By Mary Owen
Chalk up Stayton’s latest art project to one big idea and an even bigger “canvas.”
Stayton resident Rèse Bourdeau is realizing her dream of placing a community interactive chalkboard on the side of The Covered Bridge Café
“Anything on a plain wall is more attractive than nothing on a plain wall,” Bourdeau said. “I want this to be a grassroots idea people can participate in.”
Of the proposed location, she added, “It’s on the way to Pioneer Park. If people come to this tiny town, it would be on the route to the covered bridge.”
Bourdeau got the idea for a giant chalkboard after reading the story of the Before I Die walls, a global art project that invites people to reflect on their lives and share their personal aspirations in a public place.
Since artist Candy Chang painted the side of an abandoned house in her New Orleans neighborhood after losing a loved one four years ago, some 1,000 Before I Die walls have been created in more than 35 languages in more than 70 countries.
Katinka Bryk, director of the Stayton Public Library, already had plans for two similar boards on which people could write, Bourdeau said.
“When Katinka told me she was going to do that at the library, I got excited and thought more is better,” Bourdeau said. “I thought ‘let’s do an art wall where everyone can contribute from 2 years old to 102.’”
Several locations came to mind during Bourdeau’s initial search for a chalkboard home.
“Cari Sessums jumped right in and offered her wall,” she said. “We’re just waiting for the landlord’s permission. And we will make sure we are in compliance with all city codes.”
Bourdeau said she does not want to “dilute, or delay, any other art that is happening” around town.
She hopes her project will complement the pavement projects and fine art murals the North Santiam Arts Association wants to place around town. The association’s “paint the pavement” project for a downtown Stayton intersection is slated for late September.
“This is something different, something people can participate in,” said Bourdeau, who is finalizing the logistics and fundraising for the $500-project that she hopes to be in place by October.
With a green light from the building owner and the city council, Bourdeau and others helping with the project will put up three panels to create a 5-by 24-foot marine-grade “wall” on the side of the café.
The wall will be painted with outdoor chalk paint and attached to the café so that it can be removed or refurbished in the future, she said.
“It will take about six hours of volunteer time to paint, assemble and install,” she said. “Once up, people can grab some chalk and draw.”
Bourdeau is lining up a few local artists to christen the chalkboard, including Macherie Doerfler who grew up in Stayton.
“About four artists have said they would love to do some initial art on it, so it won’t be bare when it goes up,” she said.
Additionally, Bourdeau has fielded concerns about unsavory graffiti by saying anything inappropriate can simply be washed away.
“Once a month, we’ll ‘clean’ the board,” she said. “That means spritzing it with water. Before erasing it, if the rain doesn’t wash it away, we’ll take a picture of the art to immortalize it.”
Bourdeau is willing to take on the cleaning of the board for the first year, much like people who adopt sections of highway.
“I’m willing to make this my ‘section of the highway,’” she said. “Other people might want to get involved and take over the duty. If all else fails, the chalkboard can be taken down.”
Like paper on a restaurant table, Bourdeau envisions the board to be popular with residents and visitors.
“I envision a Norman Rockwell mode of a family, senior citizens watching, and child with a little wagon pulls up, chalk in a little bucket hanging on the edge,” she said. “A lot of people just go home from work to their blue screens. I’d like to see more activity in the community.”
Bourdeau plans to sell chalk around town to raise funds for the project.
“Several people have stepped up to offer the entire amount, but we want people to get involved,” she said. “It’s all about community. And people can use the chalk to draw on the wall once it’s up.”
For information, call Bourdeau at 503-871-3817.
