Discovering the Face Behind The Chalk
By Alaina Murphy
After freshman Madelaine Corbin was reprimanded by Campus Safety Services for her unauthorized chalk art on campus, she decided to go through a more legitimate route. She turned to the university for permission to develop her craft as a unique advertising medium for the school.
You've probably seen her work around campus in the past weeks. In front of the Benson Memorial Center, an intricate mural of characters from "The Lion King" graced the pavement until the scattering wind and shuffling footsteps of students wiped it away. Or the likeness of Mission Church outside of the Malley Fitness and Recreation Center; this mural caught the eyes of those looking to get their spring quarter beach bodies toned up.
Although each piece takes Corbin an average of five to eight hours, she is not discouraged by the fleeting lifespan of her handiwork.
"It's ephemeral. It's chalk. I wouldn't be doing chalk art if I minded," Corbin explained. "They are advertisements. If they were just pictures I was getting to draw, I probably wouldn't choose such heavily-trafficked areas."
Santa Clara has recently adopted this eye-catching way to advertise clubs and events on campus. Rather than simply relying on the standard, and often overlooked, method of using emails and flyers, the university has started employing Corbin's chalk art as an advertising medium.
With each chalk advertisement, Corbin must follow a set of guidelines provided by the university. These guidelines govern the amount of concrete space she can use, the actual picture being drawn and the location of the advertisement on campus. The idea is to catch the attention of as many students as possible, which means that the majority of Corbin's artwork sits directly in, or in this case under, the line of campus traffic.
A studio art major and self-proclaimed "installation artist," Corbin has recently started applying her artistic talents beyond the classroom.
Some of the Santa Clara events Corbin has helped advertise this year include the Rainbow Prom, Sustainability Week, the Dunnegeon Rave, campus tours and student senate campaigns. This past Monday, she completed her most recent drawing, an elaborate butterfly in front of Benson Memorial Center to advertise the Immigration Wall between Benson Memorial Center and Kenna Hall.
Although Corbin balances a busy schedule with classes and three jobs, she plans to continue helping Santa Clara advertise. Corbin expressed that as long as people continue to enjoy her chalk drawings, and the events are getting publicized, she will continue to draw the advertisements.
Contact Alaina Murphy at acmurphy@scu.edu.