Chalkfest 2026 Artists

Welcome to the full gallery of talent that is Chalkfest! This page now showcases the complete lineup of incredible artists who will be bringing the streets to life in vibrant color and imagination. Each name represents a unique vision, a bold style, and a creative spirit ready to transform pavement into something unforgettable. Take your time exploring the artists, you’re getting a first glimpse of the magic before it hits the streets.

Professional Artists

Katie Day Howard

Katie Day Howard has been creating chalk art for the past 13 years, and it remains one of her greatest passions. She is drawn to its unique ability to bring people from every corner of the community together in a shared celebration of creativity. During a festival, she believes there’s a special kind of magic in the air—where, for a brief moment, everyone feels like they’re on the same team and anything is possible. Through her work, both young and old are invited to dream, imagine, and reconnect with the vibrant, shared spirit that art can inspire.

Brian Morris

Brian Morris is a professional chalk artist based out of Lutz, Florida. His life-long passion for creativity has helped guide his life’s journey as he traveled all over the globe. Brian’s work has grown over his lifetime from years spent in the tattoo industry, adding artwork to living canvas, producing custom pencil portraits and paintings, to custom framed chalk pastel works and large-scale street paintings. Brian is a certified Master Chalk Artist with the Chalk Art Nation Association and continues to share his passion as a featured artist at chalk art events all over the United States. Brian’s outgoing personality and colorful creativity keep him moving forward in the industry, chasing his dream, sharing his passion, and embracing his personal adventure.

Joel Nathan

Joel Nathan is a chalk artist from Columbia, SC. Getting his start chalking for his local theatre for the premiere of Marvel's Black Panther in 2018, his skill would receive recognition and improve; leading him to chalk for venues such as the concerts of Elton John and Imagine Dragons, his local comic con, and eventually chalk festivals across the country. He still resides in Columbia.

Phillip Bernal

Phillip Bernal is a Littleton, Colorado visual artist, former art educator, and small business owner of Imagine Murals & More LLC. As a muralist, street chalk artist, and illustrator, his body of work demonstrates a versatility of imagery, styles, and mediums.Themes of popular culture, social media, surrealism, psychology, and nature are frequent wells of inspiration for his works. Phillip has over twenty years experience participating in street chalk art festivals and events creating award winning work. The ephemeral nature of street chalk art appeals to his philosophical nature, yet he is currently focused on establishing more public art murals and exploring spray painting techniques.

Douglas Holubek

I'm a chalk artist originally from central Florida and taught by the best artist there. I moved to Sioux Falls, SD and created a sidewalk chalk event that ended a 6 year drought and brought amazing local and regional talent to the aria. I have chalked in several different states, bringing my daughters. They seem to win more than me. :)

Lori Antoinette

I started drawing very early. I remember sitting with my mom at around 3 years old. She'd draw a squiggle, and I'd add to that squiggle. We'd go back and forth adding squiggles until we had a complete picture. That was my favorite game with her. My love for exploring different art forms and styles has only grown with the memory of my Mom's guidance. Today, as a full time artist, I split my time between my canvas work, doing wall murals, chalking, and mentoring.

Sara Nybo

I am a Utah native, raised in Kaysville and currently living in Pleasant Grove, and a lifelong artist working across a wide range of mediums. I earned a BA in Fine Arts from Utah State University and discovered chalk art in 2017 after attending a festival and deciding to give it a try. Once I found my way into the chalk art community, I fell in love with the creativity, collaboration, and lasting friendships it fostered. I have since worked on both solo and collaborative chalk pieces with friends and family. Professionally, I balance my creative work with a “left-brain” career as a financial systems analyst for ERM, a global environmental consulting firm. I hold a master’s degree in accounting and management, which supports my analytical work. Outside of art and work, I love to travel and have visited all 50 U.S. states, 25 countries, and six continents. I also enjoy crafting, quilting, crocheting, and teaching ballroom and social dance. In 2023, I became a first-time mom and hope to someday share my love of chalk art with my daughter.

Nicole Kleinman

Nicole has been chalking since she was 12 years old. She has always been passionate about creating sidewalk murals! Her earliest chalk pieces were drawn on the driveway of her childhood home and featured her favorite animated characters. These creations later inspired her to pursue a degree in animation at Brigham Young University. When she’s not on the pavement, Nicole can be found creating 3D environments for Hogwarts Legacy. Nicole loves to travel and share her creativity at street painting festivals. She has been featured at chalk festivals internationally. Her life ambition is to spread joy through the arts!

