{"id":4864,"date":"2026-08-17T11:52:41","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T15:52:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cedarkeyartscenter.org\/?p=4864"},"modified":"2026-08-17T11:52:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T15:52:41","slug":"archived-press-releases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cedarkeyartscenter.org\/?p=4864","title":{"rendered":"Archived Press Releases"},"content":{"rendered":"

Press Archives<\/h1>\n
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Tammy Archer<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Sebring, Florida<\/strong><\/p>\n

2021 Old Florida Design Contest Winner<\/strong><\/p>\n

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About Tammy Archer<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tammy Archer was born and raised in a small country town in New York. Tammy has been developing her artistic skills and talents since early childhood. In 2003, her strong desire to create artwork and entrepreneurial spirit led Tammy to turn her art into a full-time passion and small business. She began selling her artworks at art festivals in New York and online. In just 5 years, Tammy sold over 1200 paintings on Ebay. After moving to Florida in 2008, Tammy opened her art studio and gallery in Sebring. Tammy loves fishing and being outdoors, taking in all of what Mother Nature has to offer. This is evidenced and reflected in her artwork\u2019s signature style of bringing ideas to life with vibrant colors and bold lines. Being a self-taught and self-represented artist has given Tammy the freedom to experiment and express herself through several techniques and mediums, including oils, acrylics, gouaches, inks, fabric and paper, and her favorite \u2013 watercolors. Tammy is always thinking of her next original creation, daring to be different and taking her work to new levels. She has won several awards for her whimsical designs and her bright, vibrant colors. Tammy Archer\u2019s work can be found in private and business collections throughout the USA and Worldwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n

www.cedarkeyartscenter.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Amber M Moran
\nWatercolor and Ink Artist
\n www.AmberMMoran.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n\u201cClam Shack\u201d
\n<\/b> Click HERE for News Release<\/a>
\n<\/u> Thanks to all the artists who entered this year\u2019s Design Contest.\u00a0 There were over 40 entries in response to the theme \u201cIn Love with Cedar Key.\u201d And exhibit of the submitted artwork will be at the Cedar Key Arts Center in February.\u00a0 Come see all the GREAT entries!<\/p>\n

Out of the Way but Worth the Journey<\/strong><\/p>\n

Historic Cedar Key is a unique Florida community. Located, at the end of State Road 24 on the Gulf Coast of Florida, 60 miles SW of Gainesville visitors do not discover Cedar Key because they are passing through on their way to another destination. Instead, they usually have to plan to journey the extra twenty-four miles past the tiny town Otter Creek, down a road that looks like it is going to nowhere to discover this community\u2019s beauty and charm.<\/p>\n

The full-time population of Cedar Key has hovered around 750 for the past 100 years. Winter months bring a population boom that increases the population to a whopping 1000. It is a small town of smiles and waves as residents and visitors meet one another on the streets and sidewalks. Supported by a vibrant aquaculture industry producing delicious clams and oysters, as well as welcoming those who enjoy great sport fishing, birding, or the beauty of amazing sunsets, Cedar Key learned long ago the strength of this small town is in the sense of community.<\/p>\n

Through the long history of Cedar Key this small town has endured devastating hurricanes, the challenges of the Civil War, and the radical changes in industries that brought on economic hardships. Through each challenge the sense of community has been proven as the single ingredient to keep the town life vibrant, warm and welcoming to all who cross the bridge entering Cedar Key.<\/p>\n

In addition to bringing high quality, creative and unique art to this small island community, the Spring Arts Festival in Cedar Key, now in its 56th year, supports the community by allowing only local non-profit organizations to sell food and goodies at beachfront City Park during the event. This juried art festival, known as the Old Florida Celebration of the Arts, is coordinated by the Cedar Key Arts Center and has been listed in ArtFairCalendar.com\u2019s Top 10 Art Fairs in America the past three years. This festival attracts some of the best artists in the Southeast and beyond. Each artist, each visitor to Cedar Key, and each volunteer contribute to the strength of the community.<\/p>\n

