OWSAA Feature Artist - April 2023

I've found that one of the neat things about living here in Central Florida is that I regularly meet people that have moved here from all over the world. During my years in the area, I've met people from Europe, Africa, India, South America, and other countries. I've also met many people that have moved here from all over the US with most of those being from states in the Northeast, California, and Texas. In my opinion it is this great mixture of backgrounds and cultures that makes Central Florida a great place to live and raise a family. 

This month's OWSAA Feature Artist moved to Central Florida from Alaska in 1989. Since moving to the Orlando area, she has worked in music in three different ways:

1) As a performer: she was a solo pianist at hotels (Harley), fine restaurants on I-Drive (Bergamo's, where she also accompanied singing waiters/opera, etc.; Caruso’s Palace). She also played at country clubs and for private venues.

2) As a Director/Accompanist: she recruited, trained, performed with the ensembles of Orlando Deanery Boychoir and Girls’ Choir, world-class groups in the Anglican tradition, for 14 years at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke — Episcopal, downtown Orlando. Beside concerts at St. Luke’s, the children sang for civic functions, with the symphony, at Disney, National Cathedral, Carnegie Hall, and toured stateside, England, and Japan! She was also Director of Betsy Johnson Learning Center for Performing Arts where they offered drama and music classes, and produced “Godspell”.

3) As a teacher: She currently teaches virtual or in-person lessons, and is now accepting all levels of adult or child students to join her program. Julie is said to be extremely thorough by taking time to write and clarify phrasing, dynamics, fingering, pedaling, etc. so there is no question at practice time. During her lessons she and her students discuss the period, style, character, form, music theory, and how to practice each piece. Julie states that her main goal is that she wants her students to ENJOY the music and not be stressed. Her philosophy is that "music is a proven factor in building or regenerating brains, and the act of producing rather than only listening further expands the feelings and meanings."

Our April 2023 feature artist is Julie Beach Mascia!

Julie Beach Mascia

Julie was kind enough to answer some questions for us in order to help us learn a little bit more about her and her talents. I hope you enjoy what she had to say!

1) Given you are a piano and vocal coach do you have a music teacher in your past that stands out as the most influential on your career in music?

My voice teacher, Katherine Chenowerh, was an absolute genius at vocal production, stressing proper vowel shapes and care of the voice. 

I was fortunate to have two especially influential piano teachers who contributed to how I play, and to the teacher I have become.

1a).  Harriet McCrary (ages 5 - 18) was “old school”, strict, a perfectionist, and she helped me to take music from “just notes”, using techniques and trusting my heart, to “sing” the melody, employ dynamics, and embody the style!

1b).  Jan Bognan Drath, International Chopin Competition Finalist, stood out in my college years, modeling his own beautiful playing and inspiring me to work harder than ever! He helped me to properly emulate styles, and, with his encouragement and faith in me, furthered my musical evolution.

2) I notice on your website that you spent some time in Alaska. Tell me more about that. What led you to Alaska? What sets the arts apart in that part of our country?

Employment sent us to Anchorage, Alaska, where my husband, children, and I became supremely involved in the arts and education. If you had the wherewithal and desire, it was an opportune time to join in the developing arts scene. With the oil pipeline came a willingness of companies to support the arts and programs. 

We were “crazy busy” during our time in Alaska! My husband and I both taught music at Anchorage Community College where I was Coordinator. I was Pianist and Archivist for Anchorage Community Chorus and the Alaska Festival of Music, Founder/Director of Anchorage Girls’ Choir and the separate Boychoir. We were publishers for Ancora Music, and also owned a camera store. My husband had a brass quintet, big band, was a composer/arranger, and music reviewer for Anchorage Daily News, which meant we got to meet many “greats” coming through on their way to Japan, like: Oscar Peterson, Canadian Brass, Cannonball Adderley, Freddie Hubbard, et al. Other opportunities afforded me were being pianist for world-class conductors (Robert Shaw, Helmuth Rilling, Gunther Schuler, Rainer Miedel) and meeting/playing with the great Dave Brubeck!

