Snow’s “Chalk It Up For Music” raises over $10k for needs-based scholarships
This amazing piece of art was created by Ephraim's Julie Ash. Ash walked away from the Calk It Up For Music festival at Snow College Friday, August 28 with the $500 cash grand prize. Thanks to sponsors and other donations the event pulled in over $10,000 for need-based scholarships in the Snow College music department.
Dr. Vance Larsen and Amberlee Howes present Julie Ash of Ephraim with the $500 grand prize in the Chalk It Up To Music festival at Snow College.
Mea Jones, a featured artist who was invited to participate by a advisory music board member won the "Material Award" last year at SUU's chalk art festival. Jones is a 2020 graduate of the Tuacahn High School of Arts. She started chalking this piece on Friday, and began working on it again at 7 AM Saturday.
The Phat Old Professors, a local favorite, performed at the chalk art festival. The group is made up of current and former Snow professors and students.
Thirteen-year-old Harleigh Burke of Ephraim was one of the younger competitors. She won the Teen Spirit award in the Chalk It Up To Music competition.
M'Lynn Suwinsky from Taylorsville is using a technique called grid art to create her artwork.
Mea Jones, one of three featured artist who was invited to participate by the new Art Advisement Board. Mea is an award-winning chalk artist and a recent graduate of Tuacahan High School for the Arts.
This art is by Evan Loomis, a 2019 graduate of Snow College's 2019 art program who came from Logan to participate.
Artist Natalie Harris from Layton is just a sophomore in high school. She heard about the competition from her sister, who is a student at Snow College.
Colorful artwork and bright colors covered the sidewalks at Snow College during the Chalk It Up To Music festival which raised more than $10,000 for need-based music scholarships.
EPHRAIM — The walkways of Snow College were covered with color Saturday, August 29 as 23 artists competed for a $500 prize in the “Chalk It Up For Music” Festival. The competitors were joined by three featured chalk artists in a multimedia event also featured five live bands whose members are Snow College music majors.
Julie Ash of Ephraim walked away with five crisp $100 bills for her amazing, colorful creation.
The event, which organizers say will become an annual festival, was created by the new Snow College Music Department advisory board to help the 250 music majors and other students in the department.
Ann Gomez and Amberlee Howes, co-chiars of the board, started back in February. “The fisrt goal is to fundraise for music scholarships and equipment,” said Gomez. “The scholarships will be need-based. There are a lot of students who have talent who can’t afford to come to college and we want them to be able to do that.”
Gomez says that the second goal is to “get the word out about Snow College’s music program and how outstanding it is.”
According to Snow College President Brad Cook, with the help of corporate and other sponsors this year’s event has raised over $10,000. “That was an incredible gesture of support by those who love Snow College students,” he said. “This is a very grass-roots movement of people who want to support music and art and dance.”
Many of the chalk artists started as early as 7 a.m., with some feature artists even starting the night before. The event officially kicked off at 10 a.m. when the bands began playing. Story Road, Union Highway, Phat Old Professors, Union Universal and Cardinal Bloom played until the event ended at 3:00 PM.
“There has never been a chalk art event here before,” said Dr. Vance Larsen, Chairman of the Horne School of Music at Snow College. “It’s good to be doing something different.”
Organizers began planning for the event before COVID-19 really began to affect Utah so changes had to be made to the way things were done. Social distancing was being practiced at the event, and even though it was outdoors many faculty members and guests wore masks.
The college recognizes the effect that the virus has had on both students and members of the community. It has taken away a lot of the arts-based activities.
“We crave social connection so much and to be able to do it safely really taps in to the mental health of students and members of the community,” Cook said.
“We don’t realize what kind of social beings we are until we are isolated from each other. People are staying because this is something that brings back just a little bit of normalcy.”
Artists came from across the state–literally. Participants arrived from as far south as St. George and as far north as Logan
Mea Jones was one of the featured artists and was invited to the event. Last year Mea won the “Material Award” at the Southern Utah University chalk art festival for her use of tape to achieve a watercolor look to her chalk drawings. She mixes chalk and dry pastels for vivid color and dramatic dimensions. Jones is a 2020 graduate of Tuacahn High School of the Arts and plans to study psychology and art therapy at SUU.
Chalk artist Evan Loomis, who graduated from Snow College in 2019, came from Utah State University to create his chalk art, which connected to music through the inspiration of Childish Gambino’s Awaken My Love album.
Loomis admitted he was nostalgic for his alma mater and was happy to be spending the day on campus with his wife and father in law, Dr. Michael Huff, who is director of choral activities and head of the piano area at Snow College.
Next year, the music advisory board hopes to add a golf tournament as a fundraising event. They initially planned on having one this year, but due to COVID concerns at the time it was put on hold.
