SIDEWALK ART CONTEST: CHALK UP ANOTHER SUCCESS FOR JUSTIN RUDD
By Jimmy Dolan
In what has become something like local tradition in Belmont Shore, 60 people dropped to their knees on the sidewalks of Second Street last Saturday and began to draw. With colorful stubs of chalk as their only medium, this diverse group of students, career artists and those who draw as a hobby created works that ranged from cartoonish and funky to elegant and Victorian.
It was 8th annual Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest in Belmont Shore, another event from the not-for-profit organization named Justin Rudd. Entry was free, and participants were provided with supplies, lunch, and a space in which to create their drawings in front of countless passers-by.
Contrary to what might be implied by something called the Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest, the artists hunkered down on the cold, hard concrete were actually applying their images to a 38 inches x 50 inches sheet of paper, which gave the art some permanence beyond the next rainfall. Artists were able to take their entries home, sell them to spectators, or as in some cases, hold silent auctions for the drawings as they were being created.
The Chalk Art Contest allows spectators to experience two very different facets of public art at once. The opportunity to observe as artists do their thing can be rare, but gives onlookers an idea of the artist’s process of creation. And when was the last time you remember hearing of a chalk art gallery opening? Probably a year ago, at the 7th annual Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest.
The event demonstrated there is a large, vibrant community of visual artists dedicated to a medium that often falls under the radar, even in the midst of the recent popularity of street art.
In conjunction with the chalk contest, Rudd also displayed entries in his “Say Cheese Long Beach” photography contest.
The contest, now in its 4th year, displayed entries from over 100 area photographers and aimed to capture the diversity of Long Beach in a 24-hour period. Moe Notsu of Long Beach was awarded Best in Show and Jennifer Ripassa of Encino took home first prize.
Next up for Rudd’s nonprofit Community Action Team: a Halloween Kids’ Costume Contest and the Long Beach Turkey Trot.
5 Comments
Someone from Encino won a Long Beach photo contest? That’s silly.
We are so very fortunate to have people in our city like Justin, Ralph and the volunteer members of the Community Action Team (CAT) they help to lead. Their advocacies and energies are boundless and they help provide so much fun, joy, enrichment and philanthropy for our community!
Justin Rudd has to have the highest fawning/critical ratio of news items of any public figure in Long Beach. In fact, that ratio approaches infinity, as I have seen no critical pieces on him. Why is that?
There are rumors that he makes out like a bandit financially from his well managed public persona, but I have yet to read a news account looking at his nonprofit’s books, which I believe are all public record.
I’m entirely prepared to learn that his poop is pate, like we’re all led to believe. He does some interesting things for the community, no doubt. But doesn’t the concept of value require a fuller understanding (ie, his finances and where all that nonprofit money goes) of what he does?
Not a hater, just puzzled by the free pass Rudd, and no one else, gets from everyone in town.
No one among us is perfect, US. But the many positive contributions Justin, Ralph, and CAT make to our community each year cannot possibly be over-stated. I have no idea what (if anything) Justin personally earns for his efforts but having seen him in action I can tell you that if he does receive a paycheck, he most certainly deserves a raise and a couple of bonuses.
to: US blues: Justin Rudd is a text book narcissist, just watch him on all his blogs. Its always about him and his boyfriend, his dog , god. he thrives by reading his followers kissing his feet and ass.His tweets make me want to vomit. Enough of his “life is great god is great non-sens”or please watch me on Chanel 7 at 9am tomorrow or blablablabla. He loves the limelight and lives for it. I am so fed up with him and all his nonprofit organizations, tired of seeing pictures of his freaking dog or public(facebook) affection between him and his boyfriend. Now let me put into a few words . He and Ralph are both gays and they have not done any (as I know off ) fundraiser or started a non-profit for the gay and lesbian community. He is a fake . Belmont shore is his playground and all his followers are lambs. During this year miss long beach, a young lesbian tried for the crown. First she not pretty don’t care if she is gay or not and second she decided not to wear a dress but a tux. Mr Rudd the head of this organization said it would be OK. Why because another gay decided , “well I am different so f..ck ” the pageant , I will wear a tux. Last but not least, enough of his religious comments in all his sites and also to all his followers. “GET A LIFE” and stop praising him like he is GOD for Christ sake . Enough of ” Justin , you are so good, or Justin the community feels so special with you in it “. Well I am ranting now and sound like a lunatic but I wanted to speak out for so long and now I am at peace.