3) What was it like to play for the two Presidents mentioned on your website? 

In Anchorage, I played piano during a dinner for George and Barbara Bush, and got to meet them. On Elmendorf AFB, girls and boys were just feet away from (they greeted us and made the national nightly news) and sang a patriotic medley for Ronald and Nancy Reagan, plus Senator Stevens, Congressman Young, and Secretary of State George Schultz, wearing kuspuks (girls), waving US and AK flags. 

At other times, we also toured, sang with the Vienna Choir Boys, and performed for the President of Italy (Alessandro Pertini) and the highest-ranking group of Chinese dignitaries on American soil, who came to see the pipeline.

I also once sang with a big band for the inauguration of the Governor of Texas, Preston Smith.  

4) What can students expect while participating in one of your lessons?

With this lifetime of experience, I love to share and teach others, children or adults at whatever level, and am now able (after the pandemic) to teach virtually as well as in-person.  The virtual lessons are convenient after some initial set-up, making our scheduling easier, plus there is no travel time. 

I am patient, encouraging, and thorough, helping each student to understand and succeed.  Some students have gone on to pursue musical careers, while others learn and play for the enjoyment of their families and themselves. Whatever the dream, I can help students achieve it!

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A big thank you to Julie for taking the time to participate in our feature artist series! If you would like to contact her about lessons, you can call or text her at 407-461-8692 or email her at juliebeachmascia@gmail.com. You can follow Julie on Facebook at Julie Beach Mascia (www.facebook.com/julie.b.mascia) and her business on Facebook at Julie Beach Mascia Music Mentor (www.facebook.com/Msjuliepianovoice). Her website is https://msjuliesvoicepiano.com. 

Thank you all again for visiting the OWSAA blog and I hope you enjoyed this article. Until next time, Enjoy the Arts!

Brian K. Smith

OWSAA Feature Artist - December 2022

There's something very relaxing to me about being out in nature. Being out on the water or just walking amongst the trees seems to help me forget about my worries and calms my anxieties. I've noticed that getting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life at least occasionally to listen to the sounds, feel the textures, and smell the scents of nature seems to help me to re-focus on what life is really about. I recently saw a quote that said, "there is no wi-fi in the forest, but we promise you will find a better connection". For me this definitely rings true.

This month's OWSAA Feature Artist loves spending time outdoors and especially being in the woods. Walking amongst the trees, listening to the leaves crunch beneath his feet, and stopping to enjoy the sound of a creek rolling through a forest are some of his favorite pastimes. This love for nature has led this artist to combine his artistic talents with his desire to bring new life to those trees that mother nature has gifted to him. Our December Feature Artist is Todd Wells of Todd Wells Rustic Designs. 

Todd Wells

I first found Todd and his work on Facebook earlier this year. I was fascinated with his wood spirit carvings that seemed to put a face to the aged spirit of the log in which it was carved. Since that time, Todd has built up a thriving small business complete with a new logo that is branded into every piece he creates. The logo was created by Todd’s wife, Stephanie, who he credits for helping him with his marketing thus far. Looks like Stephanie might be a bit of an artist herself!

Todd was kind enough to answer some questions for us in order to help us learn a little bit more about him and his art. I hope you enjoy what he had to say!

Who/what inspired you to begin your carving work? Did someone teach you how to do it? At what age did you become interested in it?

As a kid, I always wanted to be a cartoonist, so I’ve been drawing cartoons since I was about 12 years old. I’ve also always enjoyed wood working and building things. As an adult I’d take my family to spend time in different cabins in Tennessee and we’d always see wood carvings in our cabin, and I always thought how neat it would be to do that myself. One day I was at my fire pit during the Covid lockdown, and I saw this log laying there and said to myself "I’m going to do this". I had no training of any sort. I just have a desire to create, and the rest is history. 

