- April 25, 2024
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For two days in April, Sunrise Park in Holly Hill will become a hub of art.
The Holly Hill Arts Festival, presented by Helping Hands Thru Arts, will feature over 90 juried, regional, and national artists on April 10 and 11. While overlooking the Halifax River, festival attendees will be able to peruse art from both professionals and students, as Holly Hill School students will also have art on display.
Though the festival is free, the presenters are hoping to raise $1,000 to support the art and music programs at the Holly Hill School and UBIC Academy.
Ormond Beach artist Mary Wentzel is among the local artists who will be participating in this year's event. In fact, it is her first year taking part, a result of her finally dedicating herself full-time to her own art after over two decades of being in the museum education field.
“When the pandemic hit, and it looked like it was going to continue for a while, I was forced to really reinvent my future, and so I became a full-time artist, which is what I always have loved to [do] my whole life," Wentzel said.
When Wentzel moved to Florida, she knew she wanted to pursue a career in education. Shortly after receiving her degree from the University of Central Florida, she hired as an assistant at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach. Over time, she rose to become a co-curator of education, and then moved on to other museums in the area.
“When you’re an educator, you really continue to learn more and more things, and what I’ve learned over the years, I’ve turned into artwork," Wentzel said.
One of her favorite pieces — and one that Wentzel believes it's among the best she's ever done — will be on display at the festival. Titled, "Bromeliads and Orchids," the watercolor and acrylic ink piece is the epitome of what Wentzel focuses on with her art.
“Color is a big part of my work, and also detail and design," she said.
For Palm Coast artist Ray Brilli, the essence of his style lays in his spontaneous brush strokes. He aims to capture the light, the drama and the brilliance of color in his oil paintings, but not in a photorealistic way.
He's done enough detail-oriented work in his past career as a graphic artist for advertising agency in Manhattan, New York in the 1970s-1980s.
“When I came home on the weekends, I wanted to do my own thing," Brilli said. "By being an impressionist, my goal is not to make my paintings look like a photograph. To me, that’s boring."
Brilli will be showcasing several new seascapes in the festival. One of his favorite things to do to gain inspiration is drive down to Daytona Beach Shores, pull his car right up on the beach and paint.
"There’s nothing more satisfying than having a painting on an easel that is turning out to be a successful painting, and to know that by the end of the day, you’ve accomplished something — you’ve done something well," he said.
Art has always been a big part of Wentzel's life, and one of the best.
“It was something that I really was able to lean on in times that were tougher," Wentzel said. "It was something that was always there for me and I always felt I got a lot of confidence and joy out of painting and drawing, and making things.”
She said she feels lucky to have the ability to create. Before focusing on watercolors, she was trained as a children's book illustrator. Now, she's branching out into found object sculptures and murals.
If Brilli hasn't painted for a few days, he's itching to get back to his easel. But participating in festivals is equally as important to him. He loves talking to people about his art, and said you can't beat being outside in the sunshine and fresh air.
“The people that run the festival are second to none," Brilli said. "They are so professional, friendly and wonderful to deal with. It’s just a real pleasurable experience — to be out, to be talking to people about your artwork or about where they come from or what they do.”
To see more Brilli's art, visit raybrilliart.com. Contact Wentzel at [email protected]
