Join Mark Lewis Wagner, artist and founder of Drawing on Earth, for an inspiring school lecture that explores the power of art and creativity to connect communities and transform lives. In this presentation, Mark shares the story behind Drawing on Earth — a nonprofit that has worked with over 40,000 kids worldwide, set two chalk drawing World Records, and created large-scale public artworks photographed by satellite.

Discover how art education fosters creativity, collaboration, and joy in youth, and learn practical insights for educators, artists, and community leaders looking to engage students through creative expression. Whether you’re a teacher, artist, or community organizer, this lecture offers valuable inspiration and ideas for using art to build connections and empower the next generation.

→ See Mark’s art: marklewiswagner.com
→ Listen to Mark’s music: soundcloud.com/heartsandbones

Recent Octopus  – Rio Vista Elementary School

We’re back at it with the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, bringing chalk drawings to 13 elementary school playgrounds. That’s approximately 5,600 kids, most of whom will experience it in April and May of 2025.

And you know what? We’re ready for it. This time around, I have more team support, and I feel more prepared and energized. Last year, I found myself questioning whether it was time to retire after over 20 years of working with youth, touching the lives of more than 40,000 kids, and setting two world records. It felt like I was running out of steam. But then, the MDUSD reached out to book chalk drawing sessions, and I couldn’t say no.

These are tough times for everyone, and the kids feel it. But the Arts are one of the most powerful forces in the world. Connecting with one’s creativity has the potential to improve lives in ways we can’t always measure, can’t even imagine.

Working with kids in this capacity is one of the most important things I can do, and I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity.

So… better get to buying more chalk.

~Mark Lewis Wagner
Founder of Drawing on Earth

DONATE – we buy chalk and draw with kids

There is a lot happening in the world. Lots to get caught up in, lot of emotions, politics, climate, the list goes on and on. Drawing on Earth commitment to Art and Creativity transcends much of the things that we get caught up in. The Arts by nature and by science relaxes our central nervous system. Being creative requires so much real-time awareness that other parts of the brain go quiet, the to-do-lists and ego center are some of the main places.

Art and Youth maybe one of the most important things for the future. 

Here is our Beliefs in our Executive Summary

• We believe that creativity is a natural renewable energy that when exercised and practiced during youth empowers one to experience an inner resource that is sustainable, long term, and available in all aspects of one’s life.

• We believe that kids who are nurtured creatively grow up ready and able to more effectively interact with the world, connect to the environment, integrate with technology, and understand the bigger picture.

• We believe that art is not just a pretty picture but also a way of being creative that will help to solve some of the world’s problems.

• We believe that creativity crosses race, economic, gender, and religious boundaries and is the glue that brings communities together that heals personal and collective wounds.

• We believe people connected to their creativity consume less, are more comfortable with what they have, are able to generate more of what they want and need, are better at taking care of themselves, are able to help others with their generosity.

• We believe that creativity continues to be important later in careers and business, partnership and marriage, community engagement, becoming an elder, and being curious about the end of ones life.

$25 RAFFLE ITEM: Spirit Bird #59

12 x 18in, acrylic, oil, gold leaf, $550

End Date: Dec. 31, 2024

Hello Everyone, 

It’s the end of the year again, and it’s always a good time to donate to Drawing on Earth. We are a small creative arts nonprofit that connects art and creativity to youth and communities around the world. We have worked with over 40,000 kids, have created two World Record chalk drawings, have drawn on three continents, and have create six pieces of art photographed by satellite.

We basically raise money to buy chalk and supplies, and pay for insurance.

For the last few years we’ve had a RAFFLE for an original Mark Lewis Wagner painting. Here’s this year’s offering. $25/Raffle Ticket. Buy as many as you like – hope you win!

2024 was a slower year for us/me. A time to rest. We created a community chalk drawing event over Memorial Day for a small town in New Mexico that had experienced trauma with a gang shooting the year before. We drew at a library and charter school. And the Mt Diablo USD got in touch with us and said they had a dozen schools asking for DoE to return. That’s a lot of chalk drawing this spring of 2025.

We are always open to new adventures, I’m sensing the most important work we do hasn’t been done before and I have no idea what that will be. I’ll keep the sails up, pay attention, and see what the Great Spirit blows our way.

Thank you everyone who has been on the journey with us. I started to chalk draw in 1994. Started to chalk draw on elementary school playgrounds in 2003, our first Guinness World Record in 2007, and Drawing on Earth was formed in 2011. Nonprofits like ours are solely funded by friends and family like you.

Proud to be part of the Creative Evolution of the Planet!
Heart Felt Thanks!
~MLW
Founder and Creative Director of Drawing on Earth

We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit. We will send everyone in a timely fashion, a letter of acknowledgement, with our tax ID # for your taxes.

Venmo: marklewiswagner

Drawing on Earth has been around for twenty some years. I, Mark Lewis Wagner, Founder of DoE, have been chalk drawing/street painting since 1994. The nonprofit has worked with over 40,000 kids and adults, has two World Records for chalk drawings, has drawn on three continents, and has had six pieces of art photographed by satellites. Thanks a pretty impressive resume. 

