Pink roseate spoonbills on the Indian River Lagoon capture a perfect Floridian scene on the 45th annual Spring Arts Festival’s poster.
“We all know the oak trees and the rolling hills, but let’s expose people to what else they can find in Florida,” said the Ocala artist Jacquelyn Schindehette.
Schindehette is among the many artists from across the country who showcase different mediums of art at the Santa Fe Arts Festival this weekend found in the blocks from Northeast Eighth Avenue to Northeast Second Avenue.
Kathryn Lehman, coordinator of culture programs at Sante Fe College, said Schindehette’s painting captures the essence of the festival because it documents the beauty of Florida.
“The Santa Fe Springs Arts Festival really represents the spirit of our community,” Lehman said, adding that she expects to match, if not surpass, the 100,000 visitors who attended the festival last year.
The free festival will consist of a range of activities fit for all ages including crafts for children, live performances, music and food.
Cami Cupples, a 19-year-old UF architecture sophomore, said she has never attended the festival but wants to go this year to see the art and speak with the people who created it.
“I have my perception of something, but when I talk to an artist, I get to see what’s going on in their brains,” Cupples said. “Art to me is the materialization of someone’s thoughts.”
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 4/4/2014 under the headline "Annual spring arts festival to draw 100,000 visitors"]