This desire to wood carve has turned into a booming and very successful side business for me. One day, I’d love to do this full time. 

Do you have any previous experience in the art world? Work with other mediums of art?  

I have no previous experience in the art world. As a kid I liked to draw and still do. Now I just draw/carve on wood. I’m totally self-taught. 

Can you talk a little bit about the process of how you place such amazing carvings into the wood you are working with? How long on average does it take to complete a project? 

I hunt down my own logs in the woods. That’s fun for me to find just the right piece. I like to see discarded logs and envision what I can do with them. Sometimes these logs sit in my shop for months before I do anything with them. Once I’m ready to create my piece, I will clean the bark off the desired spot and do a rough drawing of what I want right on the log. This always changes as I carve, and I just go with it. 

A good carving usually takes me working on it a few hours each evening. It's hard to put a time frame on it because each piece requires something different. 

Do you take requests from customers on what they might want carved? Do you have carvings that seem to sell the best? 

I generally like to just carve what I am feeling that piece of wood should become and then post it for sale. I have taken some requests, but I enjoy it much more when it’s really something I want to create. 

I carve a lot of cardinals and gnomes as those sell best and all year long. Wood spirits (generally faces of old wise looking bearded men) sell good too. I’ve carved many things and it just takes the right person to see it and they snatch it up. I ship all over the country.

Is there a specific type of wood that works best for your carvings?  

I use mainly species we have right here in Oviedo, like pine, live oak, cypress stumps, and gumtree. Live oak makes beautiful carvings but is the most difficult to carve because the wood is so hard. I’ve also used other types that I have people send me from up north like white birch and cotton wood bark, which are two types I really love, but just can’t find them around here. 

What are the tools that you use to perform your carvings?  

I use knives, gouges, chisels, Dremels, angle grinders and other power tools. A good chainsaw is a must. Really just depends on what I’m trying to accomplish. 

How can people purchase your works? Do you have an Etsy account? Online store? 

I started out posting on marketplace and I still do occasionally when I think about it. My main source is through my Facebook business page, Todd Wells Rustic Designs. That is where I post my latest work and offer it for sale. Please feel free to follow and like my page so you won’t miss out on what comes out next…usually every few days. 

I sell through a lot of word of mouth as well. I did my first show last month at Great Day in the Country and it was a huge success. I already have my same booth and spot reserved for next year. I plan on doing more shows in 2023. 

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A big thank you to Todd for taking the time to participate in our feature artist series! You can follow Todd and his business on Facebook at www.facebook.com/toddwellsrusticdesigns and on Instagram @ToddWellsRusticDesigns.

With this being the last Feature Artist article of 2022, I want to thank you all for following the OWSAA blog so far. I look forward to getting to know more artists in our area in 2023 so please feel free to share any artist names with me that you would like to see highlighted. I want to wish you all Happy Holidays and hope that you enjoy this season with you family and friends. Maybe even spend a little time outside with nature to recharge for the new year ahead...Santa Claus would highly recommend it!

Santa Claus (aka Todd Wells)

working in his shop.

Thank you all again for visiting the OWSAA blog and I hope you enjoyed this article. Until next time, Enjoy the Arts!

Brian K. Smith

OWSAA Feature Artist - November 2022

Due to some scheduling conflicts and just life in general I was unable to put together a feature artist article for October but we're back for November. Life can be that way sometimes, can't it? We can be cruising along minding our own business and then all of sudden something can come out of nowhere to totally shake up our plans. Sometimes that's a good thing and sometimes...not so much. It can be something like a flat tire on the one day you needed to be on time, but it can also be a great idea that suddenly pops into your head, forever changing your career. 

In the case of this month's feature artist, she worked in the art world for 30+ years before the idea for opening her first brick and mortar business hit her at the age of 52. This month's OWSAA Feature Artist is the Head Art Instructor and Owner of Calliope Street in the Oviedo Mall. Her name is Denise Manara.

