Families' chalk drawings color downtown Le Mars

(Photo contributed) In memory of Katherine Lynn Stream, 19, who died this weekend of an undetected heart condition, a friend Chamaine Lewis created a chalk drawing featuring Stream. Stream was born March 6, 1990 and passed away Sept. 19, 2009, with a tear in her aorta, according to family members. [Click to enlarge]

Families, like the Murphys, were already hard at work Saturday morning, the first day of the weekend festival.

"Grandma had a fun idea for us to come down and draw," Mia Tardive said of her mom. "We do a lot of things together as a family."

(Sentinel photo by Amy Erickson) Mary Campbell, an artist from Bertram, Iowa, said during the Le Mars Chalk Festival Saturday she works with pastels, so chalk is a medium she's familiar with. Campbell is known in the art world for her drawings of President Barack Obama. She added Jay Leno's portrait to the Le Mars streets. [Click to enlarge]

She and daughter Isabella Tardive, 1, attended Saturday's chalk fest with sister Megan Dirksen and Megan's three children, Brenna, 6, Blake, 6, and Delaney, 1, and her mom Kathy Murphy, all of Le Mars.

"The kids always like to do sidewalk chalk so to come downtown and do it is awesome," Mia said.

Blake said the best part of the chalk festival was "the drawing."

(Sentinel photo by Amy Erickson) From left, Jill Ahlers, Steph Ten Napel, Rebecca Ahlers, Kristen Ahlers and Mackenzie DeJong are all members of the 4-H Plymouth County Council. They chose to draw the 4-H emblem at the Le Mars Chalk Art Festival Saturday. Three of the girls pictured are sisters and the festival also brought together other family members. [Click to enlarge]

He was focused on completing his picture of a John Deere tractor with hands covered in black, blue, green chalk.

Brenna concentrated on her own drawing with help from grandma and occasionally her baby sister and cousin.

"It's fun because we get to draw in the street," Brenna said.

Her family's cement canvas was near the intersection of First Street Northeast and Central Avenue.

Murphy, who worked alongside Brenna, said the chalk festival is a fun way to spend a Saturday.

"I like to do things with the grandkids and support our community," Murphy said.

Other families like mother-daughter duo, Lisa and Shannon Robins, were also enjoying spending time together doing something they both like -- drawing.

As she sat blending chalk with a small brush, Lisa said neither she or Shannon had ever done sidewalk chalk drawing.

"It's a lot rougher," Lisa said. "It's not very forgiving."

But Shannon, 11, who with the help of plastic replicas of the planets as guides was creating the solar system, said sidewalk chalk drawing wasn't that difficult.

"It makes it a lot easier that we are using these (brushes)," Shannon said. "I didn't even know it could work this well."

In addition to families spending time together, the chalk art festival also brought professional artists to Le Mars like Mary Campbell, of Bertram, Iowa.

"This is just the third chalk festival I've been to," Campbell said. "I'm learning as I go."

Campbell's large drawing of President Barack Obama's head, which is one of the drawings she's known for, was nearly formed Saturday mid-morning.

"I should have him done today because I want to do something different tomorrow that I've never done before," Campbell said.

She completed a portrait of the television personality Jay Leno Sunday.

More than 100 artists drew pictures throughout the first Le Mars Chalk Art Festival and organizers consider it a success, said Mary Reynolds, Main Street director.

"We're really, really happy with the first year," she said. "We're moving forward with plans for next year and we'll be setting the date for next year's event this week."

In addition to artists coloring downtown Le Mars, area businesses throughout the city also joined in the Chalk Art Festival fun by creating chalk drawings by their establishments.

Along with chalk artists creating a colorful checkerboard on streets and sidewalks during the festival, spectators strolled praising artists and catching up with friends and family.

When they tired of traipsing the streets, festival-goers grabbed something to eat and sat down at the Olson Cultural Event Center to take in the entertainment.

Some like George and Marge Black, of Merrill, didn't come to draw.

They came initially to listen to the band, The Jammers, which Marge's brother is part of, but stuck around to take in the sights.

Marge enjoyed seeing all the families and "cute kids" and she hopes there will be more to see as the festival grows.

"There are kids with chalk all over their faces, hands, clothes," Marge said. "I wonder how much got on the ground."