Pavement transforms into art during Lake Worth’s street painting ... - Pbpulse

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The spectacle of watching art being created, the lure of food and today’s bright blue skies brought an elbow-to-elbow crowd to the city’s 16th-annual Street Painting Festival.

"You gotta push the chalk into the cracks to get the colors to meld," said Kelly Mock, rubbing her fingers into the pavement of Lake Avenue. She was mixing the yellow and brown hues in her 10-foot-by-10-foot rendition of Andrew Wyeth’s "Christina."

Nicole Flaig from Wellington works on her chalk drawing Sunday morning during the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival (Brandon Kruse / The Post).

The 16-year-old Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts visual arts sophomore was one of about 250 knee-padded artists using toothbrushes, foam and their gloved fingers to craft creations. There were dancing dolphins, sultry sunsets, dusty da Vinci’s and multi-colored Monets.

Last year’s estimated 100,000 spectators was likely exceeded this weekend, said Javaid Iqbal, interim director of the Greater Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce.

Lucerne and Lake avenues, between Federal and Dixie Highway, will reopen after the two-day festival closes today at 6 p.m.

Susan Brown, a Fort Lauderdale artist and 12-year veteran of the festival, said drawing with people peering over your shoulder is fun. On each hand was a white chalk-covered sock protecting the sunburn she received on the back of her palms Saturday while working on her drawing titled "Barges Under Pont des Art."

"I like being in the spotlight. I like to finish early and walk around and look at the other drawings. There’s really talented people here," said Brown, 38. Her cheeks, feet and clothes covered with chalk.

Business was brisk for most vendors pushing Philly cheese steaks, chicken on a stick, kettle corn and ice-cold beer. The line was steady in front of Chris Werner’s "Wild Bill’s Old Fashioned Soda Pop."

"Yesterday, business was slow. Today, it really picked up," said the Lakeland native, marking a customer’s hand with a red X that entitled him to a refill.

Mark the popularity to the laid-back atmosphere of the event, said Bob Weintraub, 62, a West Palm Beach resident checking out the drawings on Lake Avenue.

"I like the Key West feel. Plus, who can resist a corn dog," he said.

Drawing in public has a special benefit, said Dina Clingman, whose daughter Cassidy was working on the Wyeth painting.

"They hear people say things negative about their art," she said, watching her daughter at work. "That makes them humble."

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