Denise Manara

Prior to opening Calliope Street, Denise worked as a muralist for over 30 years. During that time, she painted murals for various businesses and in the homes of individual clients all over the state of Florida. As you will learn below, she has painted a mindboggling number of murals and has put that experience to great use here in our community. If you have been in the Oviedo Mall lately you may have noticed all of the new murals popping up inside. You can thank Denise for painting those wonderful creations as she was commissioned by the mall to paint them. As a surprise you might even find a chicken or two within the murals.

Killer whale mural across from District Eat & Play

If you have never been to Calliope Street, you are missing out on a fun time! Located in the western wing of the Oviedo Mall, this treat of a shop offers you the opportunity to paint your own masterpieces; shop for unique, one-of-a-kind art pieces; and drink wines from around the globe. As their website says Calliope offers painting classes and private parties that are great for family fun, a date night, a girls' night out, baby showers, birthdays, and even team building events. Their classes include all the materials necessary to paint your work of art and are instructed step by step. Classes last around an hour and a half to two hours and when you are finished you get to take your painting home with you. For those of you that might be afraid to try a class because of your inexperience in painting don't worry because no experience is necessary to take a class and have a great time!

Denise was kind enough to answer some questions about herself and Calliope Street. I hope you enjoy what she had to say.

Who/what inspired your love of art? At what age did you become interested in art?

When I was 11 years old an aunt got me an art set, it was one of those with a book to color, pastels, and instructions. I completed the whole thing in one night, and it opened the doors to a whole new universe for me. I never stopped painting since.

Did you study art in high school/college?

During high school I just took the regular classes included in the curriculum; after graduating, I studied art in college. I have a degree in illustration from Parsons School of Design in New York.

Did you work in the art world prior to opening Calliope Street?

Yes! I have been a mural artist for 30 years. During that time, I completed about 6,000 murals of all different themes and settings. Some of the murals were for businesses and some others for homes; mainly in Florida, but sometimes I get commissioned to do work out of the state.

Then I have my personal projects: I love the Art Nouveau period and find inspiration in the soft curves and organic lines of that era; the main characters in my fine art pieces are skeletons having fun: dancing, playing music, and enjoying wine. As Tim Burton said, "the Dead know how to live"! 

What inspired you to open Calliope Street?

I believe anyone can be an artist if given the chance, it is not only for a handful of "gifted" individuals. Art is in all of us. I wanted to bring art to kids, families, and to that person that never had the opportunity to experience it; that is what inspired me to open Calliope Street.

Is there a particular method you use to teach novices to paint in such a short period of time at Calliope? Is it more challenging to work with the novices or more experienced painters?

We have a method that takes you step by step, painting along with us, and you take the finished work home; no need to have any experience.

I would say it is harder to teach adults than kids. Kids have no preconceptions. They are free and their creativity is still untouched by norms. For adults, relaxing and letting go of their fear is a bit challenging (that is why we have wine for the adults!), but once they do, it flows, and they have a blast!  

Can you explain what it has been like to start/own your own business? Do you have any advice for others considering starting their own arts business?

It has been both scary and fun. I started my first brick and mortar business at age 52. I have always been an independent artist but knew nothing of employees, taxes, payroll, and all that stuff. So, it has been very exciting but overwhelming as well. 

My advice would be don't start a business doing something you are not passionate about. You need to have that engine driving you. If you love your trade, you will find motivation to keep going even in difficult times. With art in particular, there are many ways to make a living including festivals, teaching, and selling your pieces. Explore your strengths and build it from there.

What inspired you to start painting the murals in the mall?

I was commissioned by the mall. The murals are Josh Gunderson's (the mall's marketing manager) brainchild, and they are part of a larger project transforming the mall into an activity center and an adventure for families/people of all ages. So far, I have completed 10 murals in the mall, and there are 5 more to come!

