Art, Community are the goal behind ‘Chalk It Up’ & Studio Expansion in Downtown O’Fallon

Downtown will come alive with color and creativity will flow at the second annual Chalk It Up to Art event on Saturday, June 4, in O’Fallon’s downtown district.

Cory Hallerbach, owner of Art Gecko Creative Studio who organized the event last year, is back at the helm.

“Last year was such an amazing turnout, why not do it again? It is fun to see the excitement of the artists creating and watching the people ‘Ooh’ and ‘Ah.’ Art is fun and we need to keep it alive. It’s also an activity that brings the town out. We need to be social again,” Hollerbach said.

The artists will be given spots on the city parking lot at the corner of North Vine and East State streets. Chalk It Up takes place from 9 a.m. to noon, with the winner announced at 12:30 p.m. Entry fee is $15 for all ages.

Children ages 6-13 can get in on the “Kids Chalk Contest” from 9 a.m. to noon at the Art Gecko Studio, which is located at 102 S. Vine Street. They will be given chalk and do their art on black paper, which will be matted and judged.

“It’s in a location that isn’t by a busy street, and we have a way to keep them safe and still be part of Chalk It Up to Art,” she said.

Interested artists can register at https://www.artgeckostudio.org/upcoming-events or at the event at 8:30 a.m. June 4.

New this year is a theme, whereas last year it was open.

“We had to move the date up and the date just happened to fall on the day after National Donut Day, so we made the theme donuts. Besides coffee, what goes better with donuts than chalk?” Hollerbach said.

Performers will play music and food will be available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A food truck will be located on the parking lot and Mr. Deborah, a cover band, will perform behind Boarding House Bistro at 218 E. State St.

Hollerbach said she was thrilled with the support last year — from other merchants, city officials, artists, residents, and out-of-towners.

“This is something new to O’Fallon and it’s something that gets people out and having fun,” Hollerback said. “They get to doodle on a parking lot that is a large canvas with chalk for all to see. It’s great! It’s fun! and it’s social!”

Downtown District Renewal

The revitalized downtown is a wonderful place for community events, she said.

“I believe people long for the days where we gather to have fun — talk to one another, smile, and have social gatherings. The downtown district is working to make that happen. A lot of pride and thought is happening downtown,” she said.

The event coincides with the Vine Street Market being open at the O’Fallon Station from 8 a.m. to noon that Saturday.

“Going to the market with a tote bag and shopping local vendors for produce, flowers, coffee, and whatever you might find is good for the soul,” Hollerbach said.

Excited about downtown

As a local business owner, she is excited about the possibilities in the Downtown District.

“We want to be part of the amazing energy that all the small businesses downtown exude. We are family and we support one another. Downtown, I believe, is showing that,” she said.

In recent years, efforts to have more art in O’Fallon are noticeable. Hollerbach said Art Gecko Studio wants to help that happen.

“We are a fine art studio, and we want to provide those experiences to O’Fallon,” she said. “You can drive through towns anywhere in the U.S. and have them not be memorable, but a town that invests in arts through murals, flowers and landscaping ... then all of a sudden, that town is noticed and becomes more than just a town. That town becomes charming and quaint.”

Art Gecko Studio Moves, Expands

“We recently moved into a larger location to be closer to downtown and the Vine Street Market. We have so many things going on and we added a Drop-In Saturday where parents can walk in, pick a project, and depending on the age, they can go shop at the Vine Street Market and leave the kids to do art,” she said.

They moved from East State Street, next to Boarding House Bistro, into the former Avenue Realty location on Vine Street, across from the O’Fallon Station. They have created spaces for a gallery, with art, pottery and jewelry by local artists, a classroom and a large party room for birthday parties and other events.

“We have plans to eventually open a ceramic studio where you can learn to make your own pottery, but until then we do have a gallery space where we have some local artists and their pottery for sale,” Hollerbach said.

More about the mother-daughter duo

The Art Gecko Studio first opened in 2016 as a studio, gallery, and school. It was a culmination of a dream for the mother-daughter duo who had shared a lifetime of artistic endeavors.

Robin Springer, a retired art teacher at Edwardsville High School, traveled all over as a military wife. She always enjoyed the arts and passed that love on to her daughter, Cory Hollerbach, who loved traveling all over enjoying museums and old cathedrals.

“I fell in love with the history and meaning behind the arts,” she said.

Her bachelor’s degree was in art history. Because they always sketched, created, and talked about art, they discussed developing a business plan.

“We wanted to share that passion with others and that’s how we came to be. We both have tattoos of geckos on our feet — it was a Mother’s Day gift, and we took that connection and made a play on Art Deco — an art movement — and made it Art Gecko,” she said.

For more information, call 618-206-6222 or email: artgeckostudio@gmail.com. Their website is: http://artgeckostudio.org/.