Local artist brings massive chalk installation to Great Plains Zoo
Oct. 18, 2024
Get ready to grab your camera when you check out this latest addition to the Great Plains Zoo.
Hartford, S.D., artist Hannah Janish-Stromseth has created multiple chalk art installations for this weekend’s Zoo Boo event, which runs today through Sunday.
The owner of Run Til You Fly Face Painting & Art spent three days and 16 hours working on this massive 20-by-16-foot mural featuring zoo animals dressed up with jack-o’-lanterns, ready for trick-or-treating under a glowing, colorful moonrise sky.
“Spooky season is my absolute favorite,” she said. “I love all the colors, decorations, and the beautiful transformation of the leaves. The spirit of dressing up and having some spooky fun is what inspired this piece.”
In addition to the large mural, she also is creating smaller pieces throughout the zoo, including a fun mural of the King and Queen of the jungle dressed in royal attire.
Guests also can take part in a candy corn scavenger hunt looking for all 10 hidden along the Zoo Boo path.
Janish-Stromseth originally is from Hutchinson, Minnesota, and has been creating art since she was 3 years old. She began her career as a respiratory therapist and now works as a marketing strategist.
Her art is done on the side and as a hobby, but she has done face painting professionally for a few years, including at the zoo.
“This is the first time I’ve done a big mural like this,” she said. “I’m excited to see what other art and mediums I can work with. I love challenging myself and have the attitude that ‘I can figure anything out.'”
While the forecast is dry for the weekend, hairspray can be used to try and preserve the work, she said. For the large mural, she used a base layer of tempera paint, which is like liquid chalk.
“It’s pretty durable, lasting weeks and even withstanding some rain better than regular chalk. I’ve also upgraded to higher quality chalk for richer pigments and better longevity,” she said, adding that another chalk artist told her sometimes the art can last for months.
Still, “part of the beauty is how temporary the artwork is,” she added. “It’s fleeting, so you have to enjoy it while it lasts.”
