Chalk the Walk Inspires Hope

Reprinted from the Romeo News

The Romeo Downtown Development Authority put on a chalk walk for weekends for the entire month of May. Leaving the town of Romeo wowed, this first time event showcases cute artwork and uplifting messages.

Stephanie Sucaet-Falczak, who works for the Detroit Institute of Arts, first made an appearance in Romeo when she assisted in the production of the mural uptown. Meagan Poznanksi, a Romeo Village Trustee, loved the idea of a chalk walk and knew right away who needed to take part in this creative event.

Happy to volunteer and take part in another art event in the community, Sucaet-Falczak began brainstorming ideas immediately. Looking online for some inspiration, a very popular type of art caught her eye. Anamorphic street paintings spoke to Sucaet-Falczak the loudest.

Using this type of style in painting creates this magical trick that only looks right from a specific angle. Even more so through the lens of a camera, Sucaet-Falczak loves the interactive aspect of this kind of art. It works well in every setting, including Sucaet-Falczak favorite subject, nature.

“Nature is one of my favorite subjects because it doesn’t have to be so precise and I knew I had limited time. I also was inspired by Starkweather Alley and thought a river would look perfect there,” Sucaet-Falczak said.

Sucaet-Falczak created so many memories while painting her anamorphic masterpiece. She loved seeing kids, families, and even adults all interacting with her artwork. Fulfilling moments like these make all the hard work and dedication to art pieces like these totally worth it.

But Sucaet-Falczak faced some incredibly tough challenges while painting: the weather surprisingly changed up on her as the night went on. Previously, the forecast showed no rain in sight, but a close friend of Sucaet-Falczak let her know the devastating weather to come.

Fortunately for Sucaet-Falczak, she made it in time to cover her art work; all different types of tarps filled the walkway. Thankfully, it only rained lightly that night and her beautiful artwork only saw a little damage.

“It could have been much more devastating if it had rained hard, so it wasn’t terrible. But it definitely set me back the next day. I had to fix some wet areas toward the front and nicely finish up the back of the river and the raft,” Sucaet-Falczak said.

This experience for Sucaet-Falczak created so many amazing, unforgettable memories. Main’s Treat Coffeehouse helped spread the word about the amazing art piece in the works right next to their business, and they  even helped encourage people to come and get pictures and interact with her artwork.

Sucaet-Falczak brought her kids to help and other family members who wanted to join in, their support and company meant a lot to her. Unforgettable moments like these bring out the most joy in Sucaet-Falczak, because she knows their help and support made the completion of this project possible.

Never taking part in painting with chalk, Sucaet-Falczak finds times like these as a learning experience. Not only did this experience help her grow as an artist, but it prepared her for future events to come.