On Thursday and Friday morning, Foothill art students filled the quad with umbrellas, food and music for the fourth annual Chalk Festival. Participants were excused from their classes to work on the chalk piece of their choice. This year, there was a large range of images, ranging from octopi to Peter Pan.

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On Thursday and Friday morning, Foothill art students filled the quad with umbrellas, food and music for the fourth annual Chalk Festival.

Participants were excused from their classes to work on the chalk piece of their choice. This year, there was a large range of images, ranging from octopi to Peter Pan.

The event was organized by art teacher Justin Frazier, who wanted a way to not only raise funds for the to Foothill art department, but also to showcase it.

Normally the Chalk Festival is usually followed by the annual Art Show, where the fresh chalk pieces are displayed for students and parents, as well as other art pieces and photographs. They are auctioned off to raise money for the art department. This year, due to a timing issue, the two events were separated.

“Spring break fell a week later and so it was just too much to do them together but now, seeing this, I like having them as two separate events. They’re definitely two different events, so let them be two different events,” Frazier said.
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The annual art show will be held on Friday, April 25 and will feature the chalk pieces from the chalk festival.

Senior Alexia Khodanian said that this is her third year participating and that while it is a challenge, it is a great way to start fourth quarter.

“The chalk festival is that time of year when I can get a gnarly tan, but at the same time, I never work with chalk,” she said. “It’s a way to challenge yourself and have fun.”

Khodanian and her friends replicated the cover for the Hayao Miyazaki film “The Wind Rises” and “really like the image [they] chose” for their last year.

Junior Charlotte Fox drew an array of cupcakes and said she enjoys the break from stressful classes.

“I like all the creative freedom you have with it, and especially being able to see everybody else’s projects and just the different things you can do with chalk,” said Fox.

Senior Wyatt Kufta-Kuntz said that he is “a veteran of the chalk festival” and that he has participated all four years of high school.

“My favorite part is the camaraderie between groups and the friendly, playful competition,” said Kufta-Kuntz.

Khodanian shares this appreciation for the sense of community created by the Chalk Festival.

“I think it’s very festive, but not in a Christmas way, but very communal, very ‘school spirity,’ I think because it makes everyone happy.”

Background Photo Credit: Josh Ren/The Foothill Dragon Press