Entering its 7th season, the Chalk Festival will again host the world's most talented pavement artists in its 2014 festival November 10-17. But unlike previous years, the festival artists will start arriving two weeks early.
Over the past few months volunteers and artists have been planning 'something big' out at the Venice Airport. Denise Kowal, the festival founder and volunteer chairwoman stresses, "The volunteers, artists and students can only create something big if everyone in the community contributes something small." So please donate today in the upper right corner of the website that says 'DONTATE.'
In-kind contributors have already come on board and the largest benefactors are the artists and volunteers who are donating their time and professional skills. Other benefactors include the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Venice donating 140 room nights, Sharky's on the Pier is helping with other local restaurants to provide food, Suncoast Air Center is paying the airport rental fees, Venice Gondolier is providing press, and Gorilla Kleen will clean whatever we need cleaned.
The 'something big' they are planning is really BIG!! They plan to break the Guinness World Record for the Largest 3D Pavement Art - a painting that will be 42' x 450' for a total of 18,900 square feet. The painting will make the airport runway appear to break away to reveal a Megalodon Shark and Giant Squid to bring attention to Venice, Florida as the Sharks Tooth Capital of the World and celebrate the theme 'Extinct and Endangered Species.'
Participating notable artists include: Lead Artist Julie Kirk-Purcelle (USA), Gregor Wosik (Current World Record Holder - Germany), Carlos Hernandez (Mexico), Sharyn Namnath (USA), Marion Ruthardt (Germany), Tomo Saito (Japan), Alex Maksiov (Ukraine), Adry Del Rocio (Mexico), Ruben Martinez (Mexico), Remko Van Schaik (Netherlands), Genna Panzarella (USA), Victor Puzin (Russia), Vera Bugatti (Italy), Lori Escalera (USA), Fabio Fedele (Italy), Lorelle Miller (USA), Philippenzo (Russia), Mathew May (Netherlands), David Brancato (USA), Ketty Grossi (Italy), Jane Portaluppi-Durand (USA), Frederike Wouters (Germany), Roberto Rodriquez (Mexico) and the list keeps growing.
Everyone involved is excited to get started and enthusiastic to be a part of this global team who will create the 3D illusion that is designed by Kurt Wenner, the innovator of the 3D pavement art. Many artists on the team had the opportunity to work on Kurt's 'Circus Parade' in the 2012 festival. The 'Circus Parade' pavement painting was 1/10th the size of the painting that will be created at the Venice Airport to win the world record.