Your invitation to visit Cedar Key is always open, but there is no better time to come than during the Old Florida Celebration of the Arts, planned for April 4 (10-5) & April 5 (10-4), 2020. Please plan to join us and enjoy what we know to be a unique experience that will have a lasting impact on you. You will not be sorry you traveled those extra miles to this special place on the Hidden Coast. More information at CedaKeyArtsFestival@gmail.com<\/a> (352-543-5400).<\/p>\n

As Reported in the Cedar Key Beacon April 4, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

News Release \u2013 Old Florida Celebration of the Arts, Cedar Key, FL<\/u>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 3\/18\/19<\/strong>
\n \u201cI Could Do That!\u201d<\/u><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Have you ever been in an Art Shop or at an Art Festival and wondered or heard someone say \u201cI could do that?\u201d\u00a0 As someone who works in an artist co-op, I can assure you, we hear it all the time, but most of the time to \u201cdo that\u201d takes a lot more time, talent and trial & error than you think.\u00a0 But, if you are curious, and want to see how high quality artists create, you should plan on attending the Old Florida Celebration of the Arts in Cedar Key next Saturday and Sunday, March 30 (10-5) & 31 (10-4), as over 25 different artists in 8 different medium will be doing demonstrations between 1-4 pm both afternoons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Fiber Artist<\/p>\n

Shoshana Matthews<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Mixed Media Artist<\/p>\n

Nick Ringelstetter<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Alcohol Ink Painter<\/p>\n

Julie Tibus<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Watch as fiber artists Shoshana Matthews (weaver) and Mary Jefferson (basket maker) fashion intricately designed artwork from simple materials.\u00a0 Or, look on as jewelers like Larry Drake and Debbie Stillman, carve delicate designs by hand into their pieces. \u00a0See 3D artwork being formed from metal, stone, and mixed materials by sculptors Isaac Brooks, John Grammer, and Justine Ferreri or appreciate the drawing ability of Nick Alexiades or Leland as they create amazing images right in front of your eyes<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 All along the three block venue, mixed media artists like Nick Ringelstetter and painters like alcohol ink painter Julie Tibus will be working.\u00a0 Take the time to ask questions, get to know the artists and their art, and while you are at it you just might decide you really can\u2019t even begin \u201cto do that\u201d and instead, buy a piece of artwork.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Spring Arts Festival in Cedar Key is in its 55th<\/sup> year. The event has been named in the Top 10 Fine Art Fairs in America the past 3 years by ArtFairCalendar.com.\u00a0 The festival is coordinated by the Cedar Key Arts Center and proceeds benefits the arts center. Great food is prepared and served by local non-profit organizations.\u00a0 Enjoy the music, fun and Children\u2019s Art Booth in beachfront City Park.\u00a0 The event is free, family & pet-friendly, and allows smoking only in designated areas.\u00a0 For more information go to www.cedarkeyartscenter.org<\/a> or call 352-543-5400.<\/p>\n

News Release March 10, 2019: Old Florida Celebration of the Arts, Cedar Key, FL<\/strong>
\n<\/strong> Old, New, Borrowed, Blue<\/strong><\/p>\n

What Makes Cedar Key\u2019s Spring Arts Festival Something Special?<\/u><\/p>\n

The Old Florida Celebration of the Arts in Cedar Key, March 30 & 31, has been listed in the Top 10 Juried Fine Arts Fairs in America the past three years by ArtFairCalendar.com. What makes this festival, which is now in its 55th<\/sup> year, something special?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Perhaps it is because the event attracts both \u201cold\u201d and \u201cnew\u201d artists. Last year\u2019s winning artists Gabriel Isaac, Best of Show, and Susan Dauphinee, Best 2D, are good examples of this dichotomy.\u00a0 Like about half of the artists each year, Isaac, a ceramic artist from Deland, FL was new to Cedar Key in 2018.\u00a0 While, local favorite and long-time resident, Susan Dauphinee, now of Banford, FL, returned for another year.\u00a0 In 2019 the festival received over 260 applications for its 120 booths, resulting in a high-quality mix of artists in multiple disciplines, both \u201cold\u201d and \u201cnew\u201d with about1\/3 being from outside of Florida.<\/p>\n

