The sunlight helped brighten the already vibrant colors spread on the sidewalk squares. Greens, yellows, oranges, blues, grays and reds. The color spectrum was in full use at the 12th annual Chalk It Up event held Saturday in downtown Hendersonville.

“A lot (of the contestants) already know about it,” said Barbara Hughes, owner of Narnia Studios, who sponsors the event. “They just excitedly wait for the event.”

Armed with a box of 20 colors, each contestant starts at 9 a.m. and has until 10:30 a.m. to complete a design. Outside mediums are not allowed. A few used brushes or water to help spread the colors, but the dust settled on clothes and hands. Skin became green, blue and red as artists intently finessed their artwork. A few even got the color in their hair.

“Chalk it up started over 12 years ago,” said Hughes.

It started with Hughes’s kids. They were at the store with her and she needed something for them to do. She gave them some chalk and sent them outside.

Teenagers came and joined her children, and she said it was amazing to see the designs they came up with.

“I enjoy every aspect of Chalk It Up. I really love seeing the finished designs from both young and old,” said Hughes.

Chalk It Up was born. From 50 contestants the first year to 150 in its 12th year, the event attracts the young and the young at heart. Area artists judge the categories ranging from 5 years and younger; 6 to 8, 9 to 12, 13 to 20 and 21 and older. There is a professional category and a charity category. The top five of each age categories receives a prize. Millers Fine Drycleaning donated a $100 prize for the top professional. “It’s fun because every year (Hughes) gives me a different age bracket (to judge),” said Nancy Irving, who has been a judge for Chalk It Up since the beginning. “And its hard to pick.”

Designs

Garfield, Mickey Mouse, a soccer ball. A character from the movie A Clockwork Orange. Oceans, landscapes, city skylines. The range of the creativity spread from First to Sixth avenues.

Families watched as children spread their colors wide. They could share colors, but not blocks.

“A monkey at work,” said Ben Williams, 7, of what he drew. “I bought a craft set and it had a sticker of a monkey at work. And I drew it and then I drew it here.”

Sydney Bryon, 6, visits her grandmother for the summer for six weeks. For the past three summers, Sydney has participated in Chalk It Up.

“She spends the summer here with me,” said Inez Wolfe, the grandmother. “It’s just a great opportunity for her to have something to do.”

The red and blue of a picture of Bob Marley starts taking shape as Beverly Russell works side by side with her mother, Yoriko. The two have been drawing in Chalk It Up together since its inception. Beverly said she “found a love” for drawing people. She usually starts with their eyes at the center of the picture.

“I surf the internet,” said Beverly Russell of picking a picture to draw. “I just try to find the most colorful thing I can find that’s not too detailed for chalk.”

“We’ve been doing this for like eight years, I think,” said Anna Yarbrough, 12.

Yarbrough and her sister, Sara, 10, were next to each other, block to block. They have been coming to Chalk It Up for about eight years. Anna drew Mickey Mouse. Sara colored a soccer ball mixed with her favorite colors. People snapped pictures of the designs as they walked by. The girls still had chalk dust turning their fingers into rainbows.

“We always do,” said Anna of participating in Chalk It Up. “It’s fun to see all the people walk by and to see all the blocks everyone else is doing.”

A landscape with elephants, hippopotamuses and a giraffe sat next to a watering hole. Kat Nevel has brought her two children to Chalk It Up for almost every year except the first. Nevel said its been fascinating to watch as her kids have grown, the different scenes they chose to draw and how their skill has improved.

“(It’s) fun to see how much better they get every year,” said Kat Nevel. While Hughes said 150 is about the max of contestants for the contest, she hopes the contest itself keeps expanding. The event has received more sponsorships including prizes from Chick-fil-a and Outback. Hughes also hopes the event starts attracting professional artists to show their skills with chalk. She said they hope to “work on that in the years to come.”

The designs on the sidewalk do not disappoint. The variety of colors and designs bring diversity on the blocks up and down Main Street.

“There are some that really stand out,” said Nancy Irving, a judge. “The kids enjoy it so much.”

Video is actually only about 3 minutes long. Not 23:35