OWSAA Feature Artist - August 2022

In March of 2016, I was driving south on Oviedo Blvd. one day on my lunch break and drove through the roundabout close to Oviedo on the Park like I had many times before. However, this time was different. As I drove through the roundabout on this day it hit me that there should be a work of art in the grassy area in the middle of it. It was as if God whispered the idea into my ear. I loved what I was hearing.

After picking up my lunch that day I wrote an email to then Oviedo Mayor, Dominic Persampiere, to share my idea of putting a statue/monument in the middle of the roundabout. To my surprise he actually responded! He stated that he thought it was a great idea but that the city didn't have a process in place for approving such a thing. City council then appointed myself and several other Oviedo citizens to the Oviedo Public Arts Committee that was charged with writing an ordinance that would go on to establish the Oviedo Public Arts Board (OPAB) in 2017. This board then established the process necessary to approve public art projects in the city and is still working hard to bring wonderful works to public property.

The first two projects approved by OPAB were the Black History of Oviedo mural in Round Lake Park and the Oviedo Postcard mural in Center Lake Park. Both murals chosen for their detail and vibrant colors were painted by this month's OWSAA Feature Artist, Xavier Moss.  

Xavier Moss

Black History of Oviedo mural at Round Lake Park in Oviedo.

Oviedo Postcard mural at Center Lake Park in Oviedo. 

At the time Xavier painted the two murals pictured above (early 2020) he was also working full-time with Seminole County Public Schools. It was during this time that God spoke to Xavier and told him to step out in faith and start his own arts business. In July of 2020, Xavier did just that and started XMOSSART, LLC (www.xmossart.com). Since that time he has been very busy painting more murals and working on his personal passion that he calls, Biblelogical Illustration. His illustrations combine his love for natural history and verses of the Bible. One of my favorite Biblelogical Illustrations shown on Xavier's website is Idolatry I (shown below). It is a visual representation of Exodus 32:20 and is full of vibrant colors that help to etch the verse and the actions of Moses into your mind.

Xavier was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule recently and answer some questions about his art, his career, and more. Enjoy what he had to say!

Who/what inspired your love of art? At what age did you become interested in art?

I would say particular circumstances played the biggest part in me beginning to sketch and draw regularly. In addition to having severe asthma when I was younger, I had a penchant for finding the most unique ways to injure myself in team sports, so it was decided early on that I wouldn’t be doing those. Sketching and drawing had always been fun and I just began doing that more in the time slots where practice would’ve been. That happened when I was about 6 or 7, which was also when I was introduced to Star Wars for the first time. The imagery, strange creatures and starships set my creativity ablaze, and I could frequently be found hunched over a ream of paper, making all manner of sound effects from a galaxy far, far away, as I recreated scenes from the saga. My parents supported this interest by introducing me to new kinds of art tools to use, and having an older sister who was a fellow creative definitely inspired me to lean in and grow on that track.

You have a Bachelor of Science degree with an emphasis in biological illustration from UF. What made you choose that degree focus? What was the most valuable lesson you learned about art during your time at UF?

I do! It is an extremely niche major – isn’t it? I had to apply to get into that major after I’d been accepted to UF because you’re basically taking up spots in the College of Liberal Arts and The School of Art + Art History! I chose that degree focus because I’d always had a love of natural history, and when I found that the field of biological illustration would allow me to combine my appreciation for nature and my passion for art, I was sold! Also, it’s the only program of it’s kind in-state, so it was fingers crossed when I applied to UF! If that hadn’t worked, I probably would’ve majored in Biology with a minor in Illustration at another Florida school.

I think the most valuable lesson I learned about art during my time at UF was to construct with constructive criticism. Whether it was adjusting how I was holding the charcoal during an extended figure drawing exercise, learning from peers how they were able to achieve such luminosity, or having my eyes opened to techniques I’d never thought possible, not taking the sharing of such knowledge as an indictment of the inferiority of my work, but a desire to make it stronger and actually following through with those recommendations has been huge. Still today, when I see an artist doing something incredible technique-wise, I’ll respectfully ask how. You can only grow as an artist as long as you’re willing to intake what is sometimes bitter constructive criticism, and transform it into the next stylistic evolution of your work.

I've noticed that you work with different paints, pens, and markers among other mediums. What is your favorite medium of art?

