Chalk Nation:
Local artist Em Nation shares her journey into chalk art and the guilty pleasure in the medium
As West Linn resident Em Nation set a goal to put more energy into art, she embarked on a 100-day challenge: engage in some artistic endeavor every day for 100 days, for at least 10 minutes a day. It didn’t matter the medium, she just had to try something. During the challenge period, a friend gave her an old chalkboard. Nostalgia set in as she touched its dusty surface, this old school implement, and started playing with writing and drawing with chalk. Soon 10 minutes lapsed into much more. This was in 2016, and since then Em has made a name for herself in the area as a talented chalk artist, with private and business clients commissioning her to create a wide array of creative chalk art.
Her fascination with chalk found Em seeking both inspiration and instruction. She admired Valerie McKeehan’s floral chalk art after finding her on Instagram, then discovered McKeehan’s book, “The Complete Book of Chalk Lettering,” at Powell’s bookstore. Em eagerly dove in. She practiced fancy lettering with pencil and paper first, then thought about how to make it work with chalk. Em discovered that the board makes a difference. Her first board, the one that made her fall in love with chalk, wasn’t the best, so she learned how to make her own. With hardware store materials — chalkboard paint, wooden boards, miscellaneous rollers and sanding supplies — she creates her own boards that meet her specifications.
She describes exploring portrait work, for which she is well-known, as a “game changer.” “Portraiture really shows the kind of artist I am and what I can do with chalk. It’s on a larger scale, and I love mixing in vintage florals with the faces.” Currently Em has a large portrait of Billie Holliday on a wall in her home, beautifully adorned with flowers, perfectly combining the two aesthetics.
As Em honed her chalkboard art, she first started looking for business by reaching out to her West Linn neighbors on the Nextdoor app. A man replied, having seen a portrait of Judy Garland as Dorothy that Em had created for another client. His wife loved “The Wizard of Oz” and her birthday was coming up. He asked Em to create a massive chalk mural on their driveway depicting Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, the Wicked Witch and (of course) Toto. The work was to be completed while the couple was away, so that the 183 square foot piece, her largest and most ambitious work to date, would be waiting when they returned. Rain was in the forecast for that day, so when the work was done, tarps were draped over her masterpiece. Em laughs as she recalls that the wife was thrilled and proclaimed it the best gift her husband had given her, despite some moisture seeping in and washing out the detail in Dorothy’s eyes, “making her look a bit like a demon.”
The temporary nature of her artwork doesn’t bother Em. In fact, she likes the opportunity to literally create a blank slate and start anew. Creating something else, practicing and perfecting her techniques, and learning new ones are all part of her craft. She chuckles as she says, “One of my guilty pleasures is posting videos on social media of me erasing one of my pieces. My followers respond with sad or crying emojis. But I love it! It’s an opportunity.” She explains that if she gets too attached to a piece, she fears she’ll get stuck on it and not evolve as an artist.
Em Nation offers custom chalkboard art through her website, emnarts.com, for businesses, events, and individuals.
Sarah Horner is a freelance writer, photographer and Oregon wine industry professional. She and her husband are empty nesters who live with three cats on a small orchard in Amity, OR.
Sarah Horner is a freelance writer, photographer and Oregon wine industry professional. She and her husband are empty nesters who live with three cats on a small orchard in Amity, OR.
Her fascination with chalk found Em seeking both inspiration and instruction. She admired Valerie McKeehan’s floral chalk art after finding her on Instagram, then discovered McKeehan’s book, “The Complete Book of Chalk Lettering,” at Powell’s bookstore. Em eagerly dove in. She practiced fancy lettering with pencil and paper first, then thought about how to make it work with chalk. Em discovered that the board makes a difference. Her first board, the one that made her fall in love with chalk, wasn’t the best, so she learned how to make her own. With hardware store materials — chalkboard paint, wooden boards, miscellaneous rollers and sanding supplies — she creates her own boards that meet her specifications.
She describes exploring portrait work, for which she is well-known, as a “game changer.” “Portraiture really shows the kind of artist I am and what I can do with chalk. It’s on a larger scale, and I love mixing in vintage florals with the faces.” Currently Em has a large portrait of Billie Holliday on a wall in her home, beautifully adorned with flowers, perfectly combining the two aesthetics.
As Em honed her chalkboard art, she first started looking for business by reaching out to her West Linn neighbors on the Nextdoor app. A man replied, having seen a portrait of Judy Garland as Dorothy that Em had created for another client. His wife loved “The Wizard of Oz” and her birthday was coming up. He asked Em to create a massive chalk mural on their driveway depicting Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, the Wicked Witch and (of course) Toto. The work was to be completed while the couple was away, so that the 183 square foot piece, her largest and most ambitious work to date, would be waiting when they returned. Rain was in the forecast for that day, so when the work was done, tarps were draped over her masterpiece. Em laughs as she recalls that the wife was thrilled and proclaimed it the best gift her husband had given her, despite some moisture seeping in and washing out the detail in Dorothy’s eyes, “making her look a bit like a demon.”
The temporary nature of her artwork doesn’t bother Em. In fact, she likes the opportunity to literally create a blank slate and start anew. Creating something else, practicing and perfecting her techniques, and learning new ones are all part of her craft. She chuckles as she says, “One of my guilty pleasures is posting videos on social media of me erasing one of my pieces. My followers respond with sad or crying emojis. But I love it! It’s an opportunity.” She explains that if she gets too attached to a piece, she fears she’ll get stuck on it and not evolve as an artist.
Em Nation offers custom chalkboard art through her website, emnarts.com, for businesses, events, and individuals.
Sarah Horner is a freelance writer, photographer and Oregon wine industry professional. She and her husband are empty nesters who live with three cats on a small orchard in Amity, OR.
Sarah Horner is a freelance writer, photographer and Oregon wine industry professional. She and her husband are empty nesters who live with three cats on a small orchard in Amity, OR.
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