In The News - Recent Press for Amazing Street Painting
- Sarasota Chalk Festival 2010 - Interview with artist Jennifer Chaparro
- Chalk Artist Jennifer Chaparro Spruces Up Silver Dollar City - Interview on KOLR TV (Springfield, MO) October, 2011
- PBG Lifestyle Magazine (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) October, 2011 - click here to see pdf.
- Florida Weekly (Jupiter, FL) August 31, 2011 - click here to see jpg.
- Antilliaans Dagblad (Curacao) March 28, 2011 - click here to see pdf.
- Jupiter Courier Newspaper (Jupiter, FL) January 2011 - click here to go to the TCPalm website or click here to see a pdf.
- Jupiter Courier Newspaper (Jupiter, FL) February 9, 2011 - click here to see pdf.
- Woman's Day Online, December 2010 - click here to go to the website or click here to see a pdf.
Artist's Statement
Art Was My Destiny
I have been (and will be) an artist all my life. It is in my blood and genes. With a grandfather that was a noted sculpture and art professor in Iowa and New York City, I knew from a very early age that it was inevitable that I would be an artist in some kind. I have worked with many different materials, including pen and ink, water color, acrylic, ceramics, fabric, and computers. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Design from UCLA, and then went on to spend 25 years in graphic design for advertising and marketing, specializing in logo design and corporate identity for some large companies, including Domino’s Pizza, Life Fitness and the Legend Group.
Opportunity Comes Knocking in Strange Ways
But in 2007, the chalk bug bit me, and bit me hard. I began street painting as a fun activity to do with my two talented daughters. We discovered we loved it, and were really good at it. After a couple of years, I started to receive offers to do street painting for special events, and I realized this could possibly be a way to make a living. In 2009, I was laid off from my full time graphic design position due to the tanking economy. I took the opportunity to begin my business as a full time special event street painter/chalk artist. After working up a business plan, creating a website, and utilizing all my marketing talents, I started Amazing Street Painting. I have won many awards for my unique style of chalking, and now travel all over the United States and the world to create these custom pieces of art. In 2011, I received my Maestro Certification from the Florida Chalk Artists Association, which certifies that I am a full fledged master of chalk art.
The Hands of An Angel
I have never done the same piece twice. I like to stretch myself by trying many different styles, including the reproductions of everything from traditional Italian masterpieces to American Masters like Rockwell and Leyendecker, 3D animorphic art, custom advertising pieces and interactive art. Every surface is different and presents it’s own challenges. I enjoy the interaction with the crowd and sharing this art form with all ages. It is a completely different experience than painting alone in a studio. When asked if I am sad that it won’t last, I respond that compared to a piece hanging in a gallery or home, which is seen by very few people, I can reach a much larger and broader audience with my street art. I was told I have the “hands of an angel” and have touched many people with the beauty and emotion the art evokes. It lives on not only in the memories of the people I’ve touched, but also in photos that they take and share, and takes on a life of it’s own.
Biography
Born in St. Joseph, Michigan in 1962, Jennifer Nichols was born into an artistic family. Her grandfather, Harry E. Stinson, was a recognized Sculptor, Painter and Art Professor at the University of Iowa and Hunter College in New York City. Click the link below to the The Winfield Historical Society site for information on her grandfather, Harry Stinson, and his art. Jennifer's formal art training started in high school, and she began to accumulate awards and sell her early watercolor paintings.
Later, Jennifer attended UCLA, graduating with a degree in Design, focusing on costume & clothing design. She continued to pursue painting while working in advertising and raising her two daughters in Dayton, Ohio. Jennifer' work was exhibited at various galleries and events in Ohio between 1992 - 1999. She also was very involved with the Dayton Visual Arts Center, serving as their president and as a board member and contributing artist.
In 1999, she moved to Palm Beach, Florida. In 2004, Jennifer and her daughters began participating in the Street Painting Festival in Lake Worth, Florida, which is the largest street painting event in the United States, attracting 100,000 visitors each year. Jennifer and her daughters have completed several large 10' x 10' works, usually featuring women and children, a theme that draws much attention. She received her Semplice Professional Certification in 2009 and her Qualificato Certification in 2010, and her Maestro Certification in 2011 from the FCAA.
