Chalkboard art brightens street during COVID-19 pandemic

CHICAGO -- Every couple of weeks, this Chicago resident puts a newly-decorated chalkboard in her front yard for her neighbors to enjoy.

Each board in the Andersonville yard has its own unique Mayor Lori Lightfoot-inspired design!

"We had a chalkboard, chalk markers and chalk," chalkboard artist Nykol DeDreu said. "We just had the stuff at home to do it, so it became the medium."

DeDreu's chalkboard art was originally intended to entertain kids, but it's become a visual pick-me-up for anyone who walks by. She hopes a little bit of cheer can go a long way as her neighbors continue to fight COVID-19.

"I think that there's a lot of stress right now; there's a lot of pressure," DeDreu said. "People are looking for things to do to break up the scene, and if this can be a little of that then that's awesome."