I am indeed a mixed media artist! That’s a hard one – it just depends on the type of piece I’m working on. For larger paintings, it’s a combination of acrylic and latex paints, with paint markers. For more illustrative work, it’s watercolors, Copic Markers, and Microns, among many other types of brush pens and markers. I like being able to stay consistent in my style across different media, so whatever tools best allow me to do that, those are my favorite.

You've become famous in Oviedo for your murals which are all great additions to our community. Which mural was the most challenging? Do you have one that you are the most proud of?

Thank you for saying that! I’m glad that the community can enjoy them. Each mural has it’s own particular set of challenges and learning curves, but I’d probably say the Oviedo Postcard mural at Center Lake Park was the most challenging for the following reasons:

1. It was my first mural ever so very much a baptism by fire in figuring out scaling up my design from an 8.5 x 11 in. paper to about 240 square feet.
2. We had A LOT of cold snaps in late 2019 and since it was right by the water, it got extra chilly when working at night.
3. Working full-time at Lawton Elementary meant that I could only work on weekends or immediately after school, so there were a few sick days taken in order to meet the December deadline.
4. I had never had so much public scrutiny as I was creating a piece live, so that took some getting used to, but our community is awesome and most folks were supportive and excited to see the in-progress aspects.

I have to say though, my parents and the City of Oviedo were extremely supportive as I worked on this, and all subsequent murals for the city, and I’m grateful for the opportunities to leave marks across the city that can brighten people’s days.

I think I’m proudest of them all equally, but for different reasons:

• I’m proud of the Center Lake Mural because it was me tackling a medium of art I had never previously considered myself capable of doing, and I did it!
• I’m proud of the Round Lake Mural because I stood resolute on some design changes that I believed made it more Oviedo-centric, even appearing before City Council covered in paint, and was able to keep those changes.
• I’m proud of the Sports Hallway Mural at the Aquatic Facility because it’s literally my largest mural to date, and I was able to capture passions of the community not yet encompassed in the other murals.

You started XMOSSART, LLC in 2020 and list your role in the business as "Visual Arts Minister". What inspired you to start your business and what is your focus with it?

I’ve always wanted to own my own business, and the more art I did, the more I wanted that to be a studio. But I’d also become aware that I didn’t see a lot of engagement of the visual arts in ministry, and rather than complain about that lack, I wanted to be part of an actionable solution to that problem. I believe that the visual arts have a way of talking about God that isn’t “force-fed theology.” People can engage with my work at a purely aesthetic level, admiring the principles of biological illustration, or they can go deeper and ask, “Why are those pigs jumping off a cliff?” If two individuals of different worldviews happen to be looking at the work together, they can collaborate with one another to come to a more holistic understanding of the piece. That’s what my current body of work – Biblelogical Illustration – is all about, the intersection of natural history and Scripture.

Can you explain what it has been like to start/own your own business? Do you have any advice for others considering starting their own arts business?

It’s been a never-ending learning process honestly haha. I’m growing daily in my entrepreneurial skills, finding out more particular niches I can fill, figuring out what to outsource rather than do all on my own, keeping track of expenses, and so much more. It’s intimidating, not gonna lie, but I relish doing the work to make something with God that truly allows me to fulfill my call to create…and that makes it socially acceptable for me to be covered in paint as I run my errands across Oviedo.

For those considering starting their own arts business, the best advice I can give is to – in the immortal words of Shia LaBeouf screamed at full volume, “JUST DO IT! MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE!” But really, file the paperwork, find a mentor whose working in the field you’d like to enter and ask them questions. You won’t ever know if you can be a business owner until you are one, so start small, knowing you’ll make mistakes and facepalm-worthy moments, but with a growth mindset to not let those disappointments derail you. If you need someone to say you can do this, then allow that to be me, “You can do this!”

Lastly, as you alluded to earlier you are a huge Star Wars fan. Who is your favorite character and why? 

Haha, you are right indeed. My original dream job was to be a concept artist for the Star Wars movies, but when I thought they were never gonna make another Star Wars film back when Episode III came out, I switched gears and opted for biological illustration. As for my favorite Star Wars character, oooof, that’s a question. I’ll give a favorite main, and a favorite background one.

My favorite background characters are the Emperor’s Royal Guards, yes I’m fully aware I’m going mega-nerd level here, but their striking all blood-red garb against the neutral blacks, whites, greens, and greys that are the Imperial aesthetic just make them seem like such a force to be reckoned with. Like they don’t ever say a word, but the fact that the entire color budget of the Empire went to these silent sentinels speaks to their deadliness.

