Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Mural Muse: Willow Glen painter and illustrator Sara Mordecai recently won a medal for a 24-hour chalk mural marathon at the Incontro Nazionale Dei Madonnari Festival in Grazie di Curtatone, in Montova, Italy. Behind Mordecai is a painting at the Willow Glen Starbucks that she painted for the coffeehouse back in 1998.
Willow Glen chalk muralist shines in street painting competition in Italy
Artist wins medal and now advances to next year's competition
By Melissa Matchak
For 24 hours, artists from all over the world made the asphalt their canvas as they created a collage of chalk murals in front of a church in Grazie di Curtatone, a community in Montova, Italy. Willow Glen resident Sara Mordecai was one of them.
The two-day festival, Incontro Nazionale Dei Madonnari, takes place every August in the same community in northern Italy. The 180 artists began their chalk murals at 6 p.m. on Aug. 14 and had to complete their work by 6 p.m. on Aug. 15. Mordecai was one of the four Americans to participate in the festival and competition this year.
Mordecai, who has been an artist most of her life, first became involved in chalk muraling six years ago after a friend suggested she try it. She first created a mural at the San Rafael Madonnari Festival, in which she had a 4-by-6-foot plot to mural in. Although she said at first she was overwhelmed by the large space she had to fill, she has enjoyed doing it ever since.
The art of creating murals on asphalt began in 16th-century Italy when artists began creating chalk murals on pavement. The tradition was revived in 1972, when the Italian village of Grazie di Curtatone hosted the first known festival of street painting. Mordecai was invited to participate in the Italian festival by the woman who heads up the festival in San Rafael.
"It was an honor to go," Mordecai said. "You're usually invited to go to Italy after you've completed a certain level of work. My technique and level of work made me eligible."
Photograph courtesy of Sara Mordecai
Mural Marathon: Willow Glen artist Sara Mordecai, owner of Three Moons Studio, works on 'Madonna and Child--In Repose' during the recent chalk mural competition in Montova, Italy.
The competition in Italy takes place in the piazza in front of the church, Santuario Madonna delle Grazie, and all murals are created with chalk or pastel. All muralists are required to create a mural with a religious theme from the New Testament in an 8-by-10-foot plot. Mordecai said that although many artists do pieces from other works by artists such as Michaelangelo, she always does an original piece. Her mural in Italy, "Madonna and Child--in Repose," earned not only admiration by the local people attending the festival, but a medal. Mordecai said although she did not win one of the first, second or third place medals, she was one of several artists that were awarded medals for "spectacularity of the paintings, harmonious value and respect for the theme and effort put into the work."
There are three levels in the competition in Italy. All artists begin at the first level, called Sempleci, the first time they attend the festival. Those that win medals at this level, as Mordecai did, may advance to the second level, called Qualificati. From there, the first place medalist may advance to the third level, called Maestri. At the Maestri level, the winner is the poster for the following year's festival. All artists, regardless of the level they are competing in, work side by side, although they are required to work alone on their murals.
Mordecai worked from 6 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. the first night, continuing at 7 a.m. the next morning and finishing at 4 p.m. She said when she returned to her mural in the morning, she found coins on it, a sign that passers-by appreciated her work. She said muraling in that particular environment was especially interesting because she was working in a place in which she didn't understand the language. She enjoys chalk muraling for many reasons.
"I enjoy it because I like getting out of the studio," Mordecai said. "It's also the only time artists get to work with and around other artists; it's an extroverted way of being an artist. I also like that it's not permanent, which frees you to try something new."
Photograph courtesy of Sara Mordecai
Madonna and Child: This is a rendition of Willow Glen artist Sara Mordecai's chalk on asphalt painting called 'Madonna and Child--In Repose.' The painting measured approximately 10 by 8 feet and was created during a 24-hour period in Grazie di Curtatone in northern Italy.
Mordecai, who has worked for 10 years as an illustrator and has a master's degree in art from the Academy of Art College in San Francisco, opened her Three Moons Studio, 1597 Keesling Ave., seven years ago. She operates it out of her detached garage at her home. Since opening her studio, she was commissioned to do paintings for pediatric wards in several local hospitals, and is the artist of the painting in the Starbucks in Willow Glen.
Each year, Mordecai participates in the Youth in Arts Italian Street Painting Festival, in San Rafael, the place where she first began chalk muraling. She is also participating in a chalk muraling competition at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco Sept. 15-16 and will be creating a chalk mural as a guest artist at the Pumpkins in the Park festival Oct. 13 at the Guadalupe River Park and Gardens in San Jose.
Mordecai also participates in the chalk muraling festival in Santa Barbara, held each year over Memorial weekend in May. She said the festivals in San Rafael and Santa Barbara are the top festivals in the country in terms of the number of participants and the quality of art. They are not competitions but festivals held to raise funds for art education for children in both areas.
Mordecai said she's not sure if she will return to Italy for next year's festival and competition, but plans to participate again.
"I would like to go to Italy next year, but if not next year, then definitely in two years," Mordecai said.
Willow Glen, California Since 1992
