David Zinn – Quirky and fun!

We have featured the chalk street art of David Zinn previously. (Links to those posts appear in the footnotes). For a little bit of holiday fun, let's have a look at some of his more recent work.

David’s fame is spreading around the world. His 1.2 million followers love his favourite characters - who all have names, such as Sluggo, the bright green monster with stalk eyes and Philomena the flying pig, Alice, the green troll, Rufus the puppy, and Nadine the book reading mouse.

In the following interview by CBS in the United States, David explains why he does what he does, and we see some of his most recent creations. (Click on the first photograph in the article to start the video).

Artist David Zinn brings charming chalk drawings to city streets in Laguna Beach
Artist David Zinn uses chalk and charcoal to draw whimsical characters in Laguna Beach, California. He creates optical illusions in the space around him, using overgrown grass and cracks in sidewalks, to delight audiences as long as the chalk and charcoal last. Jamie Yuccas reports.

I’m sure you will agree with me that David has a unique ability to see very endearing images in the most unlikely places!

David has a creative writing degree and worked as a commercial artist and designer for many years till he discovered that it was far more pleasurable working outside….. even though his creations only last until the next shower of rain!

David said in a 2021 interview with Deborah Holdship, of Michigan Today: “People often want to know why I’m not sad that these drawings are destroyed by rain and wind,” he says. “And some people are very uncomfortable with my not-being-uncomfortable about this. But I have found that holding on to things is rarely a source of comfort and ease. That’s pretty much where anxiety comes from: holding on to things. Letting go is where you find your ease and comfort, not holding on.”

Wow! There is much depth and wisdom in that, don’t you agree?

David has now also published three books about the methods of his art.

In the following 12.44 minute interview, David explains how he manages to create a three dimensional perspective from the two dimensional surfaces he works with – such as sidewalks and brick walls.

Footnotes

With thanks to CBS News and Michigan Today.

To revisit our previous posts about David Zinn and his chalk art, please click here and here.