Or maybe it is because of the uniqueness and creativity of the artwork found at the event. Discovering how art evolves over the years, seeing how techniques like photography and painting are \u201cborrowing\u201d from each other to create new artistic expressions or realizing how mixed media artists cross boundaries, borrowing from different traditional art forms. This year over 20 artists will be doing artwork demonstrations both afternoons between 1-4, including five mixed media artists.<\/p>\n

And of course, in Florida, it\u2019s also always something \u201cblue.\u201d Inspired by the water around us, much of the artwork found at the Cedar Key Spring Arts Festival features our beautiful natural environment and its inhabitants.\u00a0 From paintings and photography to jewelry and sculpture, the art in nature is part of this event. There is no doubt you will find something for your home or something for yourself in Cedar Key.<\/p>\n

So come join us for Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed & Something Blue<\/em>.\u00a0 Saturday, March 30, 10-5 and Sunday, March 31, 10-4.\u00a0 Great food, music and kids art booth in beachfront City Park.\u00a0 The festival is free, smoke-free and pet friendly. For more information got to www.cedarkeyartscenter.org<\/a> or call 352-543-5400.<\/p>\n

Pictures:<\/strong>
\n<\/strong> Gabriel Isaac (2018 Best of Show)
\nSusan Dauphine (2018 Best 2D)<\/p>\n

Striving for Art Fair Excellence<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 News Release December 2018
\nThe Old Florida Celebration of the Arts in Cedar Key, March 30 & 31, 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Have you ever wondered what makes a great Arts Festival?\u00a0 If so, just ask the folks in Cedar Key as their annual Spring Arts Festival was just ranked in the Top 10 Juried Art Fairs in America for the third year in a row in Art Fair Calendar\u2019s annual Survey*. In addition, this art event was recognized as #2 on the list of Favorite Small Town Art Shows.<\/p>\n

When you ask members of the festival committee at the Cedar Key Arts Center, coordinating sponsor for the event, you get a variety of tips that might just add up to why this festival has earned such a great reputation and is respected by artists and festival attendees alike.<\/p>\n

#1. Work to attract high quality and creative fine artists and artisans<\/u>.\u00a0 Since the festival returned to a fine arts event in 2006 the goal has been to identify and attract top artists through a nation-wide application and jury process.\u00a0 Through this process all entries are reviewed by artist peers, scored and only the most qualified artists are invited to this relatively small show that strives to have a balance of disciplines.\u00a0<\/p>\n

#2. Create an inviting atmosphere that encourages engagement between artists and visitors<\/u>.\u00a0 One of the reasons the Old Florida Celebration of the Arts invites only 120 artists is so there is room for Artist Demonstrations and space between booths for artists and patrons to interact. The smaller venue results in a relaxed environment compared to larger Florida art shows.<\/p>\n

#3. Be organized and have great volunteers<\/u>.\u00a0 In this small town of about 800 residents, it is simply amazing how many volunteers and businesses work to make the Spring Arts Festival one of the best.\u00a0 With answers to the question \u201cWhat can we do to improve the festival?\u201d like the one below on the post-event survey, you can see that this \u201cvillage\u201d knows what is doing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t think of anything. The show was very well run. Everyone \u2013 staff, volunteers, even the motel staff, cared about the show. It\u2019s refreshing to see so many people who are interested in not just the show but the artists. I loved the show and the town. Thank you!\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The 2019 Old Florida Celebration of the Arts in Cedar Key will be Saturday, March 30 (10-5) and Sunday, March 31 (10-4).\u00a0 Demonstrations 1-4pm.\u00a0 Prize winners are announced Saturday night at a special Artist Reception so consider coming on Sunday to see who won.\u00a0 Enjoy Great Food, prepared by local non-profit groups, live music and the popular Cedar Key Arts Center\u2019s Children\u2019s Art Booth in Beachfront City Park. The event is free, family & pet friendly with smoking\/vaping allowed only in designated areas. \u00a0For more information go to CedarKeyArtsFestival@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

