Join Muscarelle Artist-In-Residence Steve Prince For Chalk Art Creation On June 12 On Gloucester Main Street

Artist Steve Prince will join artists in brightening the downtown sidewalks of Gloucester on Saturday, June 12, during the Gloucester Arts Festival’s Paint Main 2.0 event. While Plein Air festival painters compete in a fast-paced paint-out creating works of art on easels, Prince will work his magic with chalk, starting shortly after 10 a.m.

As Director of Engagement & Distinguished Artist in Residence at Williamsburg’s Muscarelle Museum of Art, Prince fosters outreach and educational programs to deliver art to the community. He dubs himself an “art evangelist,” who believes in the restorative transformation art offers a community and its members.

“I see the arts very much through the lens as a balm for healing,” Prince said. “I’ve literally done workshops and programs all across the country with all different groups and all different ages. This is a project that’s open to a cross section in the community.”

Prince will bring a collection of 300 colors of sidewalk chalk to Main Street to recreate one of the 50 images from the Muscarelle Museum’s permanent collection on 8×8 feet of asphalt.

The project mimics the Muscarelle’s unique competition, the 2021 Driveway Chalk Art Competition, which invites individuals or groups to choose from that same collection to create a driveway chalk version of it. Once finished, the driveway image must be photographed and uploaded to contend for prizes that range from $300 for honorable mentions to $2,500 for the grand prize.

Community members are welcome to join Prince and his team on Saturday.

Prince welcomes people of all art experiences.

“I’ve taught art for so many years, I know how to direct people,” Prince said.

Prince knew as a 5-year-old that he’d grow up to be an artist. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Xavier University of Louisiana and his Master of Fine Arts in printmaking and sculpture from Michigan State University. The 2010 Hampton City Schools Teacher of the Year believes art should be a collaborative endeavor that unites communities. In 2017, he kicked off the yearlong commemoration of William and Mary’s first African-American residential students by creating a mural with a cross section of community members.

Prince expects to be on Gloucester’s Main Street for as long as three hours on Saturday, and he’ll supply the chalk for anyone who wants to join him.

The Gloucester Arts Festival will continue on Sunday, June 13, with a Larry Moore Gallery Talk.

For a full schedule of Gloucester Arts Festival events, visit gloucesterartsfestival.com/2021-events/.

To learn more about the Muscarelle’s Driveway Chalk Art Competition, visit muscarelle.wm.edu/chalkart.