My favorite main character is probably Padmé Amidala. I resonate with her desire to find the solution that benefits everyone best, the frustration when nobody wants to compromise in order to make that happen, and the willingness to put aside diplomacy and engage in “aggressive negotiations,” when the time is right. I don’t quite have the wardrobe budget or elaborate hairstyles she’s got, but definitely wouldn’t mind one of her very elegant, chromium-plated starships.

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I want to thank Xavier for being willing to participate in this month's OWSAA Feature Artist article. He is a talented artist, a wonderful member of our community, and an overall great person if you haven't had a chance to meet him yet. Best of luck on all your future art endeavors, Xavier!

Xavier currently has 16 pieces from his Biblelogical Illustration collection on display at the Avalon Park Arts & Culture Center through September, as well as 9 on display at ART@éclat Contemporary Art Gallery. He plans to get involved in some local art festivals in the fall, and invites you to follow him on his social media pages listed below to stay up to date on his activities:

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/XMOSSART 

Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/xmossart/

Twitter at https://twitter.com/xmossart

If you would like to reach out to Xavier to commission a work you can email him at info@xmossart.com.

Thank you all again for visiting the OWSAA blog and I hope you enjoyed this article. As always, Enjoy the Arts!

Brian K. Smith

OWSAA Feature Artist - July 2022

If you own your own business or have owned one in the past, you know that it can be one of the hardest things you will ever do but also one of the most rewarding. When a business idea hits you, it can bring you great excitement. You do all the research to put together a business plan, bounce business name ideas off of friends/family, and drive around looking for locations for your business. Then the nervous excitement of your grand opening hits you the night before. It can all be very exhilarating!  

My family and I once started/owned The Lemon Lily Tea Room & Bakery in Oviedo. My wife and mom ran it for three years and I managed the books. It was a 7-day per week job that required us all to wear many different hats. There were many ups and downs during those three years, and we sold the business in 2017. I look back on those times with a huge sense of accomplishment knowing that we brought a business from the idea stage all the way to selling it to someone else that saw the value in it.

July's OWSAA Feature Artist has had a diverse career centered around art. This artist has a bachelor's degree in Art Education from UCF and a master's degree in Art Education from The Art of Education. She has created murals and mosaic installations for the City of Orlando, has written and published four instructional art books for Northlight Publishing, has created many designs that were licensed for gift and home décor lines (including a greeting card line with Leanin' Tree), and has run a successful online shop where she sells her own paintings and mixed-media work. This artist has also worked as an art teacher for many years (since 2004) which is the work she states she is most proud of. She has taught at the elementary and middle school levels for Seminole County Public Schools, has taught in a private Montessori setting, has taught adult workshops across the country, and has run private art camps in the summer. More recently though this artist added the title of Small Business Owner to her resume with the opening of Palette Art Studio. Her name is Chrissie Grace!

Chrissie Grace

Palette Art Studio is located in Tutu's School of Dance building at 1319 Winter Springs Blvd. in Winter Springs, FL 32708. They are currently in the middle of Summer Art Camp. On Saturdays the studio offers a program called "I heART ART" where attendees will paint an 11" X 14" canvas with a different theme each week. They offer Toddler/Pre-School Art Classes, Homeschool Classes, After-School Classes, and even Adult Pottery and Mosaic Classes (starting in August). In addition to classes, Palette would love to host your next birthday party or private event. 

Chrissie was nice enough to show me the studio recently and answered some questions so that we could learn more about her and her new business. I hope you enjoy what she had to say!

Who/what inspired your love of art? At what age?

I think I was born an artist! I remember as a very young child my mom would buy me large packs of Crayola crayons, and I would dump them out and line them up in rainbow order all around the room. I really enjoyed drawing and painting. When I was in high school my parents let me paint all over my bedroom walls. That freedom of expression was important to me.

What is your favorite medium of art?

I can't pinpoint one favorite...I go through phases! I love to create mixed-media mosaics using handmade clay pieces, ceramic tiles and found crockery from thrift stores. I really enjoy acrylic painting in what I consider a modern folk-art style, and I love to embroider and sew!

You have told me a little bit about the different jobs (art licensing, art teacher, art show circuit, etc.) you have had in the art world and how they helped you grow as an artist. Can you share with our readers what you enjoyed about each one and what impact they had on your life?

I truly consider every part of my career a gift, and it has all been a part of shaping me into the person I am today: a woman, a mother, a friend, a teacher, etc. The one thing I will say about everything I have done is that I have never been afraid to fail. I go into everything seeing what I can learn from it and trying to enjoy every step of the way. Anyone who is an artist will tell you that if you can spend your life creating, then you have found success!

