I was walking through Bunardzik Hill the other day and I stopped in my tracks. Below my feet, on one of the paved paths, were drawings made by children. I was so moved, I had to take these photo’s of the sweetest chalk art in the park.
Drawing
I consider myself well travelled. Having had the opportunity to live in various countries across the globe there is a commonality that children share. The need or desire to draw. It doesn’t matter what with or where, but drawing they must do.
Having had three children of my own and having been a drawer myself, I have seen first hand the amount of artwork that children can produce. It is prolific. Give them a medium, and they will provide.
Chalk
There is a beauty in using chalk to draw. The fragility of the piece is tangible. A few drops of rain or a shower from a sprinkler and it will be gone. It is temporary in nature, much like graffiti. While graff may have a somewhat longer life, it too, can easily be removed or painted over. Both forms are out in the public eye and subject to scrutiny.
Stopping
I stopped when I saw the art and began taking photographs of it. Before this, people were just walking over and past the chalk art without even a hesitation. Once I started taking pictures, the number of people who at least paused, to have a closer look was so touching. One elderly gent in particular, stopped at each piece and had a think. Adorbs.
Subject Matter
The most interesting thing to me on this day and since, has been the fact that what these children were drawing here in Plovdiv Bulgaria, is the exact same things I see being created in Canada! Fluffy green trees, butterflies, yellow sunshine, smiley faces, simple box construction houses, the earth, clouds and rainbows.
Not only what they drew, but even how they drew it. The similarities are astounding. Complete opposite sides of the world, being raised in completely different surroundings with a different language and culture. Yet the subject matter is the same down to a Tee. Incredible.
What power, is in this world that binds us together. We are so hyper aware of our differences, yet we are so fundamentally similar.
It rained hard last night, all of this is gone now.