Recently, believe it or not I have been thinking of retiring and passing the nonprofit to someone on the Board. But then the Universe smiles and says “we aren’t done with you yet.” The Mt Diablo USD who just reached out to me and asked if they could begin to book chalk drawing gigs with their elementary school. There are already a dozen schools interested.

So… the Journey Continues. Stay tuned!

~MLW

Taos Farmer’s Market
New Mexico 2023

I’ve been chalk drawing for the last three years at the Taos and Questa New Mexico Farmer’s Markets. A perfect place for community art, laid back, my music and playlist, people, dogs, and kids. I arrive when I arrive, have a place that’s kinda out of the way but is also on the way to the market so people see what we are up to. 

I get the coffee and music going, sometimes figure out on the fly what I am going to draw. A large spirit bird, salamander, butterfly person. One time I even noticed the smooth black tar in all the crack, did a test, and say…”ooohhhhh nice drawing surface – sexy!” And basically spent the rest of the morning filling in the cracks with color.

Last year with all the school work I did in the spring, I got into hammerhead sharks. Yes, hammerhead sharks. They are so easy to draw, a long graceful line, long rectangle head, and a symmetrical body. Add drop shadows and make 1/2 darker and the shark looks totally cool and dimensional.

Hello Everyone, Mark Lewis Wagner here, Founder and Creative Director of the 501c3 nonprofit Drawing on Earth. We connect Art and Creativity to Youth and Communities Around the World. We have worked with approx. 40,000 kids and adults, drawn on 3 continents, have two chalk drawing world records, and have made six piece of art photographed by satellites.

We always fundraise at the end of the year and more often if we run out of funds – which is now. We use our funds to pay for chalk, insurances, and supplies. No admin. fees.

This fundraiser is a raffle for an original painting by Mark Lewis Wagner. Each ticket is $25. Please use this link for Venmo, Paypal, and to send a check. If you are sending a check please drop me a note  – info@drawingnearth.org

Aug. 13, 2023
CLOSING DATE for the ORIGINAL SPIRIT BIRD
PAINTING RAFFLE FUNDRAISER

~ DONATION PAGE ~ (link)

“Spirit Bird #58”, 18 x 12 in. 2022 ($650)

In the spring we worked with approx. 3,600 elementary school kids in the Mt Diablo Unified School District. We have also worked with  the City of Newark CA, the Bay Area Discovery Museum, Questa NM library, Questa Farmer’s Market, soon the Taos Farmer’s Market, and beginning of Aug. Tomorrow’s Women  in Santa Fe, NM.

Over the last two years Bobbie Rae Jones and Leslie Rein, Board of Directors, have both taken DoE out into schools, communities, and museums. Stay tuned for a blog post about these two artists.

Drawing on Earth is back working with the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. MDUSD is located in the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern CA. We have been hired to come back and chalk draw at ten elementary schools. This is the 2nd and 3rd we’ve been to these schools. It’s great because many of the kids have memories of this. 

I could write a book about all of this, and I will. Each kid, each drawing, teacher, principal, janitor, and assembly is a story about creativity. Most awesome, some sad. Some schools have NO art teachers, no parent art docent program, poor school, STEM without an A, without Art. I can literally see it on the playground, kids are not drawing, not even shapes, they just color. 

Then there are some schools, a charter art school, school’s that just have a lot more art awareness and knowledge that the Arts are key to whole brain development and connect kid’s to their soul.

To be continued: 

~Mark Lewis Wagner
Founder of Drawing on Earth

Here are some of our recent creations.

End of the Year Fundraiser
for Drawing on Earth

We are a small creative arts 501c3 nonprofit that connects art and creativity to youth and communities around the world. We mostly focus on creating chalk drawings on the streets with kids and adults. We have worked with over 30,000 kids, have two world chalk drawing records, and have 5 photos from satellites of our artwork.

We use donations to buy chalk, supplies, pay for insurance, with no admin fees. We are fully funded by people like you – thank you! 

drawingonearth.org/donate

This Year in Review: 2022

• California

• We finished a several year chalk drawing school project with the Mt Diablo Education Foundation. We visited 30 elementary schools and drew on playgrounds with over 15,000 kids. Covid closed us down for 2 years and this spring we finished our two remaining schools with some other schools inviting us back again. What a great project! Drawing on Earth supplied all the chalk – over 25,000 pieces of chalk.

• The City of Newark CA hired us to create a community chalk drawing for a spring event.

• Earth Day at Chabot College. We created a large drawing with college art students.

• Earth Day at the Oakland Zoo. We have been creating community drawings at the Oakland Zoo for Earth Day for years then covid closed us down. This was the first time we hired college art students to help.

• New Mexico

• We created a spray chalk drawing on dirt of a life size 100 ft. Blue Whale for the Questa library.

• Ran two free workshops for the Questa Creative Arts Council.

• Created several community chalk drawing at the Questa Farmer’s Market.

• Created several community chalk drawing at the Taos Farmer’s Market.

• Tomorrow’s Women: we created a collaboration chalk drawing with young women from Palestine and Israel, Santa Fe.

drawingonearth.org/donate