Hundreds of art enthusiasts strolled up and down aisles of artwork painstakingly crafted with colored pencils all day Saturday at Colony Cottage Rec Center in The Villages. “I cannot believe this art is done with pencils,” said Marcia Stern, who was visiting from Michigan. “Some look like photographs, some look like paintings…I would have never guessed they were done with pencils. Everything looks so real!”
Subjects varied from landscapes and seascapes, to pets and still life, human faces and figures — there was something for just about everyone to admire. Artists displayed tables, racks and wallboards of their work, while browsers enjoyed music by guitarists Hershal Chapman, Bill Castiglione, and the Jazz Etc. combo. Judging by the number of attendees leaving with small and large parcels, the show was quite a sales success.
Village of De La Vista resident, Dawn Mastrodonato, was doing a brisk trade, with her husband, Ron, helping to wrap note cards and matted art for customers. Dawn, who often spends weeks or even months on a single composition, enjoys showing her work. “I used to be quite shy,” Dawn admitted, “but teaching art and showing my work has helped me interact more comfortably with people.” Villager Frank Zampardi, who has taught many drawing and painting classes, was sketching a commissioned portrait from a photograph at his exhibit table.
Every hour, in another ballroom, lectures and demos took place, with up to 75 people viewing art techniques by multi-award winning local artists on a magnified mirror-screen. Lists offered information on workshops scheduled frequently around The Villages and art classes at The Villages Lifelong Learning College. There were raffles and prizes, refreshments and fun for artist and non-artist alike.
