“Tedious,” “chalky,” and “laid back” were words used by student to describe the Foothill Chalk Festival this past week.

On Wednesday morning, art students walked out to the quad with beach towels, blankets, speakers for their music players, snacks and big pieces of brown paper that acted as their canvases.

For the next two days they spent their time intricately drawing with chalk, smudging here, making fine lines there and creating beautiful pieces full of vibrant color.

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Senior Diego Ruvalcaba said he has participated in the chalk festival for two years now because he enjoys art and he likes how this event brings people together.

“I like art and the people getting together, looking at each other’s work and criticizing each other’s work as well,” said Ruvalcaba.

The piece he worked on, alongside junior Canela Lopez and senior Michael Morales, was of Chance The Rapper which featured a portrait of Chance with a striking sunset in the background.

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Junior Michael Hampton, drawing a motorcycle racer with his group, said he worked in the chalk festival because he likes being involved with school.

“I just love doing the events at this school, it’s a lot of fun,” said Hampton.

When asked what his favorite part of the event was, Hampton said, “seeing what everyone else produces, and seeing it start and the end product, I think that is really cool.”

Senior Deja Rash-Bullis said her favorite part of the event was “being in community with everyone else.” She took part in this event because she wanted to do something more than just art.

“I think it would be fun to participate in something rather than just do art; something that everybody else can enjoy as well,” said Rash-Bullis.

This event was started three years ago after the art program at Foothill had grown strong, and Art teacher Justin Frazier saw that there was good support for the event.

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“Ventura [High School] has been doing theirs for 27 years, and when I did my pre-professional work before I started teaching, I helped out with that. So it has always been something I have always wanted to do,” said Fraizer.  “And as the department grew it became more of a reality, and the interest was there. That’s how it started.”

The chalk festival not only brings in funds for Foothill’s Art Department, but also showcases the art program for two days.

Frazier said he particularly enjoys this event because “it’s just one of the nicest days of the year, we’re outside in the sun, drawing, with your friends. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

 Background Photo Credit: Maddy Schmitt/The Foothill Dragon Press