ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- There are only three weeks left until the Elmira Street Painting Festival, happening on June 8th and 9th. 24-year-old Summer Small was last year’s winner and now she’s gearing up to paint on the streets again.  

“I’m really excited,” Small said. “I’m going to recreate a piece from the museum’s collection. There’s so much amazing artwork here and I’d like to that some of that to the street painting festival and show it off in that way.”  

The day that Small’s work won last year, her life also changed forever.  

“When we made our visit here, last year, we just really loved Elmira,” she said. “I did the street painting festival here and I actually bought my house that same day.”  

Now, the painter from Knoxville, Tennessee, has planted her roots in the City of Elmira. As Arnot Art Museum’s newest Programs Manager, she gets to share her passion for painting with chalk and teach the community about the world of art.  

“It’s really awesome to have the opportunity to work with children and give back and work with the public...because my life was touched so deeply by all the public programming that I experienced when I was a child,” she said.  

The Elmira Street Painting Festival is just one example of why she loves to paint with chalk. She said it gives her a chance to involve others.  

“It’s something that you can share with people and so I love the fact that it’s so public...and I love that it’s temporary,” she said. You’re doing it because you love it.”  

You can learn about chalk art, and chat with Small about the upcoming festival during her free workshop on May 25th at noon in the museum's east gallery.