We have moved over

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WE MOVED to:

Drawing on Earth - Blog

Chabot College, Hayward, CA

Color Class with Mark Wagner

May 13, 2010

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http://drawingonearth.blogspot.com

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We Are Moving Our Blog - please join us!

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We Are Moving Our Blog - please come with us and bookmark us.

http://drawingonearth.blogspot.com

www.drawingonearth.org

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Drawing on Earth

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If you noticed we just renamed our nonprofit, we are filing for a new 501(c)3, building our board, rewriting our business proposal, begin to redesign our web site, and seek for new sponsors as we step into this new 5 year Global Storybook project. Pretty exciting! And seems like lots of work from here. Stay tuned.

~MW

www.reenchantingtheworldthroughart.org
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Drawing on Earth

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Hi Everyone,

Moving slow these days. The focus is creating our own nonprofit - Drawing on Earth. We have been a full affiliate of Bridges With Youth and after consulting with a few mentors we have decided to be our own. So it's paper work and understanding the process. Along with this comes business plans, proposals, and beginning to look for grants funding.

Add being a dad of two teenage girls, teaching art at two colleges, other exciting free lance graphic design gigs, and my first art show since 1994.

I recently had the wonderful honor of hanging out with Daniel Dancer who also works with kids creating large art projects that are photographed from above in a crane or air balloon. His work is called Art for the Sky. We are beginning to vision some collaborate projects using my chalk drawings and his kids as art, it's pretty exciting, definitely thinking out of the box!

Daniel Dancer - Sky Bear

www.reenchantingtheworldthroughart.org
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Storybook Planet

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Photo from world record 2008, Alameda CA, USA

Finally came up with a name for the present project.
Storybook Planet
A Tale Drawn Around the World

Got the url: www.storybookplanet.org
Now we get to build a new site.

I also wrote a draft about the project, an ad for Craigslist for Board of Director and team players, and a Children's Museum proposal. If you are interested or know anyone, have them get in touch with us. We can work virtual.
~Mark

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Feb. 2010

Overview

• 2003 artist Mark Wagner had a vision about creating the world’s largest chalk drawing.

• Why? to raise awareness of the non existence of art teachers in the local elementary school district, to help raise funds for art teachers and supplies, and to give the kids a creative experience they would always remember.

• Five years later, after 2 years of hard work, it happened. 6,000 people (over 3,800 elementary school kids), 90,000 sq. ft. (almost 2 football fields), two weeks, and a photograph from a satellite 425 miles up.

• Guinness World Record award, 2010 book.

• The nonprofit, Re-Enchanting the World through Art was created out of this project. Mission: to support and inspire the creative spirit in youth and community.

• An 80 page book, Small Town ~ Big Vision and a 30 minute documentary film were produced and currently seeking publication and distribution.

• Next project begins: Storybook Planet. Five year project creating large community chalk drawing on all seven continents telling one big story.

• Goal is to create a global collaboration creative art experience that gives kids and communities a sense of belonging and contributing to something greater.

• Create a book to give to the United Nation and world leaders sharing the creative love!

• First page of the book - Dec. 2009: Caracas, Venezuela. 1,500 children and community chalk drawing over 2 days. Event combined with an one day 3D chalk drawing Master Class for professional artists. Extremely successful event.

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Storybook Planet: Nonprofit for Board of Director and Team

Craigslist Draft


Storybook Planet: nonprofit global kids/community art project seeking board members and team.

Storybook Planet: A Tale Drawn Around the World. Interested in art, kids, local and global communities, and a big adventure? A five year global community art project is beginning and our nonprofit is expanding. We are looking for a few passionate, professional, fund raisers, design and media specialists, business and visionary leaders. Partime, possible paid positions as we get funded.

Artist Mark Wagner created a large community art project in 2008 that set a Guinness World Record for the largest chalk drawing. 90,000 sq. ft. (almost two football fields), 6,000 people (over 3,800 elementary school kids), two weeks, and a photograph by a satellite. The goal was to give the children a creative collaborative experience that they would remember, raise awareness and funds for the Arts in a school district with NO art teachers in the elementary schools. A book and documentary film have recently been completed about this project.

