Chalk it up at the ArtStroll

The Second Friday ArtStroll/Still Strolling Saturday in downtown Thermopolis, September 14 and 15, features Chalk Art on the sidewalks of downtown, along with a variety of artists set up inside and outside of retail stores. Stroll hours on Friday evening are from 5-8 p.m. The ArtStroll continues Saturday during regular business hours. 

The Smoking Waters Art Guild invites you to get your chalk on and start drawing right away with the chalk, which has been placed in containers along Broadway Street.

Chalk Art enthusiast Toddi Darlington invites the public to join her in downtown Thermopolis to draw pictures, write your name, or otherwise be creative during the fifth annual Get Your Chalk On ArtStroll. Darlington, a founding member of the Smoking Waters Art Guild, says, “I love helping to organize the Strolls, but my real passion lies with being creative with the art activities. There is nothing more fun or gratifying than seeing a child’s face light up after making a piece of art. Art is creative, fun and can help a person find ways to communicate expressions and feelings”.

Darlington loves the fact that anyone, any age, can pick up a piece of chalk and create art and she will be trying her hand again this year at some pretty intricate artwork. There has been chalk set out in front of the stores on Broadway since Monday and people are already getting busy with their creations and signatures. Self-portraits are welcome.

 Start your stroll with Andrea Linn and Friends knitting and crocheting. Linn will also have fizzy chalk you can try out. Susan Lankford will be showing body oils, along with some new diffusers. 

Next door you will find Jondi Alcorn’s rustic art work. Continuing east on Broadway Street brings you to where Barb Clothier will have her notecards and photography for sale. The Lights On After-School participants will be selling handmade friendship bracelets, also.

 Welcome back Emily Keith with her intriguing wool fiber art. Also Harold Hutson and friends will be providing musical entertainment.  

The gallery at Discover Thermopolis/Thermopolis Print Zone is the host business and welcomes back Hayden Johnson who makes duct tape wallets and accessories. Johnson is one of the ArtStroll’s younger artists  and his duct tape art is surprisingly practical and attractive.

 Across the street, on the north side of Broadway, you will find fiber artist Kristen Stone. She has been busy preparing new festival costumes and accessories. 

Next door you can find pastel artist Deb Eiswald showing her work in the restaurant gallery at the back of the  store. You may already have seen Eiswald’s scrimshaw and beaded leather work at previous Strolls. Her pastels show the same skill for fine detail.  Her art will remain on display until the next Stroll on October 12th and 13th.

 Following the Stroll on Friday evening, singer/guitarist Quinlan Valdez will be performing from 8-10 p.m.

StillStrollingSaturday is a good time to revisit the artists during regular business hours, after checking out the morning Farmers Market, which runs from 8-11 a.m.

Stollers are encouraged to pick up a map at any stroll business to find the location of artists and activities. Main Street Thermopolis, a partner sponsor of the ArtStrolls, asks that you fill in your ideas for what you would like to see as new businesses in our downtown on the map. Return the map to the host business at the end of Friday evening’s stroll to be entered to win a piece of art work donated by the artists.

The Second Friday ArtStroll and Still Strolling Saturday is organized by Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation and Smoking Waters Art Guild with additional help from Main Street Thermopolis, Hot Springs Travel & Tourism and local businesses and individuals.