My style and artwork is ever evolving, and that is exciting to me. I look forward to seeing what comes next!

In May you opened Palette Art Studio. What made you decide to take the big step of opening your own studio?

It's something I've always wanted to do. The truth is that being a teacher in the public school system is not easy right now, and it was time for me to take the leap! 

My goal for Palette is to provide a safe and encouraging space for my students, no matter their age. The studio allows me access to much smaller class sizes, which really allows me to work one-on-one with my students and get to know them and create relationships with them. That part is very important to me.

Please talk a little bit about the techniques you use to teach the young artists in our community. How do you begin to help a young artist recognize their potential?

Teaching art is a combination of allowing young kids to play while learning techniques. I am much more concerned with young kids being confident in their art and learning how to express themselves than I am with the idea of perfection. 

The conversation we are always having is that we are allowed to make messes in the art room, we are allowed to make mistakes in the art room, we are always learning and growing in the art room. Technique comes when I get kids to understand that art is like anything else if we want to get better than we practice. And the practice should be fun!

What is your favorite part of teaching young artists?

My absolute favorite part is the uninhibited and natural hugs I get at the end of the class when they don't want to leave!  :)

I also love looking at all the art at the end of the lesson and seeing how unique and individual each artwork is. It's so much fun seeing how the personality of the little artists shine through!

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A big thank you to Chrissie for taking the time to share some of her story with us. If you would like to learn more about Chrissie and Palette Art Studio you can visit their website at www.paletteartstudiows.com. You can also follow them on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/paletteartstudiowintersprings and on Instagram @ www.instagram.com/paletteartstudio_ws/. 

Palette's Fall After-School Art Class schedule is out, and you can register your kids now at AFTER-SCHOOL CLASSES | Palette Art Studio (paletteartstudiows.com). There will be a Fall A Session running from August 16 to September 23, 2022, and a Fall B Session running from September 27 to November 1, 2022. Both sessions will include brand new pottery classes for elementary and middle school students so be sure to go check that out! 

Thank you all again for visiting our blog and as always, Enjoy the Arts!

Brian K. Smith

OWSAA Feature Artist - June 2022

I am not musically inclined at all. I have a relative and know of other people that have learned to play different instruments by just listening to a song and then playing it. I did not inherit that gene and although I have tried learning how to play the guitar...well, let's just say I'm still learning. I love music though and I am actually a big fan of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, The Phantom of the Opera. On many occasions my wife has given me a little slap on the arm for singing and potentially ruining a song from it. It is because of the fact that I find music so challenging that I greatly enjoy hearing a wonderful voice or talented musician sing or play a complex song with ease. 

June's OWSAA Feature Artist won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition (Florida district) in 2017, holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice and Opera Performance from Northwestern University, and has traveled the U.S. performing in operas such as 'Carmen', 'Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville)', and 'Die Fledermaus'. She is a music instructor (voice & piano) at and co-owner of Songbirds Music, Art, & Dance Center in Oviedo. Her name is Jillian Morrisini! 

Jillian Morrisini

Jillian and her husband Justin started Songbirds in 2017 as a place where artists not only take lessons to improve at their craft but where they can also collaborate with each other. Songbirds services include Private Music Lessons (ages 5-100), Music Together & Rhythm Kids (ages 0-5 + their grownups), Rock Band & Jazz Combo (ages 11-17), Art Classes (ages 3-100), Paint & Clay Parties (all ages), Dance Classes (ages 2-17), Summer Camps (entering 1st-6th grade), and Birthday Parties (all ages). They also sell and rent instruments, offer an online and in studio store for instrument supplies, and can repair your instrument as well. Songbirds is located at 181 E. Mitchell Hammock Rd. and you can find more information about them at their website www.songbirdsmusicartdancecenter.com.

Jillian was kind enough to sit down recently and answer some questions as our 4th feature artist. I hope you enjoy what she had to say.

Who/what inspired your love of music/singing/opera?

When I was little, I lived in upstate New York. During the summer, the New York City Opera would come up to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and Freihofer's Cookie Company sponsored tickets for all kids. Adult tickets were only $10, so most of the community attended; we went most weekends. We would bring a picnic blanket, sit on the grassy hill, and watch the performance in the open dome theatre. I was less than 5 years old and completely enthralled by the performances. Ever since then I've wanted to move people through music the same way I was.

