The Luna Park Chalk Art Festival returned this weekend for its 10th annual celebration of color. The event featured live music, vendors and a collection of professional artists and students creating beautiful works of art underfoot on the cement walkways that crisscross Backesto Park in San Jose’s Northside neighborhood.
Alfonso Salazar: As Alfonso Salazar put it, “it’s a labor of love.” Salazar chose one of favorite family portraits from 20 years ago as his subject Saturday. All of whom stand by his side as he proudly creates the ambitious chalk piece. Salazar works at the post office, that’s his bread and butter, but drawing and making art has been a lifelong passion. Salazar hopes to retire soon and potentially become an art teacher.
Yurika Chiba: Capybara, the largest rodent in the world, is an animal Yurika Chiba is recently obsessed with. In the wild, birds rest on the Capybara, so Chiba thought for her piece they’ll be celebrating the Obon, a buddhist festival observed in Japan that honors the spirits of ancestors. Chiba is an enthusiastic performer for San Jose Taiko, a Japanese-American ensemble of integrated dancing and drumming.
Michael J. Cincotta: Based on an illustration by Edwin Georgi, a leader in the postwar pin-up girl art, Michael Cincotta recreated his style and brought the Hawaiian airline girl to the sidewalk. Cincotta earned his BFA in Illustration in 1986 from the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. After which he became a graphic designer and multimedia artist. Cincotta’s been using chalk for nearly 15 years and been an illustrator for 30 years.
Joe Mandrick: Based on a fresh, breezy scene from Naples, Florida, Joe Mandrick pictures this cool sea turtle enjoying the vibrant, open Atlantic. Mandrick dedicates his piece to the area where Hurricane Irma devastated the coastline, leaving the once lively area barren. Joe mostly paints landscapes, forests and beach scenes like this one. As well as, video game art like The Legend of Zelda.
Wayne & Cheryl Renshaw: As bone-fide veterans, Wayne & Cheryl Renshaw create their best piece yet with this mural of Luna Park. Being two highly skilled artists with styles of their own allows the Renshaws to complete often large and complex pieces. Wayne Renshaw runs a an architectural practice, while Cheryl Renshaw has a landscape business that specializes in Mediterranean-esque designs.
Mark Martinez: Mark Martinez was asked to be a featured artists when he was approached by at San Jose State’s Chalk on the Sidewalk event. As self taught artist, Martinez always feels the need to paint something. Martinez pays homage to Brandon Anderson, a sand artist in Santa Cruz, and their favorite band O’Craven, the celtic-rock, pirate crew anchored in San Jose.
Trader Joe’s (Craig Bridges, Claudia Flanders, Gretchen Hilty, Jennifer Lam, Roger Chan): The Coleman chain of Trader Joe’s celebrates their 10th anniversary. The talented bunch marry the idea of Alice in Wonder’s famous tea party scene with Trader Joe’s products. As the designated art for Traders Joe’s these group of loyal Coleman employees chalked together an outstanding and colorful display.
Sarah Cade: Sarah Cade loves fiction and works in a book store. She started with a silhouette of a girl reading against a tree. Then, the piece took on a life of its own into a fantasy driven world reminiscent of any 10-year-old girls favorite novel. Cade imagines a world with limitless possibilities and believes that is the best part about reading.
Daniel Serrano: Daniel Serrano’s nephew Jaden loves the cartoon Teen Titans Go and “The Night Begins to Shine” is the show’s catchy theme song. Serrano brings the retro ‘80s look and comic book style to the sidewalk. Serrano works for the city of San Jose’s Parks and Recreation and in his downtime races on obstacle courses.
.PHOTOS: Luna Park Chalk Art Festival