Jennifer's work shows a unique talent for capturing faces and expressions. By working to duplicate the colors and shading of the original art, Jennifer stays true to the original work of art. Using soft pastel chalk on pavement or concrete surfaces, these large works of art are washed away after each event. Jennifer's philosophy is that street painting is as much about the performance and execution, as it is about the art. The immediacy and challenges of the "canvas", weather and medium make each piece special and unique. Usually over the course of 2 days, each piece comes to life before your eyes.
In addition to the chalk art, Jennifer has done work in a variety of media such as pen & ink, watercolor, acrylic, gouache, ceramics and fiber, and freelances as a graphic designer, specializing in logos, advertising & marketing materials and websites.
Click here to download a pdf of my artist's bio.
I have been (and will be) an artist all my life. It is in my blood and genes. With a grandfather that was a noted sculpture and art professor in Iowa and New York City, I knew from a very early age that it was inevitable that I would be an artist in some kind. I have worked with many different materials, including pen and ink, water color, acrylic, ceramics, fabric, and computers. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Design from UCLA, and then went on to spend 25 years in graphic design for advertising and marketing, specializing in logo design and corporate identity for some large companies, including Domino’s Pizza, Life Fitness and the Legend Group.
Opportunity Comes Knocking in Strange Ways
But in 2007, the chalk bug bit me, and bit me hard. I began street painting as a fun activity to do with my two talented daughters. We discovered we loved it, and were really good at it. After a couple of years, I started to receive offers to do street painting for special events, and I realized this could possibly be a way to make a living. In 2009, I was laid off from my full time graphic design position due to the tanking economy. I took the opportunity to begin my business as a full time special event street painter/chalk artist. After working up a business plan, creating a website, and utilizing all my marketing talents, I started Amazing Street Painting. I have won many awards for my unique style of chalking, and now travel all over the United States and the world to create these custom pieces of art. In 2011, I received my Maestro Certification from the Florida Chalk Artists Association, which certifies that I am a full fledged master of chalk art.
The Hands of An Angel
I have never done the same piece twice. I like to stretch myself by trying many different styles, including the reproductions of everything from traditional Italian masterpieces to American Masters like Rockwell and Leyendecker, 3D animorphic art, custom advertising pieces and interactive art. Every surface is different and presents it’s own challenges. I enjoy the interaction with the crowd and sharing this art form with all ages. It is a completely different experience than painting alone in a studio. When asked if I am sad that it won’t last, I respond that compared to a piece hanging in a gallery or home, which is seen by very few people, I can reach a much larger and broader audience with my street art. I was told I have the “hands of an angel” and have touched many people with the beauty and emotion the art evokes. It lives on not only in the memories of the people I’ve touched, but also in photos that they take and share, and takes on a life of it’s own.
Biography
Born in St. Joseph, Michigan in 1962, Jennifer Nichols was born into an artistic family. Her grandfather, Harry E. Stinson, was a recognized Sculptor, Painter and Art Professor at the University of Iowa and Hunter College in New York City. Click the link below to the The Winfield Historical Society site for information on her grandfather, Harry Stinson, and his art. Jennifer's formal art training started in high school, and she began to accumulate awards and sell her early watercolor paintings.
Later, Jennifer attended UCLA, graduating with a degree in Design, focusing on costume & clothing design. She continued to pursue painting while working in advertising and raising her two daughters in Dayton, Ohio. Jennifer' work was exhibited at various galleries and events in Ohio between 1992 - 1999. She also was very involved with the Dayton Visual Arts Center, serving as their president and as a board member and contributing artist.
In 1999, she moved to Palm Beach, Florida. In 2004, Jennifer and her daughters began participating in the Street Painting Festival in Lake Worth, Florida, which is the largest street painting event in the United States, attracting 100,000 visitors each year. Jennifer and her daughters have completed several large 10' x 10' works, usually featuring women and children, a theme that draws much attention. She received her Semplice Professional Certification in 2009 and her Qualificato Certification in 2010, and her Maestro Certification in 2011 from the FCAA.
Jennifer's work shows a unique talent for capturing faces and expressions. By working to duplicate the colors and shading of the original art, Jennifer stays true to the original work of art. Using soft pastel chalk on pavement or concrete surfaces, these large works of art are washed away after each event. Jennifer's philosophy is that street painting is as much about the performance and execution, as it is about the art. The immediacy and challenges of the "canvas", weather and medium make each piece special and unique. Usually over the course of 2 days, each piece comes to life before your eyes.
