool onlookers. Even the Best Square by an Artist Under 12 attracts talented artists, with Elias Nussbaum literally turning heads with his depiction of a sea turtle last year.

Other categories this year include Best Use of a Street/Sidewalk Blemish, Trompe-l’Oeil (fool the eye), Favorite Art Genre, Let’s Play (favorite toy or game), Main Street Eats, Alice in Wonderland, and People’s Choice.

Most will create their work to fit into a category or two, but Shepard says the categories are created mainly as guidelines to help the artists.

“Sometimes people need a little help thinking of something,” she said. “So, it’s like, ‘OK, think of this category.’ It also keeps things kind of focused on artistry. It just kind of channels people into a creative direction. You certainly don’t have to do one of these categories, but many people do decide to compete. It’s kind of neat when you see a dozen Alice in Wonderland squares, for example.”

Weathering the elements

As if creating the art was not difficult enough, these artists have many other things to consider, such as heat, lighting, moisture, and having to lean over for so long.

“Some years are a little milder,” Shepard said. “Other years, it’s the hottest day of the year. 

“They know what they’re getting into. For many of them, they love that challenge. It’s not just an artistic challenge. It’s a real physical challenge.”

And after all that work, it can be gone in no time at all.

“It might rain overnight,” Shepard said. “Main Street reopens by Monday morning, so their creation is going to be driven over within 24 hours. They accept it. It’s the momentary glory they’re after.”

The artists may also have to “accept” their location. While accommodations might be able to be made to put friends and family next to each other, when it comes to getting a big crack in the street or manhole in your space, it’s a guessing game.

“We do our best to try to accommodate reasonable requests, but someone has to get the blemished square,” Shepard said. “It’s part of the challenge, too, because you don’t know what kind of square you’re going to get. 

“We do have check-in the Friday night before the event. So, you can come down, take a look at your square, see what you have to deal with, and I would imagine, if you’re a smart chalker, you have a backup plan in case you have four patched holes and part of a manhole.”

Those blemishes just add to the event, which Shepard says is harmonious.

“Every year, I’m very heartened that there are people out there not being political or polarizing,” she said. “They just pick things that are really good and anyone could enjoy. I’m really happy to see people doing that. There’s no litmus test for participation, anyone can do it. When people get out there, they realize that this is just a fun thing to do with people you don’t know. We’re all in this together and we’re doing a fun, creative thing that thousands of people are enjoying.”