Art Attacks: Chalk Draw

I don't know if any of you have been to the annual Temecula Street Painting Festival in Old Town each summer; it's very cool if you like to see people drawing and creating art! I've taken my kids there a couple of times so far and

we love to see what people of all ages draw on the streets with pastels. Want to see more like the spiderman 3D sidewalk painting? There are some amazing images here.
Read my ideas on how to implement something similar here at LJM...


Inspiration: Temecula Street Painting Festival and other street painting festivals
Execution: Provide sidewalk chalk to our students during what we are calling "Art Attacks" - scheduled days (so far once a month starting in 2011) so they can practice drawing and making art

This idea has been 'grounded' - meaning it was an 'idea in the air' that has been presented to the powers that be and has been given the green light. Yay! It's a relatively budget-friendly art initiative that will bring some art to our school in a visible way.

Details: (These details can change/morph/evolve without notice to fit budget/number of volunteers who sign on to help/etc. We encourage you to participate and help either casually or by contacting us so that this and future initiatives can take place. It's fair that everyone pitch in at some time or another. See the list of What we Need below)

1. We'll schedule a day each month to bring out sidewalk chalk provided by the PTA to students in designated areas in the quad/on campus to draw. Currently the time period when this is planned is in the morning, between 8-8:25am. Why? There are kids at school already at this time and parents too. We can leverage the parents' help since they are there already and give kids a creative outlet before school. Having it before school won't cut into afterschool time, which oftentimes is when kids do homework, have lessons, practice, etc.
2. We're working on getting artistic people who like to draw on campus during Art Attacks to draw inspiration pieces for the kids to see.
3. We're working on getting high school/college art students to donate their time and talents to come and teach techniques each month. Teachers too! We'd love to have our own artistic teachers draw and inspire!

We need help! Here's what we need help with:

1. Parents to assist in getting the kids involved and inviting them to draw.
2. Parents to help kids draw - it's perfectly fine for any parent to pick up chalk and start drawing. Often times that will inspire a kid to start drawing. Parents can teach kids gathered around them how to draw something.
3. We need help making sure that everything gets cleaned up and put away before the students leave to line up.  Remember that song "Clean up...clean up...everybody everywhere...clean up clean up everybody do their share"? 
4. Baby wipe donations - we'll start a collection box so we have wipes for the kids' hands before they take off to class. :)

Easy Peasy! We hope to see you at our first Art Attack/Chalk Draw in January 2011! Information about it will be 'out there' starting in December and in January.

Remember we need the support of not just the same people...but of everyone. If you are helping, why not ask another parent to help with you?