The Italian Street Painting Festival in San Rafael, CA is an annual fund raiser for the group Youth in Arts. It features artists from all over the world applying chalk onto freshly laid asphalt in colorful, creative ways. Every year, for a few days in mid-June, several streets surrounding Mission San Rafael Arcangel are closed to vehicles for the festival, which includes a variety of food, drink, live music, auctions, and of course Street Painting! Visitors can walk around and watch the artists at work under the blazing sun. Many artists reproduce classic works of art, while others do their own original designs. A huge area is set aside just for children. At the end of the weekend the ephemeral street art is washed away. For several years, I've photographed the artwork for this web site. Enjoy!