Dozens of artists took to the streets, or at least sidewalks, to express themselves with chalk on concrete early Saturday.

During the annual da Vinci Days sidewalk chalk art event, about 150 people of all ages brightened sidewalks along Madison Avenue near Central Park downtown.

Grant Thackray, 14, chose to use his slab of concrete to encourage pet ownership. On the outside, bombs and toxic waste surrounded a boy and a puppy. Despite bleak surroundings, the pair were in high spirits.

The piece was titled, "When life's got you down, get a dog."

"Sometimes, when there's all this pollution, war and famine, if you get a dog, you're happy," Thackray said.

He's got personal experience, he said, with his five-year-old brittany spaniel named Nutmeg.

Down the block, Casey Cruse, 13, was inspired by nature to color a waterfront scene inspired from her pond at home complete with cattails, green grasses and an animal that was merely a sketch as yet.

"It's either a muskrat or a beaver," she said.

Sara Juranek was looking after her daughters Sydney and Georgia Juell, as well as the girls' friends, who were covered with chalk dust from their efforts.

"White shorts were just the greatest choice, Juranek said.

The family are festival regulars, but first-time chalk artists.

"I've been to da Vinci Days every year," she said. "I love this festival."

Lisa Ebersole, who teaches a neighborhood art class in town, took charge of a three-family undersea mural created by neighbors that spread over three sidewalk panels.

"We just needed a theme for everyone to jump in on," she said.

Neighbor Jim Anderson added his own special touch to the piece: a swimming border collie complete with snorkel.

"He told us that's all he could draw," said Ann Blegen. "So we told him to go ahead."

"There was an allowance for him to draw a dog underwater," said Craig Massie. "Call it special dispensation."