*The America\u2019s Best Art Fairs Awards are based on online voting by art fair patrons, collectors, organizers, and artists both regionally and nationally.\u00a0 It is the only national survey of art fairs and festivals designed to recognize achievement in art fair event production and promote the cultural importance of fine art events across America.\u00a0 Please visit http:\/\/www.BestArtFairs.com<\/a> for the complete list of Best Art Fair Award winners for 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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LOCAL ARTISTS WINS FESTIVAL DESIGN CONTEST!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cedar Key, Florida
\nOctober 2019<\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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With a Design Contest theme like \u201cThe Cedar Key Arts Center Celebrates 25 Year of Promoting the Arts in our Community\u201d it just seems fitting that the honors go to a well-known Cedar Key Artist and Arts Center Member. Congratulations to Ann Kamzelski, 2019 Old Florida Celebration of the Arts Design Contest winner.<\/p>\n

This year artists were asked to submit \u201cconcept\u201d designs for a new Arts Center Logo based on the above Design Contest Theme.\u00a0 Ann\u2019s classic Cedar Key Sunset was chosen from artwork submitted by 12 different artists.\u00a0 Variations of the logo will be used in 2019 Old Florida Celebration of the Arts promotions and will serve as an icon for the Cedar Key Arts Center in years to come. The design is reminiscent of Ann\u2019s Artwork submitted in 2014 to celebrate the 50th<\/sup> Anniversary of the Spring Arts Festival in Cedar Key.\u00a0 The theme that year was \u201cHomage to the Honeymoon Cottage\u201d and Ann\u2019s design was chosen for the mural that now faces the Arts Center Sculpture Garden.<\/p>\n

Ann Kamzelski is self-taught photographer who has focused on nature and travel photography for over 25 years. She has traveled extensively around the US taking photos of scenic areas across the country. She also likes the creative side of photography and blends several different photos to create whimsical images that she sells in Island Arts, a local Cedar Key Artist Co-op.<\/p>\n

In addition to being a featured artists in the Member Artist\u2019s Gallery at the Arts Center, Ann has won several awards in the Arts Center\u2019s Open Community Shows over the past 10 years since becoming a member.\u00a0 She has also taught Art Center workshops, served on served Art Center Committees and been an important member of the Old Florida Celebration of the Arts team since it came under the direction of the Arts Center.<\/p>\n

Ann has been published in Petersen\u2019s Photographic, Travel and Nature Photographer, Birds and Blooms<\/em> and on the Citizens and Northern Bank calendar several times, including the cover for 2011.\u00a0 She has had a number of photo articles published in Mountain Home Magazine and has won several Keystone (Pennsylvania Journalist) awards for this work. She has been the winner of various photography contests in both Pennsylvania and Florida and has had one person gallery shows in both locations.\u00a0 Ann writes a monthly article for the Grand Canyon Photography Club on photo techniques and creative processes.<\/p>\n

For more information: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 http:\/\/CedarKeyArtsCenter.org\/<\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 https:\/\/cedarkeyartscenter.org\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Top 10 Again
\n2018 Old Florida Celebration of the Arts
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The Old Florida Celebration of the Arts (OFCA) was once again named one of the Top 10 Juried Art Fairs in America in the ArtFairCalendar.com annual survey. That\u2019s top 102, a 100 more reasons to attend this year\u2019s celebration March 24 & 25. The OFCA has also received, for the 3x in the last four years, national recognition as one of the Top 5 Small Town Art Shows. Sums up traveling to the tiny Gulf Coast town of Cedar Key for the 54th Annual Spring Arts Festival a trip worth a 1000 times over.<\/p>\n

EXPERIENCE OLD FLORIDA IN AN INTIMATE VENUE<\/strong>
\n120 artists invited to the OFCA are selected by an experienced jury. Mass produced items or country crafts are not favored so that the artwork for sale \u2014 traditional 2D paintings, prints, and photography in addition to 3D ceramic, glass, wood, metal and mixed media sculpture \u2014 is finely and uniquely crafted with demonstrations scheduled for both days. Limiting the number of artists leaves room for a relaxed layout, notably more intimate from larger events that often host 250-300 artists and thousands more visitors.<\/p>\n

When you cross the bridge onto the islands of Cedar Key, 60 miles SW of Gainesville at the end of State Road 24, you are transported to what is truly nature\u2019s coast. In this working coastal town locally grown and harvested oysters and clams are the main fare in downtown restaurants.<\/p>\n

On festival weekend, don\u2019t pass up a tasty line up hosted by the Lions Club, who also arranges live music. Food sale proceeds in the park go to local, non-profit organizations.<\/p>\n

