When I saw a picture of some amazing artwork at the Sweet Chalk Festival in Lockport I was floored! Â And when I found out the artist is 15-years-old, I was blown away.
Mattie Hamelink says she’s always loved to doodle, “I have been drawing for as long as I can remember (as cliche as that sounds) but I can specifically remember really being serious about art in third grade when I constantly drew on all my test papers. I still draw little doodles on just about anything and I think my teachers have finally come to accept it. I had an amazing art teacher in middle school and he was a huge inspiration to me and also told me to enter every contest I see. So thanks to him I started doing the chalk festivals.” Her first was in Florida while on a family vacation. Â This is her second year at the Sweet Chalk Festival in Lockport – and this year, she chalked up a win, ” I won the mayors award this year which was a huge honor.” For Maddie, it’s a great opportunity because she loves animals and drawing them.
  
Great job – we can’t wait to see what you create next year!
Mattie is certainly a gal worth watching as she makes her way through the art world. I know she will end up doing great things with whatever medium she works in. We are so proud of her. Thank you for the article and exposure of her talent at such a young age.
We are so proud of Mattie and really enjoy her amazing talent!