Winning bidder David Levi and Javiar Alvarez Palomar
- Dave getting some words of wisdom from our first president
The above photo is of Mission Viejo mayor pro-tem Dave Leckness and featured artist Shaina Joel, who created a huge square of George Washington, our first president. The sponsor of this featured square was Dave’s firm Kwik Kopy printing.
In past years Fun With Chalk Board Members placed a thermometer on the asphalt pavement at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center as our artists worked on their hands and knees creating their masterpieces. During more than one festival I was shown the thermometer where it reported the temperatures breaking 100 degrees. That was not the case today where it was only 75 degrees at 3 P.M.
As a former board member of this festival I have mixed emotions on the co-locating this stand alone activity with the city sponsored Arts Alive festival.
Unless I missed it, we did not have a section set aside for children. The number of squares was greatly reduced to make way for the other events, and vendor booths.
One very popular activity, that can only be seen at the FWC festival, is the genius of Maestro Javier Alvarez Palomar who over the past few years has created portraits of Elvis, Jimi Hendrix and Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong on a 4 foot by 5 foot asphalt canvas. Javier has been a member of the Board for several years and does not charge for his creative masterpieces. All monies raised from his completed art creations go to support art education and art programs for those who have suffered from domestic abuse and/or violence.”
At this afternoon’s performance , witnessed by around 300 attendees, Javiar began on a black canvas, and, painting upside down, created a portrait of Luis Armstrong while Javiar danced around as When the Saints Come Marching in on his boom box. After completing this masterpiece, (in 10 minutes), Fun With Chalk founder Dr. Frank Lieberman auctioned the piece for $600 as David Levi outbid two other interested attendees. See above photo.
Fun With Chalk has received Congressional recognition in 2003 and again in 2008 for it’s non-profit efforts.
For more information on FWC simply go to their web site:
The section for children was closest to the creek.
Thank you Erin.
Although I had to walk all the way from the Potocki Center parking lot walking along the trail I did not see it.
When driving by the chalk festival on Sunday, I saw a Pied Piper with followers trailing behind. It was Trish Kelley, Queen of Character, carrying paper chains and leading her “chain gang.” Ms. Character voted (along with Ury and MacLean) to give city manager Dennis Wilburg an amended contract that stated he cannot be fired if he is guilty of a felony. What felony did he commit that triggered this vote? The vote was so outrageous it should have been replayed on national TV.
The April 19 council meeting was another demonstration of Trish Kelley’s vicious attitude toward Councilwoman Schlicht when Schlicht at the end of the meeting said “I love you, dad” when her dad was ill. Ms. Kelley had a catty comeback, “Gee, just like the Waltons.”
Does anyone have pictures of the Queen of Character leading her chain gang?
Helen. This was to be one of my happy reports on a city activity.
As I left the festival and walked along the ballfield side of the creek I did see a group of students carrying a very long paper chain on the opposite side.
While I did have my camera I did not take any photos not do I recall seeing our mayor in their ranks.
Your inside baseball comment about council member Schlicht warrants follow up.
Cathy was in attendace at the council meeting while her dad was in the emergency at Mission Hospital where he was kept overnight. However, Trish is so blinded by her hatred, she can’t miss an opportunity to take swipe at Cathy. And to think she brought the Community of Character program to our city.
Comment 3: “What felony did he commit that triggered this vote?”
What is this about?
I saw people walking around with their paper chain. I didn’t see students, they were adults, and it looked like some lame, childish activity. City Hall is out of touch if they think people go to an art festival to make a paper chain.
RJJ.
When Fun With Chalk held it’s 11 prior annual events we NEVER had this kind of activity.
I would disengage from the city participation in future years.
The brochures at the chalk art festival said the paper chains were character chains, and those who put them together were supposed to write words about caring. It was supposed to be an art festival. Having Trish Kelley involved in a character program is the height of hypocrisy. To the comments above about her being corrupt and mean spirited, add that she is a manipulator. She pushed a dog park in my neighborhood to keep McLane in office, and it blew up in her face. Neighbors had to sue to stop it.
Money should not be wasted on something so ridiculous as paper chains. City hall thinks Mission Viejo residents are morons.
Whenever the city has any kind of function, there is Trish K, trying to be the center of attention. If she wanted to be the center of attention at Fun with Chalk, she should have made a chalk drawing, not come up with her own activity that had nothing to do with it.
If she can’t draw and doesn’t want to make stick figures, then she should try walking around like a normal person and looking at what someone else drew.
Larry, yes, it is a Street Painting festival, and that part is very well done.
If you want to keep the article positive, then the discussion would have to be about the artwork and the nice weather.
I was delighted to see some good artwork on the pavement this year. We certainly had a beautiful day for the festival. I worked the 10 am to 1 pm shift as a volunteer on Sunday. The parking was quite crowded although the attendance was minimal during the first couple of hours. An adorable Retro-style singer, Belinda, gave a high-quality performance on an stage before an “audience” of hundreds of empty folding chairs. It was a truly pitiful display. Finally, around noon, people started arriving, most with their children and/or dogs in tow. I had a great time touting the boxes of beautiful chalk and selling pavement squares to young artists. It was great to see that some parents support the concept Fun with Chalk. It’s too bad they and their children had to wade through a needlessly extravagant, unnecessarily costly, overblown circus-on-steroids atmosphere to do it. How much did the city spend to throw this party? Once all the extra stuff is paid for, will there be any money left for Fun with Chalk? The city should maintain the crumbling residential streets, not waste our limited funds to put on lavish events that only a small percentage of city taxpayers attend.
Lisa
#9. Are you reading my report or other people’s comments?
This is a positive story as requested by Dave Leckness when he was sworn in.