ART-FILLED COMMUNITY, LOCAL AND AWARD-WINNING ARTISTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Before hosting one of Florida\u2019s first fine arts festivals in 1964, Cedar Key was already a haven for artists inspired by its quiet, natural beauty. That beauty remains to this day along with a thriving reputation as a destination for artists and art enthusiasts. Each year this event attracts award-winning, local, new and emerging artists. This year welcomes 2018 OFCA Design Contest winners Miriam Novak of Gainesville, Cedar Key Art Festival participant for over 15 years, and newcomer Clint Eagar of Rosa Beach FL. In addition, returning award winning artists include Michael Everett (2017 Best of Show), Jean Yao (2017 Best 3D & 2016 Creativity Award), and local favorite, Susan Dauphinee (Awards of Excellence 2014, 2016 & 2017).<\/p>\n

A TOP TEN COOLEST SMALL TOWN, TOO<\/strong><\/p>\n

Experience one of the best art festivals in America during the 2018 Old Florida Celebration of the Arts March 24 (10-5) and 25 (10-4) in one of \u201cAmerica\u2019s Coolest Small Towns\u201d (Budget Traveler). The friendliness and hospitality of cool Cedar Key squared with this top ten festival, makes it a trip worth a thousand times over!<\/p>\n

March 24 (10-5) & March 25 (10-4), Historic 2nd Street
\nContact:<\/strong> CedarKeyArtsFestival@gmail.com; 352-543-5400 www.mnovack.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Clint\u2019s career took off soon after graduation, when his talents were recognized by production art company based out of Miami with retail galleries in Florida and Texas and he was given the opportunity to open his own Design Studio in Dallas, which was followed by work with Frontline Graphics and Figi Graphics in California. As a graphic design artist his work became popular around the world and at the age of 23 he established his own Design Consulting Firm in Taiwan designing, manufacturing and distributing gifts. After returning to the US in the mid-90\u2019s his work expanded to Industrial Design Products where he designed and distributed for familiar names such as Disney, Kirkland, JC Penny, and Pier I and most recently worked with Golf and Fitness designing training aids for large sporting retail stores like Sports Authority and Dick\u2019s Sporting Goods.<\/p>\n

Several years ago, Clint decided it was time to step away from Production Art and \u201creturn to his roots.\u201d\u00a0 He has opened a studio in Santa Rosa Beach ( www.cedarkeyartscenter.org<\/a> or contact us at CedarKeyArtsFestival@gmail.com<\/p>\n

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Old Florida Celebration of the Arts Receives National Recognition<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

In Art Fair Calendar\u2019s 4th Annual National Survey Cedar Key\u2019s Spring Art Festival was voted one of the \u201cTop Ten Best Art Fairs in America.\u201d It was also listed as one of the top five \u201cFavorite Small Town Art Fairs.\u201d This is the second time that the Old Florida Celebration of the Arts has received national recognition in the past several years.\u00a0 In 2014, the event was named one of the Top 50 Art Fairs in America and was also listed as one of the Top 5 Small Town Juried Art Shows.<\/p>\n

Cedar Key\u2019s Spring Arts Festival, which was started in 1964, is one of the oldest in the State of Florida. In the mid-1970\u2019s it became so popular that a reported 35-50,000 visitors nearly ended the event because it was just too much for the small town of 850.\u00a0 By the late 1990\u2019s the festival had become more of a craft fair but in 2006, local artists and community leaders decided that the format should return to a juried event with the vision of hosting a top quality small fine art show and the festival was renamed the Old Florida Celebration of the Arts.<\/p>\n

The 2017 event, coordinated by the Cedar Key Arts Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to nurture and promote the arts, is planned for April 8 & 9, 10am -5pm.\u00a0 A record number of artists have applied, but only 120 fine artists and craftsmen will be invited.\u00a0 Unlike larger shows, space is left between booths for art demonstrations with room for artists and patrons to interact.\u00a0 On-line survey comments about the festival tell it all \u2014 \u201cSmall town \u2013 great artists; beautiful location.\u201d \u201cIt is authentic old Florida, and has some of the best art I have seen.\u201d \u201cThe locals support this show.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt is small and personal with juried fine arts. It\u2019s a lovely little community and the show is fun to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