Dec. 2009 Wagner began Storybook Planet by creating the first page of the book in Caracas, Venezuela. It was a huge success! The next step of the project is to expand the Board of Directors, develop a team, create proposals, fund raise, design a new web site, and continue to take the show on the road. We like to create 2-5 large chalk drawings a year and cover all the major continents of the world.

Interested? Want a piece of this big creative adventure? Please get in touch by emailing:

For more information: www.creativeworlds.org

Wagner’s chalk drawing blog: reenchantingtheworldthroughart.blogspot
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Chalk ~ Kids ~ Venezuela

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Mark Wagner and the younger artists of Venezuela

Photos are by Ana Moreno

I am still posting photos from my Dec. trip to Venezuela. My last post was showing the production team and the adult artists who were involved in the project - Creative Growth, the first chapter of our new Global Illustrated Storybook.

My next post will be more text and writing about the experience.

~Mark

www.creativeworlds.org
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Caracas, Venezuela - Still Breathless

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Day Two: it's a little beyond words...the entire trip so far. Meeting the right people all along the journey, being so taken care of from the moment I got off the plane. The mountains, the poor, the city, the art and artists! Only poetry and images can suggest a world unto itself that I have the great honor in experiencing... there are tears in my eyes.
~Mark

Thousand of images flashing past the moments, a whirlwind of time-less-ness, a stranger becoming not so strange in a strange world, the heart of the people opening to me as I open to them, honest, across borders of language to land of color, form, community, children, big dreams, of a mountain range that this the ceiling of South America, where hermits write erotic poem and spend their years balancing rocks and sharing both. Where security guards are with me even when I pee at the park, taking care to care for me in this different world. And ad-mist the turmoil, the poverty, the bizarre streets, are beautiful mysterious graffiti paintings, beautiful women to ugly men and everyone in between. Young artists and older artist come up to me saying they have heard about me, they have seen some of my work. I show them more and they show me more and together we become a tribe of creative being, animals creating, striving to be free in all moments of doubt, in the confrontation of the unknown in time as warriors unto the gods, a delicate balance, and the grace of understanding the lay of the land, of seeing the park and knowing it can be done... easily, the belly relaxes. The vultures roost not to just eat the dead but to marvel at the humans weaving stories out of the dust from mountains, the chalk/silica, the most abundant element on the earth's surface, and the telling of the birth of a story that will be told around the world from a continent that still has the a spirit intact, living, alive, creating the universe over and over. Still Breathless!

the chalk has arrived - 8,000 pieces, hope I sent enough!

My amazing support team!

My amazing art student production team

And the Gift at the end of the day, at the tip of the growing plant drawing, a real plant that fell exactly here. The creative growth has already begun!

www.reenchantingtheworldthrough art.org
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They were somewhere scattered on the dark freeway!

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The chalk has arrived in Venezuela, that's a big load off my shoulders.

Here's silly one that just happened. Tues. night I finished teaching my last class of the semester at Menlo College (painting and collage). I arrived early to school and was going to work on my sketches for the 2 drawing that I will be doing next week. I placed the drawing pad on top of my truck.

I ended up getting into a painting that I was doing in class for the students and totally forgot about the drawings until I arrived at home at 9pm (45 minutes from school) WITHOUT the drawings. They were somewhere scattered on the dark freeway.

Luckily it's not a big deal, the ideas and visuals are in my head and heart and I am already working them in a way I would of if I had the drawings - tracing paper with more versions. I just want to get them done by Sat. night.

I'm still on schedule and don't need to stress. I plan well and can stay cool even though part of me (my inner little boy) is freaking about going to another country by myself and pulling off 2 big chalk drawings!!!!!

www.reenchantingtheworldthroughart.org
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The World's Largest Illustrated Story

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Dear Everyone,

Our month-long fund raising goal was $2,000. I am proud to say that we raised $3,346 with 57 donations!

