Chalk Dust

Springtime Chalking

Madonnari. (mah-DOH-nah-ree)   It is an Italian word that means street-painter. Or our our case, sidewalk painter. And in this case, not with paint, but with chalk pastels. This art form captivated my attention when it was first brought to Orlando back in 1995. Little did I know that this little weekend activity would be something I would still enjoy almost 20 years later!

While Roger did not much enjoy the crowds, (always on duty, remember!) he always enjoyed watching the middle and high school students that I took to festivals. And he particularly liked walking around and picking the pieces that he thought should win.

Sometimes he picked the funniest pieces and we had great laughs over his ability as an art critic. The funny thing was...he was often right!  I guess he knew what had audience appeal and technique did not matter so much to him. At any rate, he always encouraged me to keep on chalking and even toted my supplies more times than I can even count.

Though I never really chalked in the springtime very often - too many school activities kept me busy - but retirement gave me the time, so I started enjoying the springtime weather and an excuse for staying on my knees all day.  In an effort to bring some sense of normalcy back into my life,  it seemed like a good time to participate again this year.

Picking a subject is always a challenge for me. Oh...the need to simplify and eliminate so many options is always exhausting! Simplification has never been my middle name.  It occurred to me somewhere along the line that a friend had mentioned that she worked through a them in her chalking...ah, simplification! That seemed like a suggestion that I could attach myself to!

So, naturally, I picked firefighters.  Last week, the fire bell.  This week was tougher because the event asked us to follow a theme....flowers and gardens.  My first instinct was to do an old fire engine retired in a field of wildflowers.  But wait....simplifiy....this was a one day festival!   For whatever reason, I came up with the dalmatian having fun in the garden.  How perfect, actually.

Dalmatians are fire dogs. Every firehouse has one, right?  And dogs are a perfect fit in a garden! Cute, playful, enjoys life, they don''t take too much too seriously. Loveable. Faithful. Dalmatians are also smart and brave. So, with sketch in hand, off I went to Winter Garden.  Beautiful morning. Dry but clear weather! Nice clean surface, with no cracks. Supplies laid out, knee pads down, Aleve digesting...and off we go!  (well, not we as in plural, but we as in I)

Chalking is really where I can find my 'happy place." When no one is talking to me, I can just zone out, get in my right brain, and just forget about the world around me. And other than stopping every now and then for a stretch and visit break, zone out I did!   

Though it leaves me sore at the end of the day, it also leaves me with a clear head. I had plenty of time, and fresh air, and it was healing think of all of the fun times with Roger. I also thought of all of the times when he toted stuff around for me and watched me 'do art' in its many forms.  He always supported my creativity...well, as long as it did not eliminate meal time, or family time. There was always that line!  It is good to have someone to keep you focused and balanced. He did that a lot.

Karin came by and kept me 'on task' and I managed to finish, not by my own self imposed deadline, but earlier than the dictated deadline. Yea!  The title came from my day. Spring (season) in the Garden (the town, Winter Garden) with Ro-Ro.   Because it was not really about the dog. 

And since there is a lesson in everything,  suspect that Roger's Lesson would be:  Keep doing the things that give you balance.   They will bring normalcy back to your very abnormal sense of being right now. And that is ok.  We both watched parents stay stuck  in a rut for 20 years each. We both committed not to do that ourselves.  I certainly will not forget, but I will do as we planned together and always seek that balance. And creativity does do that for me.

After all...."In the beginning, God created...."

I wonder if chalk will stick to those golden streets in Heaven....