Half the fun of travel is coming upon the unexpected. Peggy and I were walking across Puerto Vallarta’s main square when we came across a number of people creating chalk art. We had happened upon the annual Madonnari Art Festival that the town shares with its sister city of Santa Barbara, California. Category competition ranged from children to adults. Here are a few of the highlights.
Mural art shares a lot with chalk art, both in terms of its limited time frame and spontaneity. Peggy and I revisited a number of the murals we had seen in past visits to Puerto Vallarta plus discovered some new ones.
NEXT POST: I head south on the PCT from Carson Pass, which is named after the explorer Kit Carson, who happened to be caught in a snow storm starving on his first trip across the pass. He reported that dog and dried peas made a tasty treat. I don’t know if I would trust the word of a starving man, however.
20 thoughts on “The Chalk Art and Murals of Puerto Vallarta 2018”
spanishwoods
These are all beautiful. I like the idea of the impermanence of the sidewalk art.
Curt Mekemson
It’s a bit like the pieces of art that are burned at Burning Man, Sylvia. –Curt
Andrew Petcher
The fish are my favourite,
Curt Mekemson
I can see why. 🙂 I, BTW, am a great fan of children’s art for its simplicity, freshness and imagination. –Curt
Andrew Petcher
Pavement chalk art by children in Moscow 2012…
Curt Mekemson
Thanks for sharing, Andrew. I’ve participated in various projects over the years, America’s Christmas Seals being an example, where we have utilized children’s art. Always loved it. –Curt
Animalcouriers
Wonderful examples. I much prefer this kind of art that washes away rather than spray-painted graffiti.
Curt Mekemson
Agree ever so much, AC. Unless, of course, the graffiti is permitted and a work of art. Then, maybe it is no longer graffiti? 🙂 –Curt
rahjta
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Curt Mekemson
Thanks, C. Much appreciated.
GP Cox
The city has quite a few excellent artists, eh Curt? My favorite is the lady with the colorful flowers; even in her second picture, she still shined!
Curt Mekemson
It is an example of what happens when a city embraces art, G! The flowers and the eyes! 🙂 –Curt
gerard oosterman
Art thrives whenever or wherever people have something to express. Great exhibition ,Curt
Curt Mekemson
Thanks, Gerard. There is something about human nature that supports it, going as far back as we can claim to be human. –Curt
shoreacres
The impermanence is part of the fun. It makes me think of our sand castles, or the sand art of Diwali. Now that I think of it, ice and snow sculptures qualify, too, although they’re a far cry (or a far season) from what you found here. As for the fish in the fourth photo? The first thing that came to mind is a song that’s big among the younger set these days. The really younger set! I dare you not to like it!
Curt Mekemson
The really younger set. Laughing. Yep, the generation of sharks is pretty funny.
Lots of sand castles in Puerto Vallarta. And we have spent a fair amount of time with our grandkids building sand castles and watching the tide take them out.
Come to think of it, I’ve spent a fair amount of time admiring impermanent art, especially at Burning Man. But I was also really impressed with the International ice carving contest I attended in Fairbanks, Alaska a couple of years ago. –Curt
Gunta
Great stuff! Absolutely stunning what they can do with chalk on pavement. I like the idea of impermanence. If I could find it, there’s a video of a guy who seemingly comes out every year to Bandon beach and draws a beautiful maze in the sand (at low tide) and people walk along it until the tide comes in. I imagine it’s quite meditative. (found it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs7DEWj-qFo)
Curt Mekemson
Love it, Gunta! Thanks for sharing. –Curt
Oh, the Places We See
We have a chalk walk competition in Knoxville, and, although I admire the art done while hunched over in the the hot sun, I’m not sure I understand why artists spend all that time on something that will be washed away in a matter of days. But no where else can you get to see this elusive but colorful art that takes time and effort beyond what I would be willing to give. Thanks for sharing.
Curt Mekemson
It’s similar to the art that that is burned at Burning Man, Rusha, which takes even more effort to produce. –Curt