Among the many artists participating at this year's festival is Kissimmee artist Dione Outlaw. She was the first- place winner in last year's jewelry division.

This is only the second year the Osceola Art Festival has been at the Valencia Community College Osceola Campus, but the college campus already feels like home.

When the art festival officially opens Saturday, there will be 165 artists and vendors, Jules Davidson, director of visual arts for the Osceola Center for the Arts, said.

“We only had 105 last year,” she said.

The art center produces the fine art show, now in its 43rd year.

“It has been just crazy and awesome,” Davidson said of the response to this year's event.
Part of the success of this year's festival has been the response it has received from the online site the center has been using this year for artists.

“They have a really large database (of artists),” she said.

Cost for the center to use the site was $1,000, but the response by artists has more than made up for the cost.

For Central Florida art festival fans, that should mean a lot more variety and more art at the two-day festival. Artists work in virtually every art medium, including painting, photography, jewelry, pottery and more. Artists will compete for more than $15,000 in prizes and purchase awards.

Artists from Canada and England, as well across the nation, including California and Hawaii, will be participating in this year's festival, she said.

A new addition to the 2010 show is ‘Local’s Lane’ which is dedicated to local galleries, artists and crafters from the Central Florida area.

The new Local's Lane area will give area residents and visitors a better chance to see what area art galleries as well as Central Florida artists and crafters have to offer, Davidson said. There will be 10 artist booths at the Local's Lane, with art on exhibit and for sale.

The festival also will feature the Student Art Tent, which includes work from Osceola County School District students with a sidewalk chalk drawing contest and arts and crafts for youth of all ages.  Ribbons will be awarded to each school and a best of show ribbon will be chosen for elementary, middle and high school levels.

This year's festival poster was designed by national award winning artist Scott Swezy from Albuquerque, N.M. 

“When seeking out our poster artist, the jury looked for quality of work, style and relevance to our area. Swezy’s work stood out as being modern and very well executed,” Davidson said.
The original artwork chosen for the poster and advertising will be on display at the festival information booth and signed reproduction prints of the poster art will be available for sale to benefit the Osceola Center for the Arts.

Among the many artists participating at this year's festival is Kissimmee artist Dione Outlaw. Outlaw was the first-place winner in last year's jewelry division.

“It's always good to win something,” Outlaw said. Her glass beadwork are actually individual sculptures, usually with a nature theme.

The retired Osceola County schoolteacher was creating beads as a hobby but devotes a lot more time to her art since she retired.

“I really like the Osceola festival,” she said, “because I get to see teachers and former students.”

Outlaw participates in about a dozen art festivals each year and also teaches the art of bead-working each summer in Georgia.

In addition to art, the festival offers live entertainment, festival food for sale as well as community booths.

Admission and parking are free.

Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The Valencia campus is about one mile east of Orange Blossom Trail on U.S. Highway 192.  Call 407-846-6257 or visit www.ocfta.com for more information.