Massapequa High School senior Mattie Krakoff’s work has been featured in numerous school art shows and even the All-County exhibition. But it’s his recent selection to a show hosted by the Huntington Arts Council that has truly validated his work as a serious artist.
Mattie’s digital art piece, “Ceremorphosis,” is being displayed in a show at the Main Street Gallery in Huntington from Oct. 20 to Nov. 12. The “Nightmare on Main Street” exhibit features Halloween-inspired work from student artists in grades 6-12.
“When I heard about it, I wanted to apply because it tends to go with my art style that is darker and horror based,” Mattie said. “It felt amazing because it’s one of the first times where I submitted a piece and it got chosen.”
Mattie has long been interested in art. His mother, Patti Krakoff, is an art teacher in the Massapequa School District. In art classes at Lockhart Elementary School and Berner Middle School, he honed his craft before taking Studio in Art as a ninth grader, followed by 3D Art in 10th grade. As a junior, he took Advanced Placement Art and Design and “Ceremorphosis” was one of his portfolio pieces. Last year’s portfolio theme was based on mental health and the double-edged sword of coping mechanisms.
While his junior year portfolio featured a lot of digital work, Mattie has rediscovered a joy of working with traditional art materials, and expects his senior portfolio to feature many drawing and painting projects. His talents allowed him to take AP Art again this year with teacher Paul Leone, and Mattie’s portfolio theme is on punk ideologies applied to present-day politics.
Mattie’s earned induction into the high school’s National Art Honor Society as well as acceptance into the Savannah College of Art and Design. He has already committed to the film and audio program, and aspires to a career in audio production, which “takes a different type of creativity,” he said.
Art, Mattie said, will continue to remain an important part of his future as a place of respite.
Mattie and other artists in the Nightmare on Main Street show will be recognized at a reception on Oct. 27. He is still in disbelief that his work was chosen, but is greatly honored that the judging artists thought highly of his piece.
“Once I see it up on the wall,” he said, “it will feel like more of an accomplishment.”
–Submitted by the Massapequa School District