Tell us about the process you go through when painting a new mural in the mall. How do you choose where the next one will go? How do you decide what to paint there? How long does one typically take to complete?

The murals are a team effort with Josh. First, we evaluate which spaces are available, the businesses around that particular area, lighting, traffic, etc. Then we explore possible themes, making sure to offer something for everyone. 

The time it takes to complete a mural depends on its size and complexity. An intricate design takes longer. To give you an idea, the painting of The Dragon took about 21 hours (to which you have to add the design and planning part). They are all different, and all fun.

 The Dragon 

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A big thank you to Denise for taking the time to participate in our feature artist series! You can follow Denise and Calliope Street on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CalliopeSt, on Instagram @calliopestreet, and on their website at www.calliopestreet.com.

With the holiday season fast approaching this is the perfect time to schedule a painting session. Calliope Street is open Monday-Saturday from 11:00 am - 8:00 pm and on Sunday from Noon - 6:00 pm. Call them at 407-366-0330 or go to their website to reserve your time/event.

Thank you all again for visiting the OWSAA blog and I hope you enjoyed this article. Until next time, Enjoy the Arts!

Brian K. Smith

    

OWSAA Feature Artist - September 2022

I've eaten a lot of cookies and cakes in my day. There, I've said it and I'm not ashamed. When I see a cookie it's as if I am temporarily possessed by my old friend, Cookie Monster and the next thing I know I've eaten...well, way too many cookies. Being a cookie and cake expert I know that some cookies/cakes can taste great despite not being very appealing to the eye and others can look great but be lacking in the taste department. You don't always find the perfect combination.

This month's OWSAA Feature Artist works in the culinary arts and is a baking extraordinaire. Her name is Kate Morfa-Miller and she possesses the talent of making cookies and cakes that are both beautiful and great tasting. 

 Kate Morfa-Miller

Below are photos of some of Kate's beautiful creations which include some that my family have enjoyed over the years. 

Delicious Cookies

Delicious Cakes

Don’t they all look delicious! Kate was kind enough to answer some questions about her talents and delicious treats. I hope you enjoy what she had to say.

Who/what inspired your love of art? At what age did you become interested in art?

I don’t think anyone in particular inspired my love of art. I actually started scrapbooking when my kids were born and I just love being able to capture memories. And looking back I had all of these things from my life like tickets stubs, programs, etc. Just all these little bits and pieces of my life that I had kept that I didn’t realize were things for memory keeping, until I took a scrapbooking class when Riley was born in 2000.

When did you first begin to apply your artistic abilities to your cookie/cake creations? Was this the same time you started your business?

Probably in 2014, I came across decorated sugar cookies and I have been a baker my entire life it was actually something I wanted to be when I was a child I wanted to go to school to become a pastry artist. But of course life happens and that is not what I end up studying in school. But when I came across decorated sugar cookies it was like my love of scrapbooking and my love of baking just exploded into one beautiful hobby. 

I ended up taking a class at Michael’s and I still have pictures of those very first cookies lol! I never thought about actually selling cookies or doing anything like that until I had a friend ask me to bake for her for pay and I was completely flabbergasted that someone would actually pay me money to bake. It sort of took off from there, and there are times when I’m a lot busier than others but overall I love baking and I love sharing my baked goods with people so it all works out. 

Can you talk a little bit about the process of how you place such amazing drawings/paintings on a cookie?

Well a cookie design is really just limited by your imagination. There are many ways that I can place images on cookies and a lot of people use actual printers that print on a cookie but everything I do is hand piped. I use a projector to project an image that I then sketch on a cookie and then I color it in like a coloring book page. Depending on the image sometimes I freehand it. But it is definitely all hand piped with royal icing. 

Can you explain what it has been like to start/own your own business? Do you have any advice for others considering starting their own arts business?

The wonderful thing about owning your own business is that you can do things on your own terms. I can work when I like and take time off when I need to. But it can also be stressful especially if it’s not an especially busy time of year. For me the stress is really in trying to make sure that people are happy with the things that I make since they tend to be parts of important celebrations in peoples lives, and I really want things to be beautiful as well as delicious.