Willie Zin

Willie, a Cal State Long Beach, BFA, Illustration Graduate, but work in the Logistics/Shipping Industry for 33 yrs instead, for personal reasons, discovered the chalk art by accident. In2007, he suffered a double bypass and took 3 months time of recuperation. He said that "It was duuring this time that i rediscovered my love for art again and was given a second chance to live 'Life' and create Art". In 2009, he found out about chalk art and decided to challenge it. It was something that he never imagined he would do.

"It's been almost 17 years now. I love this because i get to showcase my work to the public and also get to talk to those curious bystanders. It has been such an experience throughout the years and i would love to continue to share my art as long as i am able."

Sharon Chan

I’m a self taught artist based in Santa Barbara California. Formerly I was a champion motorcycle racer, computer scientist, dancer and choreographer. My pieces tend to reflect all that I've experienced in life. I’ve been creating art since the age of 3 when I was drawing animal illustrations. For many pieces I work solo, but I have also produced art while managing a team of artists for larger projects. My mediums include chalk, acrylic paint, wax pastels and photoshop. My art is all over the world including web pages, on the streets, the sides of buildings, interior walls and even a canvas or two. You may have seen my work on web pages for celebrities, musicians, authors or in professional presentations and logos. I have a passion to create compelling beauty through my designs. Occasionally my art includes a touch of whimsy as well as beauty. In my personal art I’m known for a wide variety of subjects often featuring animals, dance and symmetry.

Laurie Olesen

Stay-at-home Mom who discovered chalk art during Covid. My goal was to brighten up my town with driveway chalks during the darkest days of the lockdown.

Brittany Sheplar

Brittany has often been described as “a chemical engineer who chalks on the weekends”. Outside the lab, Brittany can usually be found drawing dogs, tending to the blueberries on her farm, or nose-deep in a good book. Brittany’s goal is to share joy and wonder with her audience, so her artwork regularly features animals, dynamic colors, and bright expressions.

Maria Olson

Maria Loh is a young, self taught sacred artist from Fargo, North Dakota and the creator and owner of 'Searosefineart'. She works in a variety of mediums but has been 'drawn' in particular to the use of chalks and pastels to create her pieces. Since 2016, she has created works of art on the streets, sidewalks, canvas, and any available concrete surface that doesn't have a car on it. Maria's art has been featured in several publications and articles, most notably "CNA", the "New Earth", "CNS" and even going so far as to be picked up and translated in Europe and France. Maria enjoys nature, good literature, spicy foods and the occasional touch of wordplay in the form of puns.

Madelyn Hohler

Based out of Orlando, Madelyn is nationally recognized for her work with chalk pastels, scenic art, special effects, and murals. She has been celebrated as a very successful young woman, pursuing a full time creative career directly out of high school. Her artwork spans from family-run local initiatives to highly attended themed entertainment productions and high-profile public events.

Kim Miller

I’m a visual artist located midway between two cities. I find inspiration both on and off the beaten path—from rural wildflower fields to urban sidewalks.

Tonya Nielsen

As an artist, Tonya Nielsen is one who loves to explore all types of art, Tonya has grown into an artist whose work encompasses color, texture, form, and content. This approach has led to the many areas in which Tonya work has included street painting, murals, fine art, installation art, temporary and permanent art. Within each of these areas, each project has been created with its own character. Tonya's work of art is produced with a fresh set of ideas, and ways in which to in-gage the Imagination. Her goal is to encourage at least one person to create a piece of art in any medium. She  has been featured at numerous street painting festivals has worked on projects such as Exhibition sized pieces as well as international events. Her work has won numerous awards, Tonya works in all mediums of art including paint, digital concepts and pencil. Tonya has been creating art as a street painter for over 24 years and has competed in numerous events.

Allison Olstad

Allison Olstad is a muralist and street artist based in Jordan, Minnesota. At only 19 years old, she has been creating public art for almost ten years, earning awards and recognition across the Midwest. Now a graduate of high school and soon to be graduate of Normandale Community College this spring, Allison is fully launching her career in mural and public art with renewed focus and ambition.

Craig & Jamie Rogers

Craig and Jamie Rogers Richland Center Wisconsin Art Teacher Duo, Jamie and Craig Rogers have been collaborating since they met in high school. Both graduated from UW Oshkosh for art education. Their collaborative efforts started focusing on street painting when they decided to celebrate their wedding by joining their first chalk festival in 2010. Since then they have been featured artists at various events and chalk festivals, taught chalk art workshops, delved into mural painting, and taught thousands of students in the public school system. Their current source of inspiration is human interaction with nature and their two children.