Most people are afraid of performing in front of a crowd. What is your earliest memory of performing in front of an audience? Do you remember being nervous?

Oddly enough, my first memory of being nervous whilst performing music is from my freshman year of college. Before that, I guess it just hadn't dawned on me that one could be nervous while making music. However, that notion hit me hard when I found myself surrounded by amazing musicians and I suddenly felt exceedingly unqualified. It took me a full year to be able to sing in front of anyone without crying, and I think getting through that at an older age helps me to be more conscious of nerves and how to handle them.

That all said- I can sing in front of people all day, but please don't make me talk.

I noticed in your bio on the Songbirds website that you have performed all over the U.S. Where/when was your favorite performance? What was your role? How much time did you put into practicing for it?

I have performed a number of roles across the country, but my favorite is probably when I performed Rosina in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia at Undercroft Opera in Pittsburgh, PA. It's a very small local opera company, but I had more fun in that production than ever before and it was my first big lead. 

The opera, commonly referred to as Barber, is such a fun story to tell and the music is wonderfully challenging. It probably took me about 2 months to fully prepare for the role and then we had 1 month of rehearsal (that's a very long rehearsal period in the opera world). 

Most people would recognize Figaro's famous line where he sings "Fiiiiiiiiigaro, Figaro, Figaro!". And of course, it helps that I met my husband during that production, which probably is why I look back on it so fondly.  

When did the idea of Songbirds Music, Art, & Dance Center come to you? Was there something in particular that inspired you to open it?

When you are performing in opera, you don't just work with musicians. You work with dancers, painters, costumers, graphic artists, and more. I had always thought that the collaboration between all these artists should start much sooner than when you hit the professional landscape and I wished there had been a place like this when I was growing up in Oviedo. 

As I got older and farther into the operatic world, my priorities started to change. I didn't want to have the travelling and gigging lifestyle. I wanted to have more stability and suddenly Songbirds didn't seem like something someone else should have created when I was growing up because it became my new dream.

I know Justin is a very talented musician. How did the two of you meet? Was it music that brought you together?

I never thought I'd marry a musician and certainly not a singer, but that is indeed how I met Justin. We met performing Barber in Pittsburgh and somehow, I found myself having a "showmance". During performances, he would pass me obscenely mushy notes and of course I'd read them right before singing some big aria. We traveled around the country singing together for a while and eventually I dragged him back home with me to Oviedo. Music definitely brought us together and I love how we get to spend every day together surrounded by the arts.

Justin & Jillian Morrisini

I picture your house being very musical with you singing and Justin playing one of the 10 instruments he can play. Do the two of you write music together given you are a talented singer and he a musician?

Our house IS very musical. We often have friends over to jam or just spend some evenings the two of us hanging out and singing/playing our favorite tunes. We wrote a few songs together, a number of years ago, but now we mostly just like to cover songs we like. 

Justin is such a talented and versatile musician, depending on who is over he will be popping between the guitar, bass, piano, and drum set all in one night. It is both impressive and slightly infuriating (lol).

I saw that you recently performed in Lizbeth at Harriett's Orlando Ballet Centre. How did you get the role you played? How was the overall experience?  

Opera Orlando's recent performance of Lizbeth was an exciting whirlwind! Unfortunately, one of the originally cast singers, suddenly became unavailable and Opera Orlando called and asked me to step in. I have performed with them previously in a few shows, so they already knew who I was. 

Coincidentally, I had performed in the rarely performed show about 10 years prior, so I was somewhat familiar with the atonal music. That said it was a completely different role than I had done before, so I had less than three weeks from the phone call to opening night to learn, memorize, and stage the piece. It is definitely the speediest production I've ever done, but very much worth it! 

Jillian in costume for her role in Lizbeth.

Will we be seeing you in any future performances any time soon?

I've just recently been getting back into auditioning and performing live (pandemic), so I don't have anything upcoming as of now, but you never know what will pop up!

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I want to thank Jillian for being willing to participate in this series. As you can see, she is a very busy artist/teacher/business owner and I greatly appreciate her time! It's not easy running a small business but you can tell by talking with Jillian that she loves what she does. In regards to Songbirds, Jillian adds:

"Every day I look around our business and I look at the 25+ artists we support.  Amazing musicians, dancers, and artists are able to make the world a little more beautiful through the fine arts, share their knowledge with the next generation, and pursue their artistic passions while being able to make a steady living wage through us. I've performed and told a lot of cool stories over the years, but the story of how a fine arts center survived a pandemic and created a safe space for artists is my absolute favorite."

