NEWS

Chalk Festival artists to bring 100 years of Sarasota history to life on Pineapple Avenue

Earle Kimel
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Sarasota-based artist Truman Adams, works on an image of a Seahorse from the Lido Beach Casino as part of the “Chalk Festival Avenue of Art,” which will celebrate Sarasota County’s centennial.
Artists funded by Avenida de Colores, the nonprofit that stages the Chalk Festival, are in the process of painting the sidewalk of South Pineapple Avenue, between the Ringling Boulevard roundabout and the intersection South Orange Avenue, to commemorate Sarasota County's centennial. Chalk Festival Director Denise Kowal said she wanted to do that instead of some sort of virtual show with the $40,000 grant it received in Tourist Development tax money.
Artists funded by Avenida de Colores, the nonprofit that stages the Chalk Festival, are in the process of painting the sidewalk of South Pineapple Avenue, between the Ringling Boulevard roundabout and the intersection South Orange Avenue, to commemorate Sarasota County's centennial. Chalk Festival Director Denise Kowal said she wanted to do that instead of some sort of virtual show with the $40,000 grant it received in Tourist Development tax money.

SARASOTA – One hundred years of Sarasota County history will be on display along Pineapple Avenue as it undergoes a transformation into the “Chalk Festival Avenue of Art,” in celebration of Sarasota County’s Centennial. 

Denise Kowal, founder of the Chalk Festival and of Avenida de Colores, the nonprofit that stages the event, said artists will paint the sidewalk on Pineapple Avenue in the Burns Square area – between the intersection with South Orange Avenue and the Ringling Boulevard roundabout – for the next three weeks. 

Then people can stroll up and down the avenue throughout the summer and early fall, enjoy the artwork and use their smartphones to read QR codes and learn more. 

“All the artwork will have QR codes attached to it where, people can pull that up and then read about the image because it’s all around the Sarasota County Centennial, celebrating 100 years of Sarasota Couty,” Kowal said. 

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Deb Lawless works on a sidewalk panel as part of the “Chalk Festival Avenue of Art,” a display being created over the next few weeks to celebrate Sarasota County’s centennial. The display includes an interactive feature, where viewers can use their smartphones to access QR codes to learn about the inspiration behind the artworks and the artists.

Though many of the artists are familiar to Chalk Festival patrons by their work through that medium, Kowal stressed that the sidewalk art is in paint, so it the viewing experience can be extended and people can practice social distancing – instead of over one compact weekend. 

Artists started working on the east side of Pineapple Avenue last weekend. The west side of the street will be covered soon, too.

"Eventually all the sidewalks will be painted; it’s really kind of cool,” Kowal said. “I’m super excited about it; nobody’s done it to this magnitude like this before. It’s a different project for us, but it’s totally in our wheelhouse of things for us to be doing.” 

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Artists, and art students are still needed to help bring the “Chalk Festival Avenue of Art,” to life. 

"I’m trying to encourage artists to sign up and help with this centennial project and come and paint a square with us,” Kowal said. 

There are 312 sidewalk squares in the area.

Those interested can fill out an application at the Chalk Festival website at https://bit.ly/3fu8dt5 or email info@chalkfestival.org. 

Janet Tombros works on a sidewalk panel of a couple enjoying the Sarasota sun and surf as part of the “Chalk Festival Avenue of Art,” a display being created over the next few weeks to celebrate Sarasota County’s centennial.

Kowal said the nonprofit also wants residents and history buffs to email art ideas that support Sarasota County history. ‘Things we may not know about that make us unique,” Kowal said. 

Avenida de Colores is paying for the project with the $40,000 grant it received for this season from Tourist Development Tax funds.

When the COVID-19 pandemic limited public festivals in 2020, Kowal had to shelve the traditional Chalk Festival in Venice but opened an indoor, temporary 3-D museum where people would schedule socially distanced visits to enjoy the art.

Artists also created temporary 3-D art pieces in Burns Square. 

Kowal said while other arts groups have done online or virtual events, the sidewalk art display made more sense as a way to reach people and not risk overcrowding. 

“We wanted to bring lots of people here – but not all at once,” Kowal said. 

Holland King works on a sidewalk panel as part of the “Chalk Festival Avenue of Art,” a display being created over the next few weeks to celebrate Sarasota County’s centennial.

“This way we feel like it will draw tourism,” she added. “It will draw people to the neighborhood, hopefully they'll go into the stores and the shops and eat in the restaurants, and that’s what the whole tourism thing is supposed to do – attract people here to see what we have to offer and encourage commerce.” 

Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota County, said the Chalk Festival sidewalk art display dovetails well with the overall popularity of murals and pride sidewalks in the city. 

“I think it’s part of that whole collective of reinforcing what a great cultural destination we are,” Haley said. 

Holland King works on a Siesta key sidewalk panel as part of the “Chalk Festival Avenue of Art,” a display being created over the next few weeks to celebrate Sarasota County’s centennial.

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Kowal said artists creating the display have mostly been working on weekends, because that’s when they can afford to donate their time but she anticipates more artists working on weekdays too. 

It should take about a month to finish the sidewalk art, which will last until sometime in October, when it will be pressure washed into memory, as the Chalk Festival gears up for a return to the Venice Municipal Airport Festival Grounds, Oct. 29-Nov. 1, for Halloween weekend. 

“I keep saying we’re going to have a very spirited festival,” Kowal said. “We’re super excited about it.” 

Interested? 

• To submit an artist application for Chalk Festival Avenue of Art,” visit https://bit.ly/3fu8dt5 or email info@chalkfestival.org. 

• To suggest historical themes for the artwork, email info@chalkfestival.org.  

Earle Kimel primarily covers south Sarasota County for the Herald-Tribune and can be reached at earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism with a digital subscription to the Herald-Tribune.