Hendersonville – Vibrant images of various people, creatures, and objects adorned the sidewalk in Downtown Hendersonville in the Chalk it Up! annual artistic contest and outdoor exhibit.
A “panoramic display of colorful creativity” decorated sidewalks on much of the mile-long Main Street, said Narnia Studios owner Barbara Hughes, who puts on the annual chalk art contest. She provided chalk for people to use, as well as art supplies and other prizes, and helped select 26 winners from among the 150 contestants. Each artist sketched an image on a sidewalk panel.
Hughes noted the contest evolved just over a quarter-century ago, out of her family project of three children drawing with chalk on the sidewalk outside her store at 408 N. Main St.
Hughes called it a “picture-perfect day” with dry and cool weather on the contest morning of Saturday, July 16. A few families happened to walk by and spontaneously joined in. The chalk wears off in phases from rain, making it a very temporary exhibit.
Elizabeth Estrada won the professional artist category.
Other chalk art categories are by age, and each has five winners. The winners aged five and younger, listed in the order posted by Hughes, are: Teresa Gessler, Martha Sholz, Jonah Milhollen, Belle Bernier, and Abrielle Gessler.
Winners aged 6-7 are Josephine Gessler, Briana Gessler, Heidi Burnier, Lydia Schimmel, and Paisley Tidwell.
Winners aged 9–12 are: Sophie Cameron, Daisy Dirks, Parker Sidwell, Julianna Conway, and Jay Sherman.
Teen winners aged 13–20 are: Robin Hammond, Erin Wollny Babcock, Jillian Hooper, Ryan Bartlett, and Emma Grace Palmer.
Adult-aged winners ages 21 and older are: Martin Cain, Ashlyn Gessler, Pam Gessler, Rachel Benney, and Christopher Chandler. The Gessler family had two adults and four children among the 26 winners.
See photos of various Chalk it Up! entries online at: https://www.narniastudios.com/chalk-it-up-gallery.
Narnia Studios’ Gingerbread Contest will be on display in the store in early December. You can learn more about its special events at https://www.narniastudios.com/events.