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Maewyn Padilla knew she loved making art. As a child, she painted and doodled any chance she could get. While her love for art never went away, Padilla found herself busy with life and could not focus on her art as much as she would have liked.

Later in life, Padilla found herself playing with her children in the driveway. She stumbled across some sidewalk chalk and decided to draw in front of her house as her children played. She found herself head over heels with art again.

In 2021, Padilla found her stride and started dedicating her time to bringing her chalk art to the streets of sa国际传媒官网网页入口. Now, she scours the city in search of her next chalk art mural.

Local artist Maewyn Padilla chalk art brings life to the streets of sa国际传媒官网网页入口

鈥淚鈥檝e always loved the idea of street art and temporary art,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he idea of art is that it鈥檚 for everybody. It shouldn鈥檛 be a luxury to appreciate art.鈥�

Padilla specializes in paintings and outdoor art, specifically chalk art. Though she doesn鈥檛 have her style pinned down, she likes to describe it as a cartoonish style of art.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 ever go for a certain style, but it鈥檚 what comes out of me,鈥� Padilla said. 鈥淚 love video games and cartoons so much, sometimes I think I鈥檓 trying to act out being a cartoon character.鈥�

However, Padilla says her style changes between mediums, but it鈥檚 clear she is still the one behind the art.

鈥淥ften times I鈥檒l do a chalking I really like, so I decide to try and make it permanent as a painting, but it never reads right,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e had little success, but I鈥檝e come to accept they鈥檙e different things.鈥�

Padilla feels that creating permanent and temporary art creates a great balance in her artistic world. Sometimes, she goes through phases where she prefers one form of art over the other, but she never can seem to put one above the other.

鈥淚 find freedom and pleasure in temporary art,鈥� Padilla said. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 feel restrictive. I put it down, I walk away. It鈥檚 a lot less pressure, and I do really like that people who see my chalk art just happen to come about it. If somebody sees and enjoys it, I feel like it was meant for them.鈥�

Padilla finds her chalk art spots in town simply by walking around. As an avid walker for more than 19 years, Padilla tries to do her art in places she can walk to, as she hates to drive.

Padilla will load up a backpack with her art supplies and take a walk around the city to find a good slab of concrete to draw art. She uses sidewalk chalk called railroad chalk because it gives her the coverage she needs for her art. Padilla had struggled to find the right shades of black until a neighbor had gifted her with a package of charcoals, which she uses now.

鈥淎t my house, I leave chalk for the neighborhood kids to use and draw in my driveway,鈥� Padilla said. 鈥淎nd one day, somebody left me a package of charcoal.鈥�

Padilla typically finds herself doing chalk near the University of New Mexico, Downtown and Old Town as it鈥檚 the best place for her to work.

For her paintings, Padilla reaches out to bars and restaurants around the city. Her paintings can be found at Curious Toast, O鈥橬iell鈥檚 Pub and Red Door Brewing Company. She also sells her work at sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Artwalk.

鈥淲hen I head out, I might have a rough idea in my head and then I walk around,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 always have a clear game plan, but I have certain areas I like. I鈥檝e come to prefer certain types of pavement and concrete to work on.鈥�

On average, it takes Padilla about 45 minutes to complete a piece of chalk art and she does two to three of them a week. She always has a new painting in progress at home.

Padilla tells those who want to pursue their interest in art to simply create and not worry about what others think.

鈥淓xpectations are a hindrance,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ome people don鈥檛 make art because they are afraid of how it will be received. Make what you like, don鈥檛 worry about what people think.鈥�

Padilla will be in two group shows for Artwalk from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 5. You can also find three of her pieces about mental health at the Orpheum Community Hub, 500 Second St. SW; two pieces submitted for the street smarts show at OT Circus, 709 Central Ave. NW and two more solo shows in August.