Chalk Walk, Tiles, Boxes and the Arts

The Brandon League of Fine Arts and the folks from the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association presented on Sept. 1 a dual event, featuring the center's annual Chalk Walk and the league's annual Artfest Fundraiser.

Featured at the event, in additional to the handcrafted pieces of local artists, were the chalk-drawn masterpieces of artists young and old, who also were invited to visit with vendors who had on display materials with which to craft take-home pieces.

On display at the 2nd Annual Artfest Fundraiser were hand-painted tiles and trinket boxes that were up for bid for a silent auction. Bids will be accepted through September at Center Place, where the pieces are on display.

Lisa Rodriguez, the marketing director for Center Place, said the event was well-received by those who attended and that it marked the first time the two events were held on the same day.

"This year we thought it would be cool to combine the two events, the Sixth Annual Center Place Chalk Walk and the Second Annual Artfest Fundraiser," she said, noting that in years past, the chalk was was held in the spring.

"The Brandon League of Fine Arts held the artfest indoors and we were outside with the chalk walk," she added. "For the most part, it was fine. We'll probably revisit the scheduling of the event, though, since attendance most likely was affected by it being the Labor Day weekend."

Outdoors, Chalk Walk featured the work of young chidlren and adults, who this year worked on pieces of cement from the east entrance of the Sandy Rodriguez Center working out toward and around the lake off Parsons Avenue.

Both Center Place and the Brandon Regional Library are housed inside the Sandy Rodriguez Center, at 619 Vonderburg Drive in Brandon.

In all, 150 tickets were distributed to people interested in attending Chalk Walk, which featured food from the Chick-fil-A restaurant at Lake Brandon Village. Exhibitors this year provided crafts for visitors to work on and take home, Rodriguez said.

Coastland Church had face-painters. At Macaroni Kids, visitors made necklaces and bracelets out of colored pasta. Music Showcase featured a craft involving paper plates and ribbons. Mister Bones, also known as Patrick Brown, returned as he does every year to perform a magic show. Also distributed were safety identification kits for kids.

Next up for Center Place is Bunco for the Arts, a ladies night out scheduled for Sept. 20. Tickets cost $20 and includes the price of dinner. Proceeds benefit art programming for kids.