By looking at pictures of your work it looks like you can turn cookies/cakes into pretty much anything your customer(s) would want. Is most of your work specific to the individual client? Do you have designs that seem to be fan favorites?

As I said earlier cookies are limited only by your imagination if you can think it it can be made into a cookie. I have seen some really amazing things that people have done with cookies, intricate scenes, sculptures, just if you can think it’s been made into a cookie. 

People tend to like holidays things the best, usually Christmas lol. My favorite are baby cookies. I love making baby shower, gender reveal, baby announcements any of those things are just my absolute favorite. People are just so excited with new babies coming into the world and I love being able to be part of that. 

Are you able to take order requests from someone living outside of the Central Florida area?

Yes, the state of Florida changed the cottage food baker laws. We are now allowed to ship our goods anywhere we’d like!

Do you apply your artistic talents to other mediums other than cookies/cake in your free time?

As I mentioned earlier, I used to scrapbook but honestly now I just make cookies all the time and I love it, lol.

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A big thank you to Kate for taking the time to participate in our feature artist series! You can follow Kate and her creations on Instagram @fl_bakingchic and on Facebook @Baking Chic.

Don't forget Halloween and Thanksgiving are just around the corner. Those would be perfect times to put an order in with Kate for cookies, cakes, or pies with a holiday theme like the ones below that she made.

Thank you all again for visiting the OWSAA blog and I hope you enjoyed this article. As always, Enjoy the Arts!

Brian K. Smith

OWSAA Feature Artist - August 2022

In March of 2016, I was driving south on Oviedo Blvd. one day on my lunch break and drove through the roundabout close to Oviedo on the Park like I had many times before. However, this time was different. As I drove through the roundabout on this day it hit me that there should be a work of art in the grassy area in the middle of it. It was as if God whispered the idea into my ear. I loved what I was hearing.

After picking up my lunch that day I wrote an email to then Oviedo Mayor, Dominic Persampiere, to share my idea of putting a statue/monument in the middle of the roundabout. To my surprise he actually responded! He stated that he thought it was a great idea but that the city didn't have a process in place for approving such a thing. City council then appointed myself and several other Oviedo citizens to the Oviedo Public Arts Committee that was charged with writing an ordinance that would go on to establish the Oviedo Public Arts Board (OPAB) in 2017. This board then established the process necessary to approve public art projects in the city and is still working hard to bring wonderful works to public property.

The first two projects approved by OPAB were the Black History of Oviedo mural in Round Lake Park and the Oviedo Postcard mural in Center Lake Park. Both murals chosen for their detail and vibrant colors were painted by this month's OWSAA Feature Artist, Xavier Moss.  

Xavier Moss

Black History of Oviedo mural at Round Lake Park in Oviedo.

Oviedo Postcard mural at Center Lake Park in Oviedo. 

At the time Xavier painted the two murals pictured above (early 2020) he was also working full-time with Seminole County Public Schools. It was during this time that God spoke to Xavier and told him to step out in faith and start his own arts business. In July of 2020, Xavier did just that and started XMOSSART, LLC (www.xmossart.com). Since that time he has been very busy painting more murals and working on his personal passion that he calls, Biblelogical Illustration. His illustrations combine his love for natural history and verses of the Bible. One of my favorite Biblelogical Illustrations shown on Xavier's website is Idolatry I (shown below). It is a visual representation of Exodus 32:20 and is full of vibrant colors that help to etch the verse and the actions of Moses into your mind.

Xavier was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule recently and answer some questions about his art, his career, and more. Enjoy what he had to say!

Who/what inspired your love of art? At what age did you become interested in art?