The America\u2019s Best Art Fairs Awards are based on online voting by art fair patrons, collectors, organizers, and artists both regionally and nationally.\u00a0The survey, sponsored by ArtFairCalendar.com, is the only national survey of art fairs and festivals designed to recognize achievement in art fair event production and promote the cultural importance of fine art events across America.\u00a0 For a complete list of winners or to find out more about the subscriber\u2019s survey visit www.cedarkeyartscenter.org<\/a> or call 352-543-5400.<\/p>\n

2017 Old Florida Design Contest Winner \u2013 Judi Cain<\/strong><\/p>\n

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When you walk into the Gainesville Artisan\u2019s Guild Gallery or the Keyhole Artist Co-op in Cedar Key and see the paintings of Judi Cain, the 2017 Old Florida Celebration of the Arts Design Contest winner, you can\u2019t help but notice a boundless, perhaps even psychedelic, energy in her artwork depicting people, pets, wildlife and nature. And, if she happens to be working at the desk the day you are there you may be lucky enough to connect with this women who not only enjoys what she does but embodies the \u201cjoy of living.\u201d But, it hasn\u2019t always been that way\u2026.<\/p>\n

Judi had no formal training in art until high school art classes but her ability to \u201ccopy just about anything,\u201d including creating pencil portraits of her friends from their school pictures in grade school and drawing elegant clothing for paper dolls, led her to consider fashion design as a possible art career. However, coming from a small town in the Midwest, options for this sort of education were few, and she ended up finishing her undergraduate degree with a triple major in Art, Home Economics and Teaching from SE Missouri State College and began teaching art in the public school system.
\nBut, this was the 70\u2019s, and after meeting and later marrying a man who had no art education but \u201cinnate artistic ability and endless creativity,\u201d she \u201cran away\u201d with him in their VW van and became part of a group of traveling \u201cmall artists.\u201d The Mall Circuit took them all over the country and ultimately to Gainesville where they settled in 1980. As her husband\u2019s art career took off and they started a family, Judi put her own art on the back burner. Together, they took their talent, love of Halloween, costume making and mall art experience and became the primary providers of hand-made and commercial costumes in North Florida, running the legendary Center Stage Costume and Magic Shop in Gainesville for three decades.<\/p>\n

Throughout this time, although she continued to do mostly commissioned portrait work, Judi never considered herself a \u201creal artist,\u201d as she felt that she was still just copying what she saw, not creating something from somewhere deep within like she saw in her husband\u2019s work. It was not until living through a life crisis that resulted in the loss of their business, his career, and their marriage that Judi, on her own for the first time in 35 years, decided \u201cthere were no more excuses\u201d and she was not going to let what happen break her.<\/p>\n

Determined to find her inner creative ability, Judi started by spending 15-30 minutes every morning with her colored pencils and \u201cjust drawing.\u201d Eventually, at the encouragement of her daughter, she went outside her comfort zone and started to use acrylic paints. She still remembers the day when her \u201cego mind shut up and the energy began to flow.\u201d She had decided to just squirt all her paints on a huge 30\u201d x 40\u201d canvas and then, using her lovingly cared for 30-year old brush, began to see something and do something she\u2019d never done before. For the first time she was painting not just from knowledge and what she saw but from intuition and a boundless energy that now drives her work.<\/p>\n

As soon as she read the theme for the 2017 Old Florida Celebration of the Arts Festival Design Contest, It\u2019s All About the Water, Judi knew it was something special for her and what she had come to call her \u201cCreative Energy Paintings.\u201d Water, and everything about it became the focus of her artistic mediations. Once again going outside her box, she experimented with Golden Liquid Acryllics (recently received as a prize) and Aqua Board (believe it or not), and she \u201clet the paint tell her what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her painting entitled Water was chosen from 40 entries for the 2017 design contest. In it, you will see something different each time you look at it. If you look closely, you will also see that it doesn\u2019t quite fit into the frame and you might think that was a mistake on our part. But, when you ask Judi about it she makes it clear that this was intentional. \u201cI don\u2019t like to confine my work to a set space. If I do, it means my ego-mind is in control. I want my art to be limitless, beyond boundaries, so that it embodies our connectedness to all that is and all the energy around us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2017 Old Florida Celebration of the Arts is planned for Saturday and Sunday, April 8 & 9 in Cedar Key, Florida. In its 53rd year, the annual spring arts festival in the small Gulf Coast Community has received national recognition as one of the top small juried arts shows in America. For more information go to www.cedarkeyartscenter.org.<\/p>\n