Shawn McCann

As an artist, Shawn McCann is one who loves to explore the relationship of art, space, and interaction. Having graduated the Minneapolis College of Art and Design with a BFA, Shawn has grown into a multi-media, multi-disciplinary artist whose work explores color, texture, form, and content.

His work has won numerous awards and is held in private and public collections, and has also been featured twice at the LA Times Festival of Books as a featured illustrator. Shawn has also worked on two National Endowment for the Arts Grant (Mural and Artist Residency) and also a Minnesota Legacy grant for mural work in numerous cities. Select street art festivals Shawn has been apart of include the Dubai Canvas festival in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, The Arte Al Piso Festival in Bogota, Colombia, Coloured Earth Festival, Halifax, United Kingdom, Wilhelmshaven International Street Art festival in Germany, the Sarasota Chalk Festival, and Artisphere.

Randy Segura

Art heals you and then you figure out how to share that inspiration and healing with others. I love being able to share the process with the public, and after many years of painting murals and signs my passion for pursuing an artistic life has been fulfilled through chalk art. Making people smile through your art, or something you created is priceless, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to travel and create in order to do just that. Randy Segura Arthotspot Studios Morrison, CO

Tara Aiken

Tara Aiken is a self-taught professional chalk artist renowned for creating artwork that looks just like a photograph or appears to pop right out of the ground. Her journey began during the pandemic, when she picked up sidewalk chalk to get outside with her two young children and bring joy to her neighbors. What started as a creative outlet quickly gained recognition, propelling Tara to become one of the most sought-after street artists in Minnesota. Tara has worked with big name companies like Amazon/MGM Studios, Little Cinema, the Minnesota Twins, Walmart, Children’s Minnesota, and more. Today, her work spans 2D and 3D interactive street paintings, large-scale murals, educational programs, and custom-designed sneakers and cleats. Her custom cleats have even been worn by professional athletes like Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis, Ober Bailey, and Carlos Correa (former) of the Minnesota Twins. To learn more and explore her portfolio, visit www.TaraAiken.com.

Erik Greenawalt

Erik Greenawalt Erik's passion for chalk art began almost 20 years ago in the driveway of his suburban Pittsburgh home, when his then-toddler-aged daughters, Jaycie and Jenna, first asked him to draw Mickey, Cinderella, Elmo and Eeyore. Those young art directors were very demanding and wanted more and more elaborate pieces. Erik soon became known as "The Chalking Dad" among his neighbors. Today, Erik — who in real life is a Certified Public Accountant working in corporate finance — is also a certified "master" chalk artist in the Florida Chalk Artist Association. He participates in street painting festivals around the world, where he joins other artists (including his now grown daughters!) in creating large-scale, elaborate chalk drawings over several days. Erik especially enjoys drawing portraits of celebrities and sports heroes and creating 3D interactive pieces. His clients have included "Bluey," Netflix, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Australia Zoo. Find more of his work at www.thechalkingdad.com or on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok at @thechalkingdad

Elizabeth Niemczyk

Beth is a Chicago-based costume designer, artist and teacher. Similar in practice to traditional Madonnari street painting, she enjoys reproducing master works; her original 2-D pieces focus mainly on animals, both human and otherwise. Her educational credits include a BA in Art from Wheaton College and a MFA in Costume Design from New York University.

Lydia Anderson

Lydia believes our passions should be our professions, not a pleasant pastime but a way of life. Her passions led her into several careers including special event planner, theater carpenter, and muralist. She started her fine art career painting murals and doing chalk art for festival attendees’ to enjoy and participate with. Now she is working in the Boston area as a Set Painter for IATSE Local USA829 for TV and Film. Lydia continues to fulfill her passions for creating and working with the community by painting murals, participating in chalk festivals, and teaching monthly painting classes at the Fenway Community Center. Painting in the community for community enjoyment is what her passion is all about. Lydia looks forward to every opportunity to share her joy of creating.