Thank you!! Popovich, Corich, Marks, Thiel, Moore, McAleer, Alfresco, Ebnom, Childs, Wagner, Wagner, Martin, Afjei/Gudebski, Graves, Brautovich, Safier, Jacobs, Ortiz, Jarrett, Carlomagno, Jenssen, Watson, Rossiter, Layefsky, Carey, Hyde, Todd, Buelteman, Gilbert, Wang, Davis, Greenwald, Valente, Wengell, Stollman, Linayao, Morrison, Artz, Rentmeesters, Phoenix, Arts, Johnson, Garrett, Burnbaum, Burns, Wasmann, Tryon, Jensen, Lovejoy, Von Herrmann, Louchheim, Teall, McClain, Orr.

Over the month our project has begun to gain some attention. We are now working on connections in Argentina, Morocco, India, and the Netherlands. This is the beginning of a 1-3 year project to create the world's largest illustrated story.

We are going to be chalk drawing on different continents, weaving one story together, giving diverse children and communities a way of being create together. GeoEye Satellite Imagery will be donating satellite photography when able. We are seeking several larger sponsors so if you know anyone, please help us connect.

Thanks again for your support and inspiration. If you wanted to donate to the project, you still can, and please do.

Please make checks out to: REWA
Mail to:
c/o Mark Wagner
27 Powers Court
Alameda, CA 94501

or us PayPal @
http://www.reenchantingtheworldthroughart.org/donatekidsart.html


Creatively Yours,
~Mark Wagner

www.reenchantingtheworldthroughart.org
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Guinness Book of World Records 2010

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Guinness Book of World Records 2010

Pages 193 & 195
We are in it!

"The largest chalk pavement art measured 90,000 ft2 and was created by 5.678 children from schools in Alameda CA, USA for the Kids' Chalk Art Project between May 27 and June 7 2008."

www.reenchantingtheworldthroughart.org
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Raising $ for Chalk, Please Help! Venezuela in Dec. 2009

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Hello Everyone!

Fundraising Chalk Goal by Nov. 15, 2009 : $2000

Last year we set a world record for the largest chalk drawing. We also started the 501(c)3 nonprofit Re-Enchanting the World Through Art (REWA), which supports and inspires the creative spirit in youth and community.

Mark Wagner, the founder and original artist behind the Kids' Chalk Art Project has a bigger vision, to create several large chalk drawing around the world, unified by a narrative creating the world largest illustrated story and setting another new world record.

The vision is happening sooner than anyone thought and even before we could go out and make any connections, the connections have found us. Our first storytelling gig is in Caracas, Venezuela, Dec. 2 - 7. Chalk will cost approx. $1200 to buy and ship (expensive to ship).


We are actually doing a combo fundraiser for chalk. We have continued to chalk draw over the last year, both locally and around the state (Alameda, San Leandro Juvenile Hall, Walnut Creek, Fresno). With the school budgets desperately tight we are suppling the chalk for these events, allowing kids and the community to draw and be creative.

Our simple short term goal over the next month is: $2000 by Nov. 15

This is:
10 people @ $200
20 people @ $100
40 people @ $50
or 100 people @ $20

Please help us out by donating now. Be part of setting another world record, be part of investing wisely and creatively into our youth and our global community. Send your check or donate online and receive a tax deductible donation letter.

Please make checks out to: REWA (Re-Enchanting the World Through Art)

Mail to:
c/o Mark Wagner
27 Powers Court
Alameda, CA 94501

or us PayPal @
www.reenchantingtheworldthroughart.org/donatekidsart.html

Creatively Yours,
~Mark

Kids' Chalk Art Project - Guinness World Record
Mark Wagner: Creative Director
www.reenchantingtheworldthroughart.org
reenchantingtheworldthroughart.blogspot.com

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New Film Trailer: Small Town ~ Big Vision

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SMALL TOWN ~ BIG VISION

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Proposal: School Assembly, Chalk Drawing, Weekend Fundraiser

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Yesterday chalk drawing at Walnut Creek Middle School.

Chalk Drawing with Artist Mark Wagner

Proposal: School Assembly, Chalk Drawing, Weekend Fundraiser

Elementary through High School

1) Mark Wagner will come to your school and present an assembly to share with students and teachers how he co-created the world’s largest chalk drawing, (a Guinness World Record), with the children of Alameda, CA, and which was completed on June 7, 2008.

