Chalk-art festival coming to Hamlin

 If you’ve ever sat out on the driveway with a pack of chalk and creative vision, now is your time to shine.

The Hamlin Chalk Art Festival is coming to town from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16. The community is invited to experience a day of artistic adventure and watch 10 professional chalk artists bring their art to life.

According to the Hamlin events team, the chalk festival will consist of seven — there will be one three-person team — individual chalk-art pieces, with an overarching theme of love. Artists will all create their own, individual artwork in a 36-square-foot space. The team of three chalk artists, meanwhile, will create a 3D, interactive art piece guests can stand on and take pictures with upon completion.

While chalk artists will be hard at work throughout the day, families also are invited to create their own chalk masterpieces along Shoreside Way near Cinépolis. A $20 fee provides participants with chalk and their own section of sidewalk to work in. Up to six artists can work on each square, and only water-based, temporary chalk is permitted. All proceeds from the event will be donated to a soon-to-be-determined charity. 

ADDING THE THIRD DIMENSION

Janet Tombros is a professional chalk artist from Mount Dora and president of the Florida Chalk Artists Association. She is part of the three-person team that will be creating a 3D, interactive piece of chalk art.

“I have been chalking for over 15 years now,” she said. “I first joined the FCAA 11 years ago, and I have been president for the last three years. I’ve done art all my life, and I was in school for art. At the time, I was into mural art. I stumbled across chalk art during an event and thought it would be something interesting to do, because it was large pieces, which is what I’m used to doing.”

She will be working with fellow chalk artists Hector Diaz and Ken Mullen, otherwise known as the “Chalk Guys,” to create a 3D candy factory in a 13-by-25-foot workspace. The “canvas” has to be large and extensive, she said, so that when someone takes a photo of it, it appears to have depth and dimension.

“It’s just a fascinating process for people to actually watch artists while they’re working,” she said of creating the piece. “And the pastels are generally such bright, rich colors that it’s nice and fun to interact with everything and see how the process unfolds. It’s also going to be a good community event, because each family can purchase a square to chalk on their own.”

“I just like being able to get the artwork out there and bring it to life in the community and interact with people — it’s all about introducing the form,” she said. “We need people to still continue on creating these images, so for me it’s about exposing the art and enjoying the people.”