I would say particular circumstances played the biggest part in me beginning to sketch and draw regularly. In addition to having severe asthma when I was younger, I had a penchant for finding the most unique ways to injure myself in team sports, so it was decided early on that I wouldn’t be doing those. Sketching and drawing had always been fun and I just began doing that more in the time slots where practice would’ve been. That happened when I was about 6 or 7, which was also when I was introduced to Star Wars for the first time. The imagery, strange creatures and starships set my creativity ablaze, and I could frequently be found hunched over a ream of paper, making all manner of sound effects from a galaxy far, far away, as I recreated scenes from the saga. My parents supported this interest by introducing me to new kinds of art tools to use, and having an older sister who was a fellow creative definitely inspired me to lean in and grow on that track.

You have a Bachelor of Science degree with an emphasis in biological illustration from UF. What made you choose that degree focus? What was the most valuable lesson you learned about art during your time at UF?

I do! It is an extremely niche major – isn’t it? I had to apply to get into that major after I’d been accepted to UF because you’re basically taking up spots in the College of Liberal Arts and The School of Art + Art History! I chose that degree focus because I’d always had a love of natural history, and when I found that the field of biological illustration would allow me to combine my appreciation for nature and my passion for art, I was sold! Also, it’s the only program of it’s kind in-state, so it was fingers crossed when I applied to UF! If that hadn’t worked, I probably would’ve majored in Biology with a minor in Illustration at another Florida school.

I think the most valuable lesson I learned about art during my time at UF was to construct with constructive criticism. Whether it was adjusting how I was holding the charcoal during an extended figure drawing exercise, learning from peers how they were able to achieve such luminosity, or having my eyes opened to techniques I’d never thought possible, not taking the sharing of such knowledge as an indictment of the inferiority of my work, but a desire to make it stronger and actually following through with those recommendations has been huge. Still today, when I see an artist doing something incredible technique-wise, I’ll respectfully ask how. You can only grow as an artist as long as you’re willing to intake what is sometimes bitter constructive criticism, and transform it into the next stylistic evolution of your work.

I've noticed that you work with different paints, pens, and markers among other mediums. What is your favorite medium of art?

I am indeed a mixed media artist! That’s a hard one – it just depends on the type of piece I’m working on. For larger paintings, it’s a combination of acrylic and latex paints, with paint markers. For more illustrative work, it’s watercolors, Copic Markers, and Microns, among many other types of brush pens and markers. I like being able to stay consistent in my style across different media, so whatever tools best allow me to do that, those are my favorite.

You've become famous in Oviedo for your murals which are all great additions to our community. Which mural was the most challenging? Do you have one that you are the most proud of?

Thank you for saying that! I’m glad that the community can enjoy them. Each mural has it’s own particular set of challenges and learning curves, but I’d probably say the Oviedo Postcard mural at Center Lake Park was the most challenging for the following reasons:

1. It was my first mural ever so very much a baptism by fire in figuring out scaling up my design from an 8.5 x 11 in. paper to about 240 square feet.
2. We had A LOT of cold snaps in late 2019 and since it was right by the water, it got extra chilly when working at night.
3. Working full-time at Lawton Elementary meant that I could only work on weekends or immediately after school, so there were a few sick days taken in order to meet the December deadline.
4. I had never had so much public scrutiny as I was creating a piece live, so that took some getting used to, but our community is awesome and most folks were supportive and excited to see the in-progress aspects.

I have to say though, my parents and the City of Oviedo were extremely supportive as I worked on this, and all subsequent murals for the city, and I’m grateful for the opportunities to leave marks across the city that can brighten people’s days.

I think I’m proudest of them all equally, but for different reasons:

• I’m proud of the Center Lake Mural because it was me tackling a medium of art I had never previously considered myself capable of doing, and I did it!
• I’m proud of the Round Lake Mural because I stood resolute on some design changes that I believed made it more Oviedo-centric, even appearing before City Council covered in paint, and was able to keep those changes.
• I’m proud of the Sports Hallway Mural at the Aquatic Facility because it’s literally my largest mural to date, and I was able to capture passions of the community not yet encompassed in the other murals.