2) Wagner will create a large professional chalk drawing on site with the help of a selected group of students.

3) Wagner will support your school in setting up a “draw-a-thon,” fundraiser to generate funding for each school's art program. These fundraisers will take place on a designated Saturday morning on the school playground with students and parents.

Cost: $200 - $500. Chalk donated through REWA

Dear PTA and School Principals,

In collaboration with the City of Alameda, AUSD, the Alameda PTA Council, and AEF, artist Mark Wagner visited each elementary school last spring inviting the students to help him with a dream. The dream was to create the world’s largest chalk drawing, to raise awareness for the arts, to publicize that there were no art teachers in the elementary schools of Alameda, and to give the kids a creative experience that they would remember for the rest of their lives.

Over two weeks AC transit bussed out entire elementary schools to the Alameda Naval Air Station to participate in the Kids’ Chalk Art Project. In the end 6,000 people were involved, over 4,000 elementary school kids, who covered 90,000 sq. ft. of pavement (the size of almost two football fields), and set a new world record which was photographed by a satellite.

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Out of this project a nonprofit was created, Re-Enchanting the World Through Art (REWA), which supports and inspires the creative spirit in youth and community. Today there is a book and 30 minute documentary film about the project, Small Town ~ Big Vision. The Making of a World Record Chalk Drawing.

The assembly proposal involves Mark Wagner visiting your school and presenting through laptop and projector images, the world of chalk drawing and street painting festivals around the country, and photographs from the year of chalk drawing here in Alameda that climaxed in the Guinness World Record (photos to be published in their next book.)

Included is a Saturday morning chalk drawing event at your school (fall or spring weather pending) where the students are able to be creative with their parents. A “draw-a-thon” can take place where children get sponsored by friends and family to draw for ½ hour generating funding for your school’s visual art program.

Your school can then easily reproduce this event over the years to come creating a simple long-term sustainable funding and excitement for an integral visual arts program at your school.

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About Mark Wagner: Mark Wagner, MA is the visionary behind the Kids' Chalk Art Project. Wagner's first artistic adventures were in rural Pennsylvania where as a second grader when he began to draw monsters and spaceships. Wagner credits his brother for sparking a desire to draw and his mother for her encouragement.

Wagner's artistic endeavors span 40 years. He holds a MA from John F. Kennedy University, and a BFA from Pratt Institute. Wagner is involved in the film industry as a professional concept artist recently working for Pixar “drawing monsters and spaceship,” in addition to his work as graphic designer, illustrator, author, musician, and fine artist. His professional work can be seen @ www.heartsandbones.com

Wagner created a year-long pilot artist-in-residency program at Franklin Elementary School and has taught art and creativity in a variety of venues from digital art colleges to graduate school and prison, inspiring people of all ages to gain access to their own creative spirit. Wagner is also the author of "The Art of Being A Dad.” Wagner lives in Alameda with his wife, writer Laurie Wagner and their two children.

Mark Wagner

Hearts & Bones Studio

mw@heartsandbones.com

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Chalk 4 Peace - John Aaron

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John Aaron is a friend and fellow chalk artist with a big dream. His Facebook bio says" Artist, Organizer, Educator and Humorist for Peace... What's so funny about peace, love and understanding...? It's nice chalking with you...."

John organizes large chalk drawing, street painting events where at over 400 sites across the planet unite in Sept. and chalk draw for peace, uniting kids, community, and the world. Check it out, an artist with a big dream doing something about it!

CHALK4PEACE - blog

CHALK4PEACE.org
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Street Painting - Juvenile Hall / Camp Sweeney

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On Weds. the mens group (Ebnom.org) I am part of visited the Alameda County Juvenile Hall Camp Sweeney and did a chalk drawing with the young men who are locked up. Juvenile Hall the prison for teenagers.

Ebnom guys or Juveniles??? The young men at Camp Sweeney can not be photographed.

We had about 30 young men drawing with us for a few hours in the morning after I showed them my artwork and talked to them about chalk drawing and how we set a world record.

