They All Chalk It Up to a Good Experience

They smoothed chalk dust against the pavement with their fingertips for just the right effect and wiped their hands on shirts and pants and pretty much everywhere.

More than 100 people participated in the 8th Annual Chalk Art Festival yesterday at Redondo Pier. From professionals to toddling amateurs and most stages between, folks turned out to create some art that will soon blow away in the wind.

The theme of this year's friendly competition was More to Sea, and artists were judged in part on how well they incorporated that theme into their piece. Some artists built their entire image around the theme. Others tucked a token reference to the theme in the background or corner of their piece. Some didn't make any reference to the theme at all.

For three hours, the artists worked. They knelt on concrete and rubbed square chalk sticks round. Families worked together, and individuals on their own.

When they were done, they milled around and looked at the work of others.

Jessica Edelstein and her daughter made chalk art differently than all the other artists: They painted it on.

They did it by crushing chalk sticks into powder, then adding water. After they painted it on, the water evaporated but the sharp paint lines remain.

People tell Edelstein she ought to own a jackhammer in order to take her art home with her. But that's sort of the point of chalk art: It's so vivid and bright, and not meant to be seen for too long.

"Art is all in the making," Edelstein said while brushing on a stroke. "We make it and walk away."

Shuji Nishimura won the professional category. Other winners included Matthew Bulchard (age 4); Abigail Edelstein (ages 5-8);  Jasmine Cartagena (ages 9-13);  Gavyn Kaufman (ages 14-17); Ronnie Majdali (ages 14-17); and Gus Moran (family category). 

A photo gallery from the festival accompanies this story.