You started XMOSSART, LLC in 2020 and list your role in the business as "Visual Arts Minister". What inspired you to start your business and what is your focus with it?

I’ve always wanted to own my own business, and the more art I did, the more I wanted that to be a studio. But I’d also become aware that I didn’t see a lot of engagement of the visual arts in ministry, and rather than complain about that lack, I wanted to be part of an actionable solution to that problem. I believe that the visual arts have a way of talking about God that isn’t “force-fed theology.” People can engage with my work at a purely aesthetic level, admiring the principles of biological illustration, or they can go deeper and ask, “Why are those pigs jumping off a cliff?” If two individuals of different worldviews happen to be looking at the work together, they can collaborate with one another to come to a more holistic understanding of the piece. That’s what my current body of work – Biblelogical Illustration – is all about, the intersection of natural history and Scripture.

Can you explain what it has been like to start/own your own business? Do you have any advice for others considering starting their own arts business?

It’s been a never-ending learning process honestly haha. I’m growing daily in my entrepreneurial skills, finding out more particular niches I can fill, figuring out what to outsource rather than do all on my own, keeping track of expenses, and so much more. It’s intimidating, not gonna lie, but I relish doing the work to make something with God that truly allows me to fulfill my call to create…and that makes it socially acceptable for me to be covered in paint as I run my errands across Oviedo.

For those considering starting their own arts business, the best advice I can give is to – in the immortal words of Shia LaBeouf screamed at full volume, “JUST DO IT! MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE!” But really, file the paperwork, find a mentor whose working in the field you’d like to enter and ask them questions. You won’t ever know if you can be a business owner until you are one, so start small, knowing you’ll make mistakes and facepalm-worthy moments, but with a growth mindset to not let those disappointments derail you. If you need someone to say you can do this, then allow that to be me, “You can do this!”

Lastly, as you alluded to earlier you are a huge Star Wars fan. Who is your favorite character and why? 

Haha, you are right indeed. My original dream job was to be a concept artist for the Star Wars movies, but when I thought they were never gonna make another Star Wars film back when Episode III came out, I switched gears and opted for biological illustration. As for my favorite Star Wars character, oooof, that’s a question. I’ll give a favorite main, and a favorite background one.

My favorite background characters are the Emperor’s Royal Guards, yes I’m fully aware I’m going mega-nerd level here, but their striking all blood-red garb against the neutral blacks, whites, greens, and greys that are the Imperial aesthetic just make them seem like such a force to be reckoned with. Like they don’t ever say a word, but the fact that the entire color budget of the Empire went to these silent sentinels speaks to their deadliness.

My favorite main character is probably Padmé Amidala. I resonate with her desire to find the solution that benefits everyone best, the frustration when nobody wants to compromise in order to make that happen, and the willingness to put aside diplomacy and engage in “aggressive negotiations,” when the time is right. I don’t quite have the wardrobe budget or elaborate hairstyles she’s got, but definitely wouldn’t mind one of her very elegant, chromium-plated starships.

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I want to thank Xavier for being willing to participate in this month's OWSAA Feature Artist article. He is a talented artist, a wonderful member of our community, and an overall great person if you haven't had a chance to meet him yet. Best of luck on all your future art endeavors, Xavier!

Xavier currently has 16 pieces from his Biblelogical Illustration collection on display at the Avalon Park Arts & Culture Center through September, as well as 9 on display at ART@éclat Contemporary Art Gallery. He plans to get involved in some local art festivals in the fall, and invites you to follow him on his social media pages listed below to stay up to date on his activities:

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/XMOSSART 

Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/xmossart/

Twitter at https://twitter.com/xmossart

If you would like to reach out to Xavier to commission a work you can email him at info@xmossart.com.

Thank you all again for visiting the OWSAA blog and I hope you enjoyed this article. As always, Enjoy the Arts!

Brian K. Smith