I have taught art and creativity in prison for many years, I like it. I remember once feeling safer in prison that outside in this sometimes crazy world. Camp Sweeney is an adjacent complex to the Juvenile Hall, it's where the young men go before they are being left out.

I was excited the night before going, not nervous, which I realized is a similar feeling in the body but definitely different. At the camp hanging out with the young men I was surprised how comfortable I was being close to them.

I didn't hear stories of why they were there, I didn't ask, and I know none of their stories are good. One of the councilors said they are lucky to catch 1 out of 10 young men who go through program.... that's sad. I wanted everyone of them to win in living and understanding and knowing what it takes, and then having the support and inspiration to do it, to live into their dreams.

I picked a snake with wings for the image we were going to draw. I have always thought of this type of artwork, chalk drawing / street painting as medicine for the people. So what do these young men need? Transformation, healing, shedding old skin?

The snake is the most widely used symbol in all of humanity, across the globe in all cultures. Symbolizing evil and temptation in one culture, spiritual protection in another. Deceitfulness, guardianship, poison and medicine, renewal, rebirth, regeneration. I once wrote a small book titled, "The Universe Creating Itself. My Life as a Snake."

This is a Caduceus. I just learned while writing this blog that the caduceus is sometimes erroneously used as a symbol for medicine, especially in North America, due to confusion with the traditional medical symbol, the rod of Asclepius, which has only a single snake and no wings.

Also from the web: A snake with wings is the mythological symbol for the human ego. It is in the form of a dragon. It represents the inner dragon of a person, which the person must slay before he or she gets to his or her desire.

Film maker and musician Kevin Footer with the Kids' Chalk Art Project t-shirt on.

In the end the young men did some of their tricks, they drew gang signs that needed to be drawn over. It turned into quite the scene, not bad, just interesting, a little crazy, but I.... was more interested in drawing and didn't pay that much attention to it. Leading by example.

Bless those young men!

Mark Wagner on site.

Street Painting - Juvenile Hall / Camp Sweeney YouTube Video

~Mark Wagner
Creative Director: Re-Enchanting the World Through Art
Supporting and Inspiring the Creative Spirit in Youth and Community
a 501(c)3 nonprofit
Buy a chalk book, support the creative future by investing in it now!
Small Town ~ Big Vision

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Blessing of the Urban Animals

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Mark Wagner & Clayton Thiel chalk drawing at the Youth-in-Arts annual Italian Street Painting Festival in San Rafael CA, June 13-14 2009.


This year we followed our interest in pushing the 3D aspect of chalk drawing. We created our sketch using foam core and made a 3 dimensional maquette that we light and photographed.


We started Friday evening and needed to be done Sunday by noon for we were both going to a wedding. Clayton and I have been chalk drawing at this festival for the last 4 years. Clayton was actually going to leave Sat. night at 6pm. I was going to stay late and then finish solo on Sunday. We had our work chalked out for us.

We continued with our splattered chalk and cracked street technique.

This years theme was a prayer for the Urban Animals: raccoon, crow, rat, pigeon, ladybug, deer, snake, coyote, fish, etc... My dog got into a bloody fight twice with a raccoon in one week recently in my front yard, really ugly and disturbing for everyone involved. We wanted to send some good energy to all these animals that we know are having a hard time surviving in our human controlled environments.

And then we had urban animals show up! Clayton's grandson came to visit and hitched a ride and being a great photo opportunity for many people passing by.




Here I am, Mark Wagner wearing a Kids' Chalk Art Project t-shirt. I created a project that set a new World Record for the largest chalk drawing in 2008.



I was personally moved this year by the people who I meet. There is something magical and mysterious about these chalk drawing festivals, especially this one. A place where hundreds of artists create for hours and hours, where thousands of people come to see, watch, and interact.
In the evening it gets quiet, but there are still people working, still people walking around after dinner.

But something else is present for me, the conversations with kids and adults was amazing. Something seems to open and be present when so many artist and people get together - it's beyond words - I guess I will leave it at that!

SMALL TOWN~ BIG VISION
World Record Chalk Drawing Book

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