Palo Alto Festival of the Arts – Italian Street Painting

Italian Street Painting - Palo Alto Festival of the Arts

Italian Street Painting Expo: Chalk Art Paintings Come to Life on Tasso

Palo Alto Festival of the Arts attendees will have two full days to become immersed in some exceptional visual and performance art throughout the nine-block festival. For the 19^th year, Tasso Street will once again provide the canvas for the popular Italian Street Painting Expo, in which 100-square-foot and larger chalk pastel paintings by world-renowned chalk artists will be created on the asphalt over the festival’s run. And kids can get involved, too, by creating their own chalk canvases in the special Chalk-a-Lot area.

The Italian Street Painting Expo will amaze visitors with a variety of themes that reflect each artists’ passion of this unique art form. Replicas from Old Masters to anamorphic styles (artwork that appears three-dimensional) will cover one full block on Tasso.

This Italian tradition dates to the 1500s where street painters became known as Madonnari for creating images of the Madonna on public streets. It has since flourished throughout Europe and the United States, bringing many more innovative artists to the scene to try their hand at chalk painting, or pavement art as it’s known in England.

2026 Featured Artists: Marlon Yanes

Marlon Yanes is this year’s Featured Artist. He specializes in colorful portraits with fun facial impressions. Marlon actually got his start as a chalk artist at the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts in 2009. He was chosen as the chalk artist to represent his employer, which was his introduction to street painting.

“My love for the art form was born that day,” he said. “On the day of the event, I was totally winging it—I just had a printout of a ‘Quetzal’ on an 8.5 x 11 page and borrowed my dad’s kneepads. No grid, no measuring tape, no stencil, or the VR goggles many of us use now—just a printout and the will to do my best on a 12 x 12-foot asphalt square for my first-ever piece. That day holds a special place in my heart. It was a major milestone in my path to becoming a professional artist.”

Marlon Yanes Chalk Art

Marlon Yanes
12' x 15'

A self-taught artist, Marlon says doing chalk art has enabled him to travel, meet new people and make long-lasting friends. “But mostly, I love talking to the attendees and showing them the process in person. Art is usually witnessed after it’s done, but the process is sometimes more entertaining, especially for the kids. They can relate to us since they do it in their own driveways, and it helps them realize they can one day re-create masterpieces, too.”

A former professional full-time artist, Marlon now has a Human Resources job and does chalk art as a hobby.

More Amazing Chalk Artists

Along with Marlon Yanes, 16 more amazing chalk artists are participating this year in 100-square-foot and larger street canvases. See the full list below.

This year, all the chalk artists will feature a butterfly somewhere in their designs, symbolizing freedom and growth to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

Proceeds from the sponsored-street paintings will go to support Ada’s Café, whose main priority is to create engaging and meaningful career experiences for adults with disabilities.

Kids’ Chalk-a-Lot

The Kids’ Chalk-a-Lot area, toward the end of Tasso near Lytton, allows youths to purchase for a nominal fee a 2x2-foot asphalt canvas to create their own chalk art. The Kids’ Chalk-a-Lot area will benefit Youth Community Service.

Non-Profit Beneficiaries and Sponsors

The Italian Street Painting Expo gives two local non-profits, Ada’s Café and Youth Community Service, the opportunity to raise funds to implement community service programs. Be sure to stop by to support both worthy organizations.

Monies raised from the sponsored artists’ street paintings will benefit Ada’s Café, whose main priority is to create engaging and meaningful career experiences for adults with disabilities.

The Kids’ Chalk-a-Lot area will benefit Youth Community Service, which elevates youth voice to raise community connection and equity through service.

Italian Street Painting Application Request