Local artists’ work chosen for Mount Dora banners

MOUNT DORA – In August, city officials called for artists interested in designing banners to be displayed on light poles in the downtown area for beautification purposes.

Forty-six artists accepted the challenge, together submitting more than 90 works or art. That made it difficult for a panel of judges from the Mount Dora Public Art Commission charged with picking up to three winners based on what illustrates the city’s ‘Someplace Special’ motto.

Nevertheless, they were able to consider all the entries and recently announced the winners: Christine Smith of Umatilla with an entry titled, “The Sunset,” Cathy Shoemaker of Mount Dora who painted the “Donnelly House,” and Matt Hyland with “Sunset on the Lake.”

According to City Spokeswoman Lisa McDonald, the winning entries will be made into banners and hung city-wide in January. Besides the honor of seeing their work flown publicly, each artist was awarded $800.

“The members of the Commission were so excited about the quality and the quantity of the submissions which evidences a thriving arts community in Mount Dora,” Harlow Middleton, Chair of the Mount Dora Public Art Commission, said in statement. “The city will proudly fly these banners to honor Someplace Special.”

Smith, 48, grew up in nearby Umatilla. As a child, she said she frequently visited and loved Mount Dora. She said she now visits the city with her own children and together, they enjoy the spectacular sunset views.

Smith, who owns an art-music studio in Umatilla, also explained that her entry was inspired by a photograph she took from the nature trail of a Mount Dora sunset where, just like in her acrylic on wood painting, the trees appear silhouetted against the colorful sunset hues.

“To know it’s going to be up for others to enjoy is very humbling,” Smith said. “I’m very honored,”

Shoemaker, 55, moved from Winter Park to Mount Dora about 18 months ago. She said she was immediately attracted to the historical part of town and how it’s been kept up.

Shoemaker said as an Army brat, she traveled and always liked New England architecture. She said Mount Dora reminds her of places like Boston, Cape Cod and Massachusetts.

The subject of her entry, Shoemaker said, was an easy choice as was the digital collage medium, considering she is a graphic designer.

“I wanted to choose something iconic, so what’s more iconic than the Donnelly house?” Shoemaker asked.

As for Hyland, who’s lived in Mount Dora since middle school, he wanted his entry to be a unique depiction of what what he most associates with when he thinks of Mount Dora – sunset views over Lake Dora.

“It’s the biggest and most obvious attraction,” Hyland said.

The 22-year-old is a recent UCF graduate in radio/television who dabbles in art. He also said his creation was born from the memory of retro-style travel posters he’s seen for big cities like Paris and Sydney.

“I was thinking Mount Dora didn’t really have a travel poster, so that was my inspiration,” he said.

Hyland said he was psyched about his win.

“I’m excited, shocked and honored all at the same time and just very glad the city had this contest because it’s a great way to get local artists to come in,” Hyland said.

On Thursday, Mayor Cathy Hoechst said she thinks the contest was a great way of bringing the community together and cannot wait to see the banners displayed.

“I think it was an absolutely fabulous idea and the fact that the artist community came out in the capacity they did, says a lot about what they think about Mount Dora. It shows what an art community it is,” Hoechst said. “I must say that all the submissions were stunning and I honestly don’t know how the judges got it down to three.”