MADISON, Wis.– Sometimes all it takes is a box of chalk, a blank canvas and an attitude like Dean Johnson’s to make the world a better place.
“I love the colors, I love the patterns and I love the people that I get to meet,” Johnson said as he chalked up his sidewalk outside of his home on Madison’s west side.
Johnson started creating chalk art in his neighborhood during the pandemic as a way to meet new people and spread positivity during a time where making new friends and happiness weren’t as easy to come by.
“I think I’ve met more people in the last few months of doing this in this neighborhood than I have in my 20 years of living here,” he said. “It’s just great because you don’t really get grumpy people, you get quite happy people. They see this and they’re like, ‘Oh I’m having a little bit of a better day.’”
Johnson spends hours creating new chalk art every day in his neighborhood. Working with different shapes and designs, Johnson said he “just goes with the flow” when designing each sidewalk square up and down the block. Johnson’s work has even caught the attention of neighbors who now ask him to design their entire driveway.
Creating art for his community is his way of doing one positive thing for himself and others every day, turning things he can’t control into something he can.
“Like today we’ve got this section of the sidewalk and then it will rain by 3 p.m. and then we get to start all over again!”
News 3 Now’s Jamie Perez asked Johnson, “Does it discourage you whenever it rains and all your work is washed away?”
Johnson replied, “I mean the first time I got a little discouraged but then I was like no because next time I can just do something completely different!”
Johnson said he likes being able to spread a little joy to everyone’s day, even if it’s just for the few moments they’re walking by and seeing his art.
“I just like when people are happy,” he said. “There’s so much negativity, you know. And it’s great to have some positivity!”
Johnson and his neighbors are hosting a block art party on August 27th and 28th. He invites anyone who is interested to come by and shop from local artists and help him chalk the sidewalk as a community. People can stop by on the 27th between 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. along the 600 block of N. Rosa Road in Madison or on the 28th between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
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