Art Helps Heal at Orlando NAP Exhibit
The City of Orlando’s 13th Annual ‘City Artworks’ National Arts Program® Exhibit was on display from June 23rd through August 28th. There were 145 artworks on display throughout the beautiful Terrace Gallery which is located in City Hall. According to Coordinator Paul Wenzel the opening awards reception was a more subdued event this year due to the June 12th tragedy that occurred at Pulse night club. Commissioner Patty Sheehan handed out the awards and volunteered to MC the event due to the Mayors understandable inability to attend. Art enhances well-being and stimulates positive change and so the exhibit offered a chance for artists to gather together and celebrate art and life. The event also helped to remind everyone that expressing thoughts and feelings through art can be an important way for a community to heal.
The show was a wonderful collection of works and showcased the diversity of the city and those that work and live there. One amazing piece in the show was "My City Beautiful" which is a photograph printed on canvas that was entered into the intermediate category by employee Kyle Reynolds. Kyle, who currently holds the position of Senior Administrative Assistant for the Mennello Museum of American Art told us that the photo, taken last summer, is of the Lake Eola Fountain and the beauty of their great City after dark. He said he "was thrilled to see his work placed in City Hall during the City ArtWorks exhibition!"
Displaying art is an amazing way to showcase both our differences and similarities and we are thankful that the National Arts Program® Exhibit in the City of Orlando was a forum for their community to come together and celebrate each other. We look forward to many more successful NAP shows in the City of Orlando!