Joanne Weiler-Piechotte left a message for her grandson in the driveway. His family drove to her home to deliver a mask, but the grandparents couldn’t step out to visit him in person. Joanne Weiler-Piechotte
Tina Harvey created a display too big to contain in one photo in Houghton Lake. Part of the message spells out an Easter greeting. Tina Harvey
Tina Harvey adorned her Houghton Lake driveway with colorful flowers. Tina Harvey
Weiler-Piechotte’s artwork includes kissing fish. Joanne Weiler-Piechotte
Someone created a stained style cross in sidewalk chalk in Midland. Courtney Soule
A hopscotch game, bunnies, and colorful patterns greet walkers in this Midland neighborhood. Courtney Soule
Weiler-Piechotte’s grandchildren created a message to answer the greeting. The family was planning a trip to Florida, but COVID-19 forced them to cancel. Joanne Weiler-Piechotte
Lisa Gruenberg, Kassi Gruenberg, and Teiah Faulk spent some time at the Midland Tridge in early April creating messages of hope and encouragement. Lisa Gruenberg
Violet and Larissa Thurlow created this colorful Easter message to greet walkers in a Bay City neighborhood. Larissa Thurlow
Chalk art created in Mt. Pleasant by Liz Whittemore and Erick Fredendall.
Howling wind and scattered snow still fill the air as we near the end of April, but neither the COVID-19 virus nor the unseasonably cold weather have halted the creativity of sidewalk artists in the region.
On your next walk around the block, look down and you’re sure to spot some of the colorful chalk drawings blooming all over the sidewalks and driveways of the Great Lakes Bay Region.
You’re guaranteed to see classic hopscotch games and cute drawings by kids scratched onto the sidewalks. Walk a little farther, though, and you’re likely to see drawings conveying messages of hope and encouragement. Much of the art is surprisingly vivid and beautiful.
Bay City’s Studio 23/The Arts Center capitalized on the sidewalk chalk trend by inviting people to submit work (created between April 13 and 19) to an Online Chalk Art Competition. Artists from throughout the region created nature scenes, abstract art, and more to submit to the contest via social media. To see the entries, check out the hashtags #bcchalkwalk and @bcchalkwalk
Route Bay City also asked readers in Bay City, Midland, and Mt. Pleasant to submit their chalk art so everyone could enjoy it. Today, we're publishing the photos we received from you.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.