In addition to the chalk art, Jennifer has done work in a variety of media such as pen & ink, watercolor, acrylic, gouache, ceramics and fiber, and freelances as a graphic designer, specializing in logos, advertising & marketing materials and websites.
Click here to download a pdf of my artist's bio.
B I O G R A P H I C A L D A T A
- Graphic Designer - Town of Jupiter, Jupiter, FL - 12/10 to present
- Creative Director - design for the future/Amazing Street Painting, North Palm Beach, FL - 7/94 to present
- Senior Graphic Designer - The Legend Group, Palm Beach Gardens, FL - 5/08 - 12/08
- Graphic Design Supervisor - Life Fitness, Inc., Irvine, CA - 7/87 to 7/92
- Art Director/Graphic Designer - Domino's Pizza World Headquarters, Ann Arbor, MI - 2/85 to 6/87
- Graphic Designer - ASUCLA Advertising & Communications Department, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA -
10/82 to 6/84
- Freelance Designer - Variety Arts, Inc., New York, NY - 11/83 to 6/86
F O R M A L A R T E D U C A T I O N
BA in Design (1984) University of California, Los Angeles. Classes included Graphic Design,
Photography, Color, Clothing & Textile Design, Industrial Design, Video and a minor in English
Literature.
Member Florida Chalk Artists Association (FCAA) 2009-present
A W A R D S
Best Reproduction of an American Master & FCAA Artist's Choice Award, Disney/FCAA Festival of the Masters, Orlando, FL - 2011
Best Portrait Award, Haines City Street Painting Festival, Haines City, FL - 2011
Best Theme Award, Puppetfest, Boca Raton, FL - 2011
Best Portraiture/Figurative Award, Disney/FCAA Festival of the Masters, Orlando, FL - 2010
FCAA Certification - Qualificato Level Awarded 2010
Artist's Choice Award, ArtHaus Street Painting Festival, Port Orange, FL - 2010
Best in Show Award, Haines City Street Painting Festival, Haines City, FL - 2010
FCAA Certification - Semplice Level Awarded 2009
Best Theme Award, ArtHaus Street Painting Festival, Port Orange, FL - 2009
Best of Shoe Award, Ink Drawing, Shoe Show, Santa Clara Arts District, Dayton, OH, 1993
UCLA Spring Student Show, Los Angeles, California, 1983 & 1984
Clairemont Art Guild Student Merit Award, California, 1980
First Place Watercolor, Southern California Exposition, 1980
E V E N T S
Featured Artist, Feast of Little Italy, Jupiter, FL, 2011
Featured Artist, National Harvest Festival, Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri, 2011
Featured Artist, "Chalk Festival", Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, 2011
Featured Artist, "Cityfolk Festival", Dayton, Ohio, 2011
Featured Artist, "Colors of Willemstad", Curacao, Dutch West Indies, 2011
Featured Artist, Consultant & Judge, "Chalk It Up For Art", Coral Springs Museum of Art, FL, 2011
Judge, "Artigras" Fine Art Show, Jupiter, FL, 2010-2011
Featured Artist, "Lake Worth Street Painting Festival", Lake Worth, FL, 2006-2011
P U B L I C A T I O N S
PBG Lifestyle Magazine (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) - October 2011 - click here to see pdf.
