Art & Artistry

Dr. Ha'ani Hogan is a paper flower artist, arts administrator, and technology scholar. Flowers have played a prominent role in her life for as long as she can remember. Hailing from the island of Guam, flowers are integral components of the way they celebrate, honor, and commemorate. Flowers are culturally utilized on a spectrum, ranging from daily wear to extravagant, ceremonial pieces. Dr. Hogan grew up wearing flowers and still endeavors to incorporate them into her everyday life.

Dr. Hogan proposes to build a larger-than-life garden made of paper flowers. The garden installation will consist of 25 flowers ranging from three feet to seven feet tall. The 25 flowers represent the 25 fantastic years of the Orlando Arts (Now Artistry) Magazine. Each flower will be made of paper and foam. They will stand on PVC pipe stems placed into concrete bases. Dr. Hogan will incorporate the covers of the 149 different issues into the flowers. This garden will feature multiple types of flowers including daisies, roses, pansies, dandelions, dahlias, etc. They will do their best to select paper colors that match the magazine cover colors. The flowers are built heavy enough so that they stay in place, but light enough so that they can be moved to best fit the location.

Njeri Kinuthia, originally from Kenya, pursued Fashion Design for her Bachelor’s. She moved to the U.S. for her MFA funded by the Provost's Fellowship. Her work has received recognition through awards such as the Éclat Law Prize. Njeri has exhibited in various shows, including an ongoing solo exhibition at Snap! Gallery, and in Norway. Njeri is an art educator at UCF and makes artwork that highlights women’s oppression.

Entitled "Mama," this 9 ft tall installation celebrates motherhood and diversity using brightly colored fabrics representing various Orlando cultures. The sculpture, a larger-than-life figure with open arms, serves as an inviting and inclusive symbol. The dress, made from a patchwork of fabrics, also functions as a fort for children to sit inside with 25 pillows commemorating 25 years of the Orlando Arts (now Artistry) Magazine inside it. A lantern provides a comfy ambiance and the subject, adorned with a headwrap and jewelry, symbolizes beauty, strength, and unity. This interactive installation, visible from all sides, promotes cultural diversity, inclusion, and female empowerment in a public indoor setting, easily movable to different locations.

Kellie Delaney is a former pastry chef with ten years of experience who made the decision to pursue art full-time. Her days are dedicated to spending time with her three-year-old, while her nights are devoted to painting. Kellie actively participates in local markets and oddity events where she offers her prints for sale. Kellie has undertaken numerous significant projects, including the creation of five murals around Orlando.

Kellie Delaney has integrated five magazine covers into a cohesive composition, fusing elements from "The Garden of Eden" for the pose, "Alice in Wonderland" for the Mad Hatter, and an apple serving as a skull as a subtle homage to Shakespeare's "Hamlet" (with references to multiple Shakespeare covers). The background is inspired by the imagery of the man with the tea face and the building. To maintain a focus on the vibrant and colorful foreground, she intends to render the background in monochromatic tones. Her artistic style is characterized by its use of exceptionally bright and vivid colors. This will be a large painting.

Kellie Delaney has integrated the five magazine covers into a cohesive composition, fusing elements from "The Garden of Eden" for the pose, "Alice in Wonderland" for the Mad Hatter, and an apple serving as a skull as a subtle homage to Shakespeare's "Hamlet" (with references to multiple Shakespeare covers). The background is inspired by the imagery of the man with the tea face and the building. To maintain a focus on the vibrant and colorful foreground, Delaney intends to render the background in monochromatic tones. Her artistic style is characterized by its use of exceptionally bright and vivid colors. This will be a large painting.

Maria Custis, originally from Guatemala but raised in the USA, discovered her passion for art in fifth-grade. Since that time, she has explored various art forms, ranging from quilting to painting, predominantly working from her home studio, which consists of a rather chaotic table. Maria serves as an art instructor at Osceola High School. As an art educator, Maria enthusiastically encourages her students to engage in art contests, emphasizing the importance of trying to discover their potential.

The inspiration for the installation draws from Gustav Klimt's "Tree of Life," characterized by a profound appreciation for colors, lines, and intricate patterns. The core concept revolves around the construction of a tree structure. This tree will feature curved branches from which a total of 74 distinct images will hang, each will be double-sided and show two different Orlando Arts Magazines that have been artistically manipulated to align with my unique art style.

Sydney Yorton, currently a student at the University of Central Florida, has gained admission to the Experimental Animation Track, a program renowned for its high selectivity. Sydney's deep passion for art and commitment to preserving art within the education system is evident. With a background in coursework spanning various artistic domains, including art, music, and architecture, she comprehends the significance of upholding art education and fostering a culture steeped in aesthetic richness rather than mere functionality.

The project involves the creation of a painted collage, which will incorporate elements from select magazine covers spanning the entire history of the magazine. This collage will feature items highlighting theater, music, culture, environmental art, and nature. To provide context, the year corresponding to the original magazine cover where a particular image is sourced will be prominently displayed on or next to that portion of the sketch. The collage will be further framed by the imagery of a substantial apple tree and floral elements to underscore the connection between art and nature. The chosen medium for this project will be oil on canvas.