Street art on display

By Sean Meyer/London Community News/Twitter: Newswriter22 They may have needed lots of water and several breaks along the way, but more than two-dozen chalk artists brought Talbot Street to life with their amazing creations. The Imadon Expressions in Chalk Street Painting Festival returned to the downtown on Saturday (Aug. 4) with 30 artists working on 28 separate chalk creations. The expectation is that the works will be completed prior to judging on Sunday evening. Awards will be presented in a variety of categories on Monday afternoon. Brad Harwood, a member of the festival organizing committee, said although the festival did well in Wortley Village the past two years, he was excited to have it back in the downtown. “This is a great place for us to be, to be able to bring it back to the downtown, it’s just great,” Harwood said. “We did an email survey of the artists because we had an option of moving the festival somewhere else, they chose the downtown. They love being down here. So that was part of our reasoning for coming back.” Harwood said he has been “thrilled” by the support of not only Downtown London, but also the business in and around the festival. For example, Jambalaya Restaurant provided a meal for the artists on the Saturday and FitzRays is doing the same on the Sunday. This year marks the seventh chalk art festival in the Forest City and it is something Harwood said the entire organizing committee is quite passionate about. From his own experience, however, Harwood said the talent being displayed by the artists takes him back to his former career in the hospitality businesses, watching musicians create art of a different kind. “I have always appreciated anyone who can sit down at an instrument and make music,” Harwood said. “I see these artists in the same way. That is why I absolutely believe there is room for this festival. The work these people create is beautiful and has to be enjoyed as art.” And although there is a lot of work involved in setting up the festival, Harwood said he sees the whole reason for going through it in the faces of those who come by and watch the artists in action. “I love it when people go to the effort of appreciating everything these artists are doing,” Harwood said. “To see a little child sitting down and watching (any particular artists) and just be amazed, tell their parents they want to do that, that is why we do this. That is why we will keep doing this.” The winners in the festival’s four categories: Best in Show, People’s Choice, Best Student and Best Youth, will be revealed on Monday. For more information regarding the festival, visit our website www.imadon.org or contact Brad Harwood by phone at 519-439-4381 or email at bradharwood@rogers.com. Find us on Facebook: London Community News [gallery link="file"]