Ormond creative institutions come together to host 26th-annual Starry, Starry Night

Ormond Beach Observer
Neighbors

Local residents strolled from The Casements to the Ormond Memorial Art Museum Jan. 9.

When Karlene McConnell was 14 years old, she took an oil painting class at The Casements. Now, a few decades later, she’s showing her own artwork there. Looking back on her experiences in Ormond Beach have been a joy for her and her family.

“I always tell them when we go down Granada ‘this used to all be orange groves,’” McConnell chuckled. “That’s the big joke in my house because I’ve been here so long. I love it.”

Connell’s exhibit, “My Backyard: 40 Years on the Tomoka River,” was just one of the many different works of art a part of the 26th-annual Starry, Starry Night Gallery Walk. Hosted by The Casements Cultural Center, the Ormond Beach Historical Society, the Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Ormond Mainstreet, the event celebrated artists both near and far.

Boston-based artist Diane Franklin debuted her exhibit featuring Shibori-dyed quilts at the Ormond Memorial Art Museum. Also showing pieces were local artists a part of Ormond Mainstreet’s night artist market. Debra Boyd’s bright and vibrant paintings are mainly acrylic but she’s “been known to throw a sharpie in there.”

“Everyone says that my stuff is so varied,” Boyd said. “I guess I just bore easy. I can’t look at anything without wanting to paint it.”

“This is the first cultural event of the season,” Cultural Center Coordinator Siobhan Daly said. “We have the four partners of Ormond, and we kick off the year together.”