Sidewalk masterpieces: Museum of Art's annual Chalk Festival brings professionals, amateurs together

Bob Perkoski Thursday, September 21, 2023
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Artists of all ages and abilities came to get dusty at the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) 34th annual Chalk Festival last Saturday, Sept. 14.

The south plaza and walkways, through the Fine Arts Garden and Wade Lagoon, came alive with color, as participants worked alongside professional chalk artists Sequoia Bostick, Bruno Casiano, and Debra Sue Solecki, as well as students from Cleveland Institute of Art and local community groups. 

The annual event started in 1990 and features sidewalk artistry as a modern expression of a Renaissance tradition from 16th-century Italy in which artists copied paintings of the Madonna by Raphael and his contemporaries using chalk on the plazas outside cathedrals.

Bob Perkoski attended this yearly favorite event in photos to share with our FreshWater Cleveland readers.
Bob Perkoski
Bob Perkoski

About the Author: Bob Perkoski

In addition to his work for Fresh Water, Bob Perkoski is the official photographer for LAND studio and Cleveland Burlesque. He recently published a book of his photos Rust Belt Burlesque. He's had work published in other books like LGBTQ Cleveland by Ken Schneck, Rust Belt Chic: The Cleveland Anthology, Rust Belt Chic: The Pittsburgh Anthology and Moon Cleveland by Douglas Trattner. Previously he was co-founder/art director for Balanced Living Magazine. His substantial portfolio includes news coverage, portraiture, commercial imagery and fine art. Perkoski's first solo show, These Walks of Life premiered in December 2016 in Negative Space Gallery. Visit Perkoski Photography for complete profile information.
 
Originally from Conneaut, Ohio, Perkoski now lives close to the city in Parma. He has been Fresh Water's managing photographer since the publication's September 2010 inception.

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