You can follow and learn more about Songbirds on Instagram @songbirdsmadcenter, on Facebook as Songbirds Music, Art, & Dance Center, and on Twitter @SongbirdsMAD.

Thank you all again for visiting our blog and as always, Enjoy the Arts!

Brian K. Smith

OWSAA Feature Artist - May 2022

I apologize but I started a new job recently so I am a little late with this month’s feature artist entry. One of the toughest jobs I can think of that gets very little glory is being a teacher. Teachers lead us all into adulthood and our careers so that we have the tools we need to be successful. Teachers receive very little financial reward and yet they help raise the millionaires and billionaires of the world. 

Our OWSAA Feature Artist this month is Debbie Krieger. Debbie is not only an artist but she is also an art teacher at Colonial High School. She has been a high school art teacher for 28 years! After you sit back down from giving her a standing ovation for dealing with all of our bad children during that time (lol), think about how many lives she has made an impact on. Think about the creativity she has inspired in our community and the positive impact that can have on our world. Thank you Debbie for all of your years as a teacher!

To be a good teacher you have to be good at and know something about what you’re teaching. Debbie is a fantastic artist and excels at something that blows my mind every time I see it done…sidewalk chalk art. Drawing on paper is hard enough for me so I can’t imagine sitting on the sidewalk for hours in the hot Florida sun while trying to draw a masterpiece with chalk! Below are a couple of her recent works of sidewalk chalk art:

Amazing that she could draw these with chalk, on a sidewalk right! Debbie was kind enough to answer some of my questions about her life as an artist and teacher. Please enjoy what she shared with me:

What/who inspired your love of art? At what age?

My mom and dad inspired my love of art at a very young age, probably 5 years old. My mom came from a family of artists (her sisters and mom). I remember watching her paint with acrylics. My dad was from a commercial art background in graphic design and advertising. They took me to art galleries and museums throughout my childhood and always had a good supply of art materials. 

Currently, my son Andrew Salcedo, aka “Trout” who is an artist, has influenced me the most. He paints his surreal expressive oil paintings in a home studio in my house. 

What is your favorite medium of art?

My favorite medium to work with is soft pastels.

When did you start doing sidewalk chalk art?

I started doing sidewalk chalk art about 12 years ago with a fellow art teacher, Felipe Morales, who taught me. 

Can you explain the process of sidewalk chalk art and the amount of time it takes to complete a project?

The first step in sidewalk chalk art is choosing a reference and making a grid on the reference photo. I love drawing fur and feathers of animals. My last Painted Bunting chalk art drawing was referenced from a photo by a fellow Oviedo photographer, Ken Schmidt. 

I draw a grid on the concrete in 1’ squares. A common size is usually between 5’ and 7’. Using the grid, I sketch out the general proportions with white chalk first. I work top to bottom to avoid stepping or sitting on my artwork and I have to start with the lighter colors first. I make the lines, then with one swipe of my hand in one direction can create the feathers or fur. 

When drawing a portrait or still-life, I spend more time blending in the chalk (soft pastels). I have spent anywhere from 6-12 hours on each artwork. 

Drawing with chalk, in the hot sun, on the sidewalk seems like a messy process. How long does it take to get all of that chalk off of your hands?

I keep baby wipes handy to wipe off my hands before switching to another color, but often times, I just wipe it off on my clothes. I definitely have to spend some time scrubbing the chalk off afterwards, but getting dirty is half the fun! 

The enjoyment of doing sidewalk chalk art is in the act of doing it, not so much the end product, especially since it may be washed away within minutes of completion with a passing thunderstorm.

Do you sell any of your art? If so where can we find it?

I have had a few artworks for sale when they’ve been on exhibition at CityArts, but I hope to sell some artworks in the future. 

Thank you, Debbie for taking the time to share more of your story with us. I think I speak for everyone when I say we are greatful for your service as a teacher. Your years as an art teacher as well as your art are an inspiration. 

To those reading this I hope you enjoyed getting to know Debbie a little better. You can follow Debbie and her work on Instagram @debbiekriegerart. As you read above her son, Andrew Salcedo aka "Trout", is a very talented artist as well as a DJ, producer, and songwriter. You can follow his work on Instagram @trout.art. Below is some of his art work:

Until next month, Enjoy the Arts!

Brian K. Smith