How long have you been an artist?

I have loved art ever since I was a little kid. I discovered chalk art while in college when I realized that there was an untapped market for eye-catching chalk ads on campus. Then when I moved to Florida in 2012, I realized there was a whole community of chalk artists and festivals, and that's when I really started getting into it.

How long does each chalk piece take you?

That of course depends on the size and complexity of the piece, but an average job lasts 1-3 days.

What happens when it rains?

As chalk artists, we don't say the r-word! No, if it rains, I will cover the piece with a plastic tarp. It's not a perfect system and I sometimes still have to repair water damage, but that's part of the art form. 

Do you ever seal down the chalk pieces?

Chalk, no, not really. If a piece is supposed to be permanent, it will be in paint.

Doesn't it make you sad that when you're done the art just washes away?

Chalk is definitely an ephemeral art form. Sometimes it's hard to walk away from a piece that I really like, but I like knowing that each piece is unique and temporary, which makes it all the more special for those that get to experience it live. 

How do you make a chalk piece look 3D?

You'll notice that 3D pieces are stretched in funny ways and get really big the farther away from the viewpoint that they get. The elongation tricks your brain into seeing a 3 dimensional image.  3D pieces are best viewed from a specific viewpoint and either through a camera or with one eye closed. In terms of how I set up a 3D piece, I usually start with the two dimensional image that I want to look 3D and bring it into a computer program where I can stretch it to the appropriate dimensions.

Where can I see your work? 

Although I've had less time for festivals as of late, checkout the events page for a list of upcoming events open to the public.