Beckett Lemieux

Beckett is a 15-year-old high school student with a passion for art. Don’t be deceived by his age. He’s an award winning chalk artist who has participated in chalk festivals near his home in Western New York since he was 10. His involvement in chalk art festivals has expanded dramatically, from attending just a couple of events per year to actively participating in about 10-12 festivals

Kaitlyn Walters

Twin Cities based artist Katie Walters, has been an artist as long as she can remember. From a young age her interest in creation and ideation was apparent through coloring on the walls and using found objects to create sculptures. Later using that passion to create a career she graduated with a double major in Fine Arts and in Art Education from Northwestern in St. Paul, MN. Her exploration in art has resulted in the use of multiple mediums and the strengthening of her art teaching career. Her mediums include photography to large scale public chalk art to landscape painting and portraiture. As an art teacher of 10 years, teaching is also a huge passion of Katie’s and helping students to grow up with a joy for art and a desire to learn about art and creativity is a goal of her life work as well. She first discovered large scale chalk art during 2018 and it has been a continued practice ever since. Katie is also on the board for the Maple Grove Arts Center and loves engaging the community in art!

Gloria Ing

Gloria Ing is a Los Angeles–based multidisciplinary artist and educator whose award-winning street and chalk art transforms public spaces into moments of connection and imagination. A graduate of California State University, Los Angeles, her work is inspired by nature, people, and animals. She has received Best of Festival honors at the world’s largest chalk art festival in Pasadena, California. Follow her work on Instagram: @missing.artist

Jennifer Ripassa

Although she’s only been street painting for almost 19 years, Jennifer Ripassa, from Eastvale, CA has been creating art since she could hold a crayon. She’s a versatile artist, skilled in a variety of mediums including charcoal, pastels, pencils, oils, acrylics... her favorite surface being the pavement. She went to Cal State Fullerton for Graphic Design and Animation, but realized getting her hands “dirty” in paint and chalk were more her style than sitting at a computer, although she still does dabble a bit. Jennifer creates with the desire to inspire and evoke deep emotion.

“I am intrigued by the unknown and I live to love and inspire happiness. If I could paint a smile on everyone's face, I would.”

Erika Lalita Thurkins

Erika Lalita Thurkins first discovered her talent with chalk pastels in college, but fell into the street chalk life quite serendipitously many years later when filling in for a co-worker at a festival in New York. After several years participating, she realized it had become her passion and learned of the wider world of professional chalking. She began traveling out of the Buffalo, NY area as a professional in 2018 throughout the country’s festival circuit and quickly grew national acclaim for her vivid and dynamic renderings. She does chalk work for various East Coast events and venues as well as commissions for murals and private collections as Sylph Art Studios. She currently resides in Western Pennsylvania and travels for chalk as often as possible, better still with her son in tow.

Carrie Dziabczenko

Carrie Dziabczenko is an artist based out of Fort Worth Texas. Carrie has been creating chalk murals and street painting since 2014. Carrie embraces a whimsical contemporary style capturing beauty and curiosity using both people and animals as hey primary subjects.

Annmarie Geniusz

Annmarie Geniusz is a professional artist, creating in many different mediums. She is best known for her published botanical illustrations, and award winning large scale chalk murals at festivals. She graduated suma cum laude, with a B.A. in Studio Art and Geology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She is a Canadian-American indigenous artist of Cree-Metis descent. She has recently moved to Minneapolis, after spending most of her life in Duluth. She is married with a fine fleet of feline children.

Mike Larson

Mike has been creating chalk art with his 4 kids and other neighborhood children for many years before discovering his calling for chalk art festivals in 2012. Ever since, Mike has taken part - along with his family - in multiple events yearly across the midwest. The fleeting nature of chalk art is freeing; Mike enjoys getting away and focusing fully on creating and sharing art with crowds over the course of a couple days. Receiving recognition for a creative passion is a bonus. With a lifelong interest in artistic pursuits, Mike has a BFA in graphic design from Iowa State University and is a creative director and UX strategist/designer by trade. Mike also enjoys cartooning, painting, oil pastels and other assorted mediums. Other interests include cooking, walking, gardening and playing board or video games. He also has a whole herd of guinea pigs that entertain his family and keep him company while working.

Allina Molinaro

Allina Molinaro has always had a passion for art. However, it wasn’t until she stumbled upon a chalk festival in her college town a decade ago that she discovered a love for this unique medium. Since then, Allina has chalked her mark in all sorts of places including state fairs, museums, local business, and other chalk festivals across the country Now based in Cleveland, Ohio, Allina is thrilled to be back for her third year at the Maple Grove Chalkfest!

Claire Olson

Claire Olson is a 27-year old artist from St. Michael, Minnesota with a BA in Music and Studio Art from Lake Forest College. She has been creating large chalk works at home since age 15, her first work being the cover art of the band Fun.'s debut album “Aim & Ignite." She has participated in Chalkfest since 2017, with most of her work being inspired by music. She won first place in the amateur division in 2017, 2018, and 2019 with portraits of David Bowie, Janelle Monáe, and Marsha P. Johnson respectively. Claire also used her chalk drawing skills for promotional purposes during her internship for the Chicago radio station WKQX in the fall of 2019.

