Chalk illustrations of everything from fairies to Africa covered the quad walkways Thursday and Friday as art 2, 3, and 4 students participated in Foothill’s first chalk festival.

The National Art Honor Society club began planning the event several weeks ago after a group of students, including sophomore Mackenzie Lowry, participated in the annual Ventura High School chalk festival.

“It was a lot of fun. Ours is definitely smaller but I know the environment and the people a lot better,” Lowry said.

The artists began their projects during first period Thursday morning and continued drawing Friday as well. Students and administration were able to observe their progress before and after school, at break, and at lunch.

“I like watching them work. It’s cool to see how it all gets done,” freshman Maddy Do-Linh said.

“The problem with high school art programs is that is all stays in the class,” fine arts teacher Justin Frazier said. “This allows others to see what goes on in the art department and for the students to share their talents.”

Senior Kara Mead believes that it is especially difficult for artists to receive recognition for their abilities.

“We have Air Guitar for kids who sing and stuff, but people don’t really know who the artists are at Foothill,” she said. “It’s a hidden talent.”

Given that this was Foothill’s first time ever holding a chalk festival, the planning team wanted to keep it small.

“We didn’t really know what would work and what wouldn’t work so this is sort of our trial year,” Frazier said. “But so far it is going well and hopefully in the future we can make it bigger and maybe even have a whole art day.”

Isabel Reeder, co-president of the National Art Honor Society, also has high hopes for the event in the future and believes that this year’s festival is just the beginning.

“Hopefully in the next few years more students will get involved and we will even be able to start selling the drawings like at Ventura,” she said.

Freshman Rosie Tufte believes that events like these are hugely beneficial to the student body.

“It has brought my whole group together. Right now I feel like I am with my family,” she said.

“Art and music are a language of their own,” freshman Ariana Vivien said. “They bring cultures together.”

Vice Principal Carlos Cohen was extremely impressed with the artwork and hopes that the event will become annual.

“It is sort of like a Sistine Chapel on the floor,” he said. “I’d like to see every tile from the black box to the front of the school covered eventually.”

Credit: Felicia Perez/The Foothill Dragon Press