Antilliaans Dagblad (Curacao) March 28,2011 - click here to see pdf
Jupiter Courier Newspaper (Jupiter, FL) January 12, 2011 - click here to go to the TCPalm website or click here to see a pdf
Jupiter Courier Newspaper - February 9, 2011 - click here to see pdf
Woman's Day Online, December 2010 - click here to go to the website or click here to see a pdf
Arts & Activities, June 1980. Cover art for national art teachers magazine
Westwind, Summer 1984. Illustration in UCLA's Journal of the Arts
C O R P O R A T E & P R I V A T E C O L L E C T I O N S
Private Collection, watercolor “Sandcastle”, 1978
Private Collection, watercolor “Dancing Butterflies”, 1979
Cathy Black, watercolor “Grecian Column Dress” & “Grecian Short Dress”, 1994
Lion Apparel Corporation, Linen Fiber Art “Boxed In” 1996
Hamilton Dixon, watercolor “Dancers with Heart” 1998
John & Barbara Hornyak, acrylic “Barbara with nieces at the beach”, 2009
- Graphic Designer - Town of Jupiter, Jupiter, FL - 12/10 to present
- Creative Director - design for the future/Amazing Street Painting, North Palm Beach, FL - 7/94 to present
- Senior Graphic Designer - The Legend Group, Palm Beach Gardens, FL - 5/08 - 12/08
- Graphic Design Supervisor - Life Fitness, Inc., Irvine, CA - 7/87 to 7/92
- Art Director/Graphic Designer - Domino's Pizza World Headquarters, Ann Arbor, MI - 2/85 to 6/87
- Graphic Designer - ASUCLA Advertising & Communications Department, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA -
10/82 to 6/84
- Freelance Designer - Variety Arts, Inc., New York, NY - 11/83 to 6/86
F O R M A L A R T E D U C A T I O N
BA in Design (1984) University of California, Los Angeles. Classes included Graphic Design,
Photography, Color, Clothing & Textile Design, Industrial Design, Video and a minor in English
Literature.
Member Florida Chalk Artists Association (FCAA) 2009-present
A W A R D S
Best Reproduction of an American Master & FCAA Artist's Choice Award, Disney/FCAA Festival of the Masters, Orlando, FL - 2011
Best Portrait Award, Haines City Street Painting Festival, Haines City, FL - 2011
Best Theme Award, Puppetfest, Boca Raton, FL - 2011
Best Portraiture/Figurative Award, Disney/FCAA Festival of the Masters, Orlando, FL - 2010
FCAA Certification - Qualificato Level Awarded 2010
Artist's Choice Award, ArtHaus Street Painting Festival, Port Orange, FL - 2010
Best in Show Award, Haines City Street Painting Festival, Haines City, FL - 2010
FCAA Certification - Semplice Level Awarded 2009
Best Theme Award, ArtHaus Street Painting Festival, Port Orange, FL - 2009
Best of Shoe Award, Ink Drawing, Shoe Show, Santa Clara Arts District, Dayton, OH, 1993
UCLA Spring Student Show, Los Angeles, California, 1983 & 1984
Clairemont Art Guild Student Merit Award, California, 1980
First Place Watercolor, Southern California Exposition, 1980
E V E N T S
Featured Artist, Feast of Little Italy, Jupiter, FL, 2011
Featured Artist, National Harvest Festival, Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri, 2011
Featured Artist, "Chalk Festival", Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, 2011
Featured Artist, "Cityfolk Festival", Dayton, Ohio, 2011
Featured Artist, "Colors of Willemstad", Curacao, Dutch West Indies, 2011
Featured Artist, Consultant & Judge, "Chalk It Up For Art", Coral Springs Museum of Art, FL, 2011
Judge, "Artigras" Fine Art Show, Jupiter, FL, 2010-2011
Featured Artist, "Lake Worth Street Painting Festival", Lake Worth, FL, 2006-2011
P U B L I C A T I O N S
PBG Lifestyle Magazine (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) - October 2011 - click here to see pdf.
Antilliaans Dagblad (Curacao) March 28,2011 - click here to see pdf
Jupiter Courier Newspaper (Jupiter, FL) January 12, 2011 - click here to go to the TCPalm website or click here to see a pdf
Jupiter Courier Newspaper - February 9, 2011 - click here to see pdf
Woman's Day Online, December 2010 - click here to go to the website or click here to see a pdf
Arts & Activities, June 1980. Cover art for national art teachers magazine
Westwind, Summer 1984. Illustration in UCLA's Journal of the Arts
C O R P O R A T E & P R I V A T E C O L L E C T I O N S
Private Collection, watercolor “Sandcastle”, 1978
Private Collection, watercolor “Dancing Butterflies”, 1979
Cathy Black, watercolor “Grecian Column Dress” & “Grecian Short Dress”, 1994
Lion Apparel Corporation, Linen Fiber Art “Boxed In” 1996
Hamilton Dixon, watercolor “Dancers with Heart” 1998
John & Barbara Hornyak, acrylic “Barbara with nieces at the beach”, 2009
