Passersby may notice Main Street will be a little more colorful than usual for a few days this summer. Just don’t step on the artists when you walk by.
Like the loveable Bert in “Mary Poppins,” local chalk artists of all ages will be giving a few downtown businesses a colorful addition when a monthly First Tuesday Chalk Walk resumes for the second and third time Aug. 7 and Sept. 4.
Dansville’s chalk walk was conceived by business owners Jill Kalmar of Clockworks Wine and Liquor and Salome Farraro of Tony’s Pizzeria after Kalmar noticed two young girls in front of Wong’s Chinese restaurant with a box of sidewalk chalk.
“You could tell they just wanted to use it,”?Kalmar said. So she gave them the opportunity in front of her store to ready it for a wine tasting that night, and voila, an idea was born.
“It’s all about getting people interested in Main Street again,” Kalmar said, citing the popularity of Steel Blossoms this spring. “It’s really about giving an opportunity for people to discover what we already know is fabulous, and that’s Main Street.”
For its inaugural run on July 3, and with little more than word-of-mouth, two youngsters signed up to make some chalk art in front of Tony’s Pizzeria and Clockworks. Five businesses have gotten on board so far since then, and more businesses and artists are invited to get involved for its next two monthly events. Artists will be assigned a spot in front of a participating business, and as a courtesy, interested artists are asked to coordinate any ideas with the business owner before making their art.
Art should be finished by 11 a.m. on the first Tuesday of the month. For details, chalk walk information sheets may be picked up at Tony’s Pizzeria, where sign ups are as well.
Passersby may notice Main Street will be a little more colorful than usual for a few days this summer. Just don’t step on the artists when you walk by.
Like the loveable Bert in “Mary Poppins,” local chalk artists of all ages will be giving a few downtown businesses a colorful addition when a monthly First Tuesday Chalk Walk resumes for the second and third time Aug. 7 and Sept. 4.
Dansville’s chalk walk was conceived by business owners Jill Kalmar of Clockworks Wine and Liquor and Salome Farraro of Tony’s Pizzeria after Kalmar noticed two young girls in front of Wong’s Chinese restaurant with a box of sidewalk chalk.
“You could tell they just wanted to use it,”?Kalmar said. So she gave them the opportunity in front of her store to ready it for a wine tasting that night, and voila, an idea was born.
“It’s all about getting people interested in Main Street again,” Kalmar said, citing the popularity of Steel Blossoms this spring. “It’s really about giving an opportunity for people to discover what we already know is fabulous, and that’s Main Street.”
For its inaugural run on July 3, and with little more than word-of-mouth, two youngsters signed up to make some chalk art in front of Tony’s Pizzeria and Clockworks. Five businesses have gotten on board so far since then, and more businesses and artists are invited to get involved for its next two monthly events. Artists will be assigned a spot in front of a participating business, and as a courtesy, interested artists are asked to coordinate any ideas with the business owner before making their art.
Art should be finished by 11 a.m. on the first Tuesday of the month. For details, chalk walk information sheets may be picked up at Tony’s Pizzeria, where sign ups are as well.
