Artists Sought to Chalk up Patriotic Images

Area artists are sought to help create a new feature for the annual Murrieta Field of Honor—a Patriots Walk made up of patriotic images done in chalk.

The chalk art works are viewed as a complement to the Field of Honor, a mass display of more than 2,000 full-size American flags that will fly Nov. 4-11 at Town Square Park to “honor our heroes.”

Event planners from the Murrieta Rotary Club, which produces the tribute, say they like to add new features to the Field each year.

“We’re always looking for appropriate ways of making our tribute to our personal heroes more memorable,” Bob Bryant, chair of the Field of Honor, said.  “This walk of patriotic images immediately adjacent to the flags seems a perfect fit.”

Skilled artists, be they pros or pretty good amateurs, are invited to participate.  Their works, which are to be painted Nov. 3 - 4, will be on display for the entire eight days the flags will be flying, assuming the art is not washed away by rain.

There is no charge to artists to paint on the wide concrete sidewalk that rims the park, which is located next to Murrieta City Hall and the police station near the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Kalmia Street.

Artists can choose spaces ranging from four feet to 10 feet in width with all blocks being six feet deep.

Judges will pick a “best of show” image, whose creator will receive a weekend stay at the Dorland Mountain Arts Colony.

A cluster of smaller blocks are also being set aside where kids can express their creative take on patriotism, also with no participation fee.

Deadline for artists to apply for space is Oct. 24.

Kids do not apply in advance, but will be assigned space on a first-come basis starting the morning of Nov. 3.

Application blanks and full information are available on the club’s website at Murrietarotary.org.

Many of the flags on the field are sponsored by individuals and groups wishing to honor their own heroes, often military veterans past and present as well as first-responders, family members, favorite teachers or any others important in one’s life. Flags can be ordered online at Murrietafieldofhonor.com. Activities run through the week.

For more details about the art, call Patriots Walk organizer Al Vollbrecht at 951-698-7766.

—Submitted by Rotary Club of Murrieta