2024 DESIGN CONTEST WINNER2024 January 9
Nancy Connors from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, has been named the winner of the 2024 Old Florida Celebration of the Arts Design Contest. Over two dozen entries in a variety of mediums were submitted in response to this year’s theme, Feathered Friends. Although the decision was not easy, the Old Florida Celebration of the Arts Working Committee chose Nancy’s piece, Blue Heron, because they felt it best represented the theme and the small island community of Cedar Key, in addition to being the perfect choice for promoting the festival April 6 & 7, 2024.
Although Nancy always enjoyed drawing, she admits that she never really had time in her busy career as a Box Office Manager in South Florida to commit to artwork until after she “retired” following her husband’s decision to take a new job in Michigan in 2012. After five years up north, and many, many hours drawing, Nancy had become a popular and award-winning festival participant before returning to Florida in 2017.In addition to being active in the Art Community in New Smyrna Beach where she and her husband now live, Nancy participates in 20 art shows in Florida every year and has continued to receive recognition and awards for her carefully researched and painstakingly detailed pen and ink drawings, inspired by her love of ocean life. Color is often added with acrylics or water color pencils, but her passion is depicting the intricacies of nature in her drawings. More of Nancy’s work can be viewed on her website at www.inkspotart.net.
The Cedar Key Arts Center, coordinating sponsor for the fine arts festival each spring, will also be hosting an Open Community Exhibit in February 2024 that will feature the other artwork submitted for the Feathered Friends Design Contest, in addition to other entries in all medium. For more information about the exhibit go to CedarKeyArtsCenter.org. For information about the festival go to www.CedarKeyArtsFestival.com. Posters, postcards, and T-shirts with Nancy’s design will be available after the first of the year.
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