Allison Severson

LeAnna Wurzer

Just a small town girl Livin' in a lonely world She took the midnight plane goin’ to the art fair Not a city boy She’s never been to South Detroit She took the midnight plane goin’ to the art fair A painter in a messy room Turpentine is a cheap perfume For a smile she can share her light It glows on and on and on and on Strangers watchin’ Up and down the boulevard Their shadows blockin’ the sunlight Streetart, people Livin' just to chalk emotion Tryin’ not to use too much white Workin' hard for the big reveal Everybody wants a thrill Usin' any tool to be precise Just a little more time Some'll win, some will lose Some are born to use the brightest hues Talk about stick figures never ends It goes on and on and on and on Strangers waitin' Up and down the boulevard Their shadows blockin' the sunlight Streetart, people Livin' just to draw emotion Tryin’ not to use too much white Don't stop believin' Hold on to that feelin' Streetart, people Don't stop believin' Hold on Streetart, people Don't stop believin' Hold on to that feelin' Streetart, people

Student Artists

Elarie Watts

Elarie Watts is a 14-year-old emerging artist and student at Kaleidoscope Charter School in Otsego. Her love for drawing began as soon as she could hold a pen, and over the years it has grown into a passion for large-scale chalk art that brings creativity into public spaces. For the past four years, Elarie has been creating chalk art at her school, developing her skills and discovering the joy of live, temporary artwork. She is excited to return for her third year at ChalkFest, where she enjoys learning from others and continuing to grow as a young artist.

Jacey Engel

Proud middle school chalked learning the ropes from my Dad the leader of the chalk bandits Jake Engel. We love where the chalk adventures take us. We get better with each drawing Iand I think I’m ready to do my own this year.

Amateur Artists

Allison Witzmann

Rachel Gavin

Rachel is a artist from Anoka, MN. With a degree in medical illustration, she works across a wide range of mediums and considers herself a multidisciplinary artist. Rachel currently works as a UI designer but still finds joy in creating traditional art work. After her first year at Chalkfest, she's excited to return to the pavement, continue exploring larger scale pieces and share her work once again with the Chalkfest community.

Jake Engel

Leader of the the Chalk Bandits. We love making people smile with our artwork. It brings us great joy making temporary tattoos for the world

Autumn Zaehringer

Autumn is a self-taught artist, they have honed their skills across various mediums, including chalk, grayscale, digital, and ink. Since 2017, they have participated in numerous chalk art events, earning recognition as a traveling and award-winning chalk artist. Their work has been widely exhibited and celebrated, including receiving the ‘Excellence of Arts (Visual Arts)’ award from The Gazette newspaper. Recently, they contributed to Herky on Parade, Iowa’s largest public art installation, by painting a themed 6-foot University of Iowa mascot statue.

Bennet Sellner

Bennett is an 8th grader and loves sharing his art with others. He started his chalk art journey in 2022. Although colored pencil is Bennett's prefered medium, he loves exploring other mediums and learning new techniques. Bennett is also an avid fisherman, car enthusiast, and loves to cook. Bennett loves hanging out with friends and family and taking care of his bearded dragon, Hagrid. Bennett has a great sense of humor, loves talking to others and meeting new people (he definitely inherited the trait of "not knowing a stranger" from both his Grandpas!)

Jennifer Joseph

Jennifer Joseph is a Minnesota born emerging chalk artist who has participated in several chalk festivals including; Clearwater Chalktoberfest, Safety Harbor Bloom N' Chalkfest, Let's Chalk Monticello and the Maple Grove Chalkfest. Jennifer enjoys the engagement of perspective and interaction with large chalk pieces.

Emma Larson

Emma has been taking part in chalking events yearly since starting in 2013 at the age of 5. Emma has taken part in events across Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Wisconsin. In the past three years alone, she has competed in 28 chalk events, winning awards at 15 of them. Her favorite thing to chalk is realistic dogs but has been expanding that into people as well. If you are visiting with a four legged friend, stop by and say hi! Emma also enjoys working with graphite, colored pencils, acrylic paint, and soft pastels. Emma is a graduate of Linn Mar High School in Marion 2025, is attending Kirkwood Community College Currently and will be transferring to Iowa state University in the Fall of 2026 majoring in Psychology.