| Street painting with chalk has been an Italian tradition since the 16th century. South Bay artists Cheryl and Wayne Renshaw have not been at it quite as long. But they have been participating in fairs and festivals for a handful of years and their passion for this unusual art form continues to grow. Wayne, an architect, and Cheryl, a landscape designer, draw on their creative backgrounds when imagining what to paint on the 12 ft. x 12 ft. square. The practice of street painting began in Italy where there is still a strong tradition of artists traveling around reproducing the works of Renaissance masters in soft, glowing pastels right on the streets. This Italian tradition is growing in popularity here in California.
"For some people, summer means time at the beach," says Wayne. "While we are not beyond that, what makes our summer special is the artwork," he continued. The couple circle dates on the calendar and make their plans accordingly. They travel to festivals to entertain crowds with their work. Much of the fun comes from the fact that it is so temporary. After spending hours on their hands and knees planning and mapping out their design, then completing the piece as they are cheered on by the crowd as they compete against the clock. Like a couple of Cinderellas, when the party is over, the party is over. The painting must be complete and it will soon disappear, gone forever.
This year the Renshaws will be traveling north to the Danville Fine Arts Faire, June 21 - 22, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Hartz Avenue. They are planning to reproduce a piece by the great American illustrator, N.C. Wyeth and will be joined by Italian Street painters Alice Crittenden of Santa Barbara and Hien Nguyen of Oakland.
Stop by and watch these artists at work. See for yourself how they throw themselves into something they love, only to have to let it go when it's over.
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