Chalk it up: Neighborhood driveways become canvases for artwork
This summer, even the friendliest of neighborhoods have been relatively devoid of interaction, thanks to COVID-19.
“It’s been a while since we’ve all been normal, going out, meeting people, bringing a crowd together,” Selva Priya said, echoing a sentiment that pretty much reverberates across the globe.

Harry Funk/The Almanac
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Rashmita Chekka, left, and Rhea Yadav with their award-winning peacock
She has done a lot toward bringing groups together in a virtual manner, such as giving art lessons and conducting a contest among her students online.But with summer on its way out, Priya wanted to do something to help bring her Pinnacle Pointe neighborhood in South Fayette Township back to life.
And so she proposed a chalk art exhibition, with those who wanted to participate using their driveways as canvases.
The result certainly made for a colorful late afternoon and early evening Aug. 30, as members of some three dozen families decided to display their talents.
“When I proposed this idea, there were so many people interested,” Priya said. “So I thought, wow, a lot of people are waiting to do something after a long time.”
Her intention was to promote an uplifting experience during the unsettling combination of a pandemic and social unrest, and many of the works of chalk art featured positive messages promoting compassion, understanding and togetherness.
“At the same time, it gives a festive look here after so many months,” Priya said, and indeed, many folks were walking and bicycling – and in some cases, scootering – around the neighborhood to take a look at all the examples of creativity.

Harry Funk/The Almanac
Nicole Harding, youth services librarian at South Fayette Township Library, took videos of the chalk artists and served as the judge for the activity.
To help generate further enthusiasm, Priya bought a trophy to be awarded for the best driveway and asked Nicole Harding, youth services librarian at South Fayette Township Library, to serve as judge.
As Harding toured the neighborhood, she took videos of the youngsters, many of whom she knows from their library visits, describing their artwork. She said she had one tough choice to make in coming up with a winner.
That honor went to Rashmita Chekka and Rhea Yadav, whose meticulously chalked sketch of a peacock demonstrated a considerable degree of artistic ability.
Even though the Pinnacle Pointe creations were temporary, depending mainly on when it was going to start raining, the concept can be perpetuated.
“We also came up with the idea of creating a hashtag for this,” Priya said, and for social media, that’s “#drivewaychalkart.”
“Other people can initiate in their own communities and be part of this bigger conversation,” she added.
And they still have a few weeks of summer to organize something safe, fun and inspiring in their own neighborhoods.

Harry Funk/The Almanac
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Dharini Maruthu Pandian spreads the message to “Keep calm and fly on.”