7th Year for the AutismHWY Chalk Festival!!

Leading up to this year’s fantastic 7th event everyone was itching to get down on the ground with sweet mother Earth and pour our colorful, artful souls directly into her. Bringing out a concept, a smile, a masterpiece re-imagined and often times a beautiful moment lost in time. A temporary art form meant to touch those we love and those we want to love. THAT is precisely what defines a Chalk festival!!

It is at the essence of our soul to express and share the love contained within us; no matter who we are, where we came from or how we got here! Chalk Art Festivals bring out the best in everyone. A beautiful free expression natural fit for life-long community alignments. Thank you to the City of Covina for getting that and implementing it in a BIG way each and every year! Allowing us all to bond and connect through the arts every April!

After our stellar 2016 Naturally Autistic People Award nomination and trip to the ANCA World Autism Festival in Canada things have really expanded. Placing our homegrown event on to the WORLDWIDE STAGE! Sharing what we do here in Covina is inspiring to the world. Moving young artists TO life-long artists trying out a brand NEW chalk-art medium. Traveling from other states and countries to connect here in Southern California! Successfully bringing it all together for acceptance every year: Autistic, Nautistic…young and old! So much fun sharing similarities and difference…ARTFULLY all tied together by community! Thank you wholeheartedly to our partners the beautiful City of Covina, Covina Parks and Recreation, Autism Spectrum Athletics and our Canadian friends ANCA Naturally Autistic. To all of our fabulous sponsors and participants…you are amazing and you support amazing!

: Lori Antoinette of LAnt ART always keeps the eye on heART!

Stacy Nalapraya coloring ACCEPTANCE on her Autistic Pride Design winner!

Stacy Nalapraya coloring in ACCEPTANCE on her Autistic Pride Design winner!

Daniela Jaime’s beautiful ode to a favorite game…

“Ive always thought they were lighthouses , billions of lighthouses stuck at the far end of the sky.”

So many personal stories at this event…at ALL events, really. William Zin did the AutismHWY a solid by bringing Annette Stanton Harkness to the festival this year. So beautiful, many thanks Willie.

Thanks again Willie for bringing Annette to the show and making her the BEST! Miss Nettie Best of Show 2017

Carissa Paccerelli chalked up her 3rd Autistic Pride Design Award!!

So FUN to see the talent our participants bring to the table, I mean festival… ANCA Naturally Autistic award winner and world ambassador Carissa Paccerelli (5th time CF participaht) has truly become a premiere artist!! Thanks for what you always contribute Carissa!

Chalk Girl Lysa Ashley helps AutismHWY explain our LOGO metamorphosis!

Thankyou Lysa Ashley for sharing our logo transformation in chalk at the 2017 event and winning BEST use of color in that process! We love your design and title, “Breaking Free”…

Maryellen Szper trying out the chalk art medium!

MaryEllen Szper from Flying frog.com traveled here from Cedar Key Florida to “Be the Light”… she was and she won Best use of color while doing so!!