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2016 Featured Artists<\/strong><\/p>\n

Featured Artist Diana Tonnesson<\/strong><\/p>\n

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I am a Gainesville, Florida-based printmaker whose hand-carved, hand-pulled and handcolored linoleum block prints celebrate the sign artistry and architecture of the midcentury motel, an icon of American car culture of the 1930s-1960s. I recently added a line of mid-century era travel trailers and classic cars to my work, and when I considered how to approach the theme of this year\u2019s design competition, Vintage Cedar Key, I couldn\u2019t resist working up an image of The Sunset Isle Motel & RV Park. This place incorporated both of my themes into one unforgettable sign, and its location along State Road 24 in Low Key has established it as a cultural icon for the island. I stopped and took a picture of the sign as I was headed back to Gainesville after participating in last year\u2019s Old Cedar Key Festival of the Arts for the first time as an artist. At the time, I had no idea what I was going to do with the photo of the sign. I just knew I had to have it.
\nAlthough I live and work in Gainesville, Cedar Key has been a favorite weekend getaway for me since I came to the University of Florida as an undergraduate in the mid-1970s. This island fishing village nestled on the Gulf of Mexico reminds me of the rural Old Florida towns I visited as a child and the quaint seaside resorts I\u2019ve lived near for my entire my life.
\nThe medium I use, block printing, is the oldest form of fine art printmaking. From carving the block to pulling a print through a hand-cranked press to applying color with a paintbrush, each of my linoleum block prints is made entirely by hand using archival-quality papers, inks and paints. Each signed and numbered print in an edition is considered an original work of art. Combining whimsical compositions with luminescent colors and the rustic texture of the linocut, my intention is to create a dreamlike quality to these prints, much like the dreams of the idyllic vacation we carry with us when we travel. Of course, those dreams soon are dissipated by some of the harsher realities of a stay at a roadside inn or in a tin can-sized trailer: Cramped quarters. Lumpy mattresses. Highway noise. \u2018No Vacancy\u2019 signs.
\nAre we there yet?
\nAbout the artist:
\nI am a print journalist-turned-fine-art-printmaker who learned the art of creating linoleum block prints in 2011, after I was assigned to write a magazine article about Gainesville, Florida-based artist and printmaker Leslie Peebles. Leslie\u2019s intricately detailed linocuts depicting Florida\u2019s natural beauty reminded me of the woodcuts and linocuts used to illustrate many of the books I read as a child. Leslie taught me how to carve and pull a print. My own linoleum block prints are inspired by the rich natural beauty and unique cultural heritage of Florida, preserved in it\u2019s flora and fauna, it\u2019s historic structures, and it\u2019s cultural memorabilia.
\nMy work has been exhibited at the Melrose Bay Art Gallery, the Thornebrook Gallery in Gainesville, the Appleton Museum in Ocala, and at numerous juried festivals around the state. Recognitions and awards include a Purchase Award at the April 2015 Old Florida Celebration of the Arts in Cedar Key, an Award of Recognition at the November 2014 DeLand Festival of the Arts, and a Best of Show at a judged exhibit sponsored by the Gainesville Fine Arts Association in 2013.
\nI am a member of the Melrose Bay Art Gallery, the Gainesville Fine Arts Association, and the Artisans\u2019, Guild Gallery in Gainesville. See samples of my work at www.FloridianaStudios.com or at Floridiana Studios on Facebook.
\nContact Information for Diana Tonnessen
\nFloridiana Studios
\nPhone: 352-665-9331
\nFloridianaStudios@gmail.com
\nwww.floridianastudios.com<\/p>\n

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Featured Artist David Mack<\/strong><\/p>\n

