With art supplies predominantly used by young children, colorful murals are created by Marley Wood-Pilkinton at the Hub at Éstom Jámani Courtyard’s blackboard. While making these murals isn’t a requirement for her position, the senior staff member draws her inspiration from her surroundings, especially when walking around campus. Every few weeks, Wood-Pilkinton creates a scene entirely from sidewalk chalk for large campus events. These scenes for the blackboard have been an ongoing tradition from a previous staff member and Wood-Pilkinton is passionate about keeping it alive.
The Hub has two locations, the other located at University Village, and it’s a space for students to study, gather, and meet new people while participating in game nights, movie watch parties, and creating arts and crafts.
As a psychology major with a minor in management, chalk art wasn’t what she expected to be doing in her third year at Chico State and second year on staff. “When I applied here [the Hub], I didn’t think, ‘Oh, I’m going to be drawing on the chalk wall.’ It happened because I love doing it and I love where I work.”
Wood-Pilkinton’s job title of senior staff involves coordinating events, social media marketing, and working with residents to cater to which events the residents are hoping to see the hub coordinate. During her desk shifts, she can be found perfecting her artwork, greeting people, and spreading awareness on upcoming events.
“The goal is that hopefully students can see it from the outside because it is such a big space where we can put whatever that they might be like, ‘Oh, what is it?’ and then they can see what we’re doing,” Wood-Pilkinton said. “It’s another way of getting the word out other than just social media and word of mouth.”
Wood-Pilkinton’s artwork takes her anywhere between four hours to a couple of shifts to complete. Even if there are no large events happening in the near future, the blackboard will be filled with some other design that coincides with the month. For example, Wood-Pilkinton drew a Halloween-inspired mural for the month of October as well as a scene for February featuring the Hub’s mascot Wonkey the Wildcat.
Wood-Pilkinton shared that painting was a big part in her upbringing as well as being a part of a visual arts conservatory in high school. When asked about how she found a love for chalk art, her answer was simple: “Every young kid has their summer memories of drawing on their driveway or on the street with sidewalk chalk,” Wood-Pilkinton said. “I definitely kind of gave that up for a while in favor of a little bit more traditional art.”
Growing up in San Diego, surrounded by beaches and other picturesque landscapes, Wood-Pilkinton described her parents as huge supporters and advocates for experimenting with art. Her parents were always busy with their careers, but always took time out of their day to paint something they appreciated.
“They were scientists, they were land surveyors, but they still took the time to make art about the things that they loved seeing in nature,” Wood-Pilkinton said.
“If you are a person who hasn’t really tried to explore art as a career but it’s something you’re interested in or are a little bit intimidated by, you can literally do art with anything. You can just pick up sidewalk chalk from the dollar store and make something. You can pick up some PlayDough. Do something with that. And I think we are in a super cool community here in Chico where we have so many cool artists and people who pursue art that it’s definitely not hard to find inspiration.”
The Hub at Éstom Jámani Courtyard is open daily. To learn more about what is happening at the Hub, you can visit their Instagram or look at The Hub Happenings schedule posted throughout University Housing restrooms, front desks, and their website.
Hours:
- Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Friday: 8 a.m.-midnight.
- Saturday: 2 p.m.-midnight.
- Sunday: 2-10 p.m.
Wood-Pilkinton believes that, “If you love something enough and you’re passionate about it, you make time for it and integrate it into every part of your life.”
Even though art isn’t correlated with her major, Wood-Pilkinton knows that art will always be an important part of her life.
Alexis Bunch can be reached at [email protected]
