| 2 min | by Lonnie Huhman |
Chris Monaghan has really defined community art in Dexter this summer. With chalk in hand, he’s made the sidewalk near his home a destination for many wanting to experience cool 3D art.
“It’s really fun and it’s a great way to share your imagination with lots of people,” Monaghan said of his chalk art.
The creations Monaghan has made over the last few months have caught the attention of many in the community, whether they saw a pic on Facebook or were randomly walking by. His love for this art form goes back to childhood.
“I’ve been doing chalk art since I was a kid, but I got more serious about it in 2010 when I entered my first chalk festival in St. Joseph, Michigan,” he said. “A friend of mine was running the event and asked if I’d be interested in participating. I never knew chalk festivals were such a big attraction and I was instantly hooked.”
Since then, he said he’s been fortunate to draw in some of the biggest events in the country including the International Chalk Festival in Venice, Florida, which draws over 200,000 people and includes artists from Italy, Japan, India, Spain, Mexico and many other countries. It also features the world’s largest street art drawing, a giant megalodon shark the size of an entire airport runway.
When he and his family moved to Dexter, he said he wanted to bring that experience to the community so he started the Dexter Chalk the Block Festival. Monaghan and his wife Denise have lived in Dexter since 2011, with their four kids, Emily, Olivia, Cynthia, and Cal. The Dexter Chalk the Block Festival has grown to feature many local and regional artists and is now part of the Dexter Daze festival. However, this summer has been different, to say the least, but he has adjusted in an effort to keep bringing art to the community.
“When COVID19 hit most all the festivals were cancelled or had gone virtual for 2020,” he said. “So, this year I’ve been using my own driveway and sidewalk to chalk on.”
Monaghan owns an insurance agency in Ann Arbor, but he’s also a professional artist. One of his passions is doing 3D forced perspective chalk drawings that people can interact with.
“Most of my drawings are nature related like giant insects and animals,” he said. “Although I do paintings and other forms of art, my real passion is drawing on concrete.”
In the summer, he mostly does street art and in the winter canvas and digital work. In thinking about what he loves about creating art, he said he thinks back to a scene in the original Disney Mary Poppins movie where Bert is a street screever (the term used to describe chalk artists in England).
“Mary Poppins, Bert and the kids all jump into his sidewalk drawing and the world he created within it,” Monaghan said. “I thought that was the most amazing concept and so I started drawing things that my kids could “jump” into. When I discovered chalk art festivals I wanted to share that same experience with other people as well.”
“Art is a way for me to make things that would otherwise be impossible become possible,” he said. “Like a giant hole in the sidewalk full of monsters or a giant spider looking for a new friend.”
So he tries to do drawings that will encourage people to play, adults and kids alike.
Everyone is welcome to stop by and check out the sidewalk along Forest Street, near Baker Road. Monaghan said he tries to do something new every week or so, weather permitting. He said it’s OK to stand on the artwork, so don’t worry about stepping on the drawings. He said the chalk is pretty secure until it gets wet and washes away.
To see some of his work or to see what large chalk festivals are like check out these links:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CMonaghanArt
Instagram: @cmonaghanart
Website: www.cmonaghanart.com
YouTube: search “CMonaghan Art”