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David F. Mack received a BS from Morgan State, MFA from the MD Institute College of Art, and an advance Diploma from US Army Command and General Staff College. Known as The ClayMacker, David is a member of the North Tampa Art League, Florida CraftArt, National Council on Education for The Ceramic Arts (NCECA), and The NFL Players Assoc. (free agent Washington Redskins-71). David is a retired art teacher from three major school districts (Baltimore City, Las Vegas, and Pasco County). A former college adjunct art professor, David taught ceramics at Essex Community College, MD, and St. Petersburg College, Clearwater, FL. He is also a military veteran, and retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, USA.
\nFor more than 50 years, David Mack has worked in clay, and made the wheel his tool of choice. Retiring from teaching in 2004 and relocating to Florida, David has been an active exhibition clay artist in FL, and has conduct ceramic workshops for Baltimore City and Pinellas County art teachers, Morgan State and Bethune Cookman Univ. David Mack received national recognition as a copresenter and contributor at two NCECA conferences in Tampa, FL-2010 ( Lecture: Ceramic Art as Able Art\u201d, International Collaboration with Art Center at Hana, Nara City, Japan): and Milwaukee, WI- 2014 Conference (\u201cDavid Drake, Potter, Poet, Slave\u201d), presented by author Leonard Todd.
\nDavid\u2019s recent clay creations represent wheel thrown hollow donut forms sculptured to create \u201cAnimal Teapots- Lions, Tigers, and Bears\u2026Oh My\u201d! These animals teapots is a testament to David\u2019s legacy to always keep evolving as a clay artist. However, David\u2019s signature trademark remains his Heritage Vessel Collection consisting of wheel thrown vessels transformed into distinguish \u201cPeople of Color\u201d. Such as, Dr. Charles Drew, Bessie Coleman, Augusta Savage, Harriet Tubman, Elijah McCoy, and more than 35 others (see: www.fineartamerica.com). David Mack considers himself a folk artist with an academic background. He questions those academic critics who believes a \u201cFolk Artist\u201d can not be school trained. David believes that his diverse ethnic background, cultural experiences, and changing environment are factors to qualify a folk artist. According to David, \u201cthe people, animals, places, and things that I interact with all play a major role in the creation and production of my artworks\u201d.
\nIn conclusion, David\u2019s success would not be possible without the support, guidance, and inspiration from his wife, partner, and inspirational collaborator, Linda Mack.<\/p>\n

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Featured Artist Ernest Lee<\/strong><\/p>\n

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At a young age in Virginia, Ernest was hit by a car causing seizures. His mom, as a military wife, felt ill-equipped to care for him. His grandmother began raising him at her home in North Carolina. She encouraged him continuously in his artistic gift. He tried to get better every day until one evening he felt he had gotten a drawing right. His enjoyment of learning history in school led him to draw Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. as some of his very first pieces. After high school, Ernest wanted to join the military and see the world, but Grandma said art school was where he should focus his efforts, even though money struggles only allowed him enough to attend for 2 years.
\nErnest has won several prestigious awards including twice the Best of Show, Gainesville 5th Avenue Festival, the Award of Excellence in Cedar Key, which is one of his favorite shows. Additionally, he has won awards in the Longwood Art Show, been the Featured Artist in Pine Castle (Orlando), won the Matheson Museum Art Contest, and the Stetson Kennedy Fellowman, Mother Earth Award.
\nErnest is currently teaching art in a charter school in Gainesville, as he has done in Apalachicola and other schools in Florida. He teaches the children different techniques and helps them learn how to express themselves through their paintings. Some of their recent paintings were featured in a local paper in Gainesville.
\nErnest feels honored when people share their family history with him and ask him to preserve their memories through his painting. He strives to include all the important details in the painting and capture everything in the painting that they have shared with him. Many of his paintings include old country homes and churches.
\nErnest enjoys painting Florida\u2019s waterways which is represented in the painting \u201cGrandpa and Me\u201d. His grandpa often gave Ernest history lessons and in this painting, you can almost hear his Grandpa saying to his grandson, \u201cTell me what you know about Cedar Key\u2026\u201d as together, they admire the beautiful golden sky, with warm orange waters.<\/p>\n

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Thanks All Around<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Cedar Key Arts Center and Old Florida Celebration of the Arts Working Committee would like to thank everyone who made the 51st Annual Spring Arts Festival last weekend a success.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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