Crealdé School of Art has been an icon of community-based creativity since its founding in 1975. Emerging masters and first-timers are guided with classes, camps, and workshops that embody the belief that art is for everyone. The Winter Park-based organization will celebrate its 50th year in 2025, but the 2024 yearbook will feature its own notable moments.
The year began with “Approaching 50: Works by the Faculty of Crealdé School of Art” at CityArts Orlando. The exhibit ran from Jan. 18–Feb. 11 and was comprised of works by 38 instructors that included photography, paintings, and sculptures chosen by Crealdé senior gallery curator, Patrick Noze.
“The school’s faculty is an impressive roster of regionally and nationally recognized professional artists whose work has been included in important collections and has received awards of distinction,” read a statement from Noze. “These artists have inspired and instructed tens of thousands of Central Floridians for nearly five decades.”
Next week, another group show will also serve as a fundraiser when the school’s popular Cup-A-Thon hosts its 40th event, August 9-10. Presented in the Showalter Hughes Community Gallery from 7-10 p.m. each day, the summer social invites the community to browse hundreds of one-of-a-kind ceramic vessels created by instructors, students, and friends of Crealdé. Proceeds are used to upgrade and maintain the ceramic studio and campus kilns.
Cup-A-Thon was founded by senior faculty member and former ceramics studio manager and program director, Vincent Sansone. A Crealdé instructor for the past 47 years, Sansone has won numerous awards and his work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. The school hosted two retrospective exhibits between February and May, curated from Sansone’s personal vault of functional and sculptural works. Despite the accolades and admiration, teaching has been among his most enduring inspirations. “When people are excited by what they’re doing and they really begin to improve and realize that, yes, they can do it: that’s always a good feeling,” he said.
Also in May, a $425,000 campus renovation was completed with five new teaching studios added for the sculpture, ceramics, and jewelry programs. And on July 18, Emily Bourmas-Fry was announced as successor to the school’s CEO/Executive Director, Peter Schreyer, who will step down in January. Bourmas-Fry is currently serving as Associate/Incoming Executive Director to ensure a smooth transition.
“I am honored to join Crealdé School of Art,” Bourmas-Fry said. “This beloved institution has a rich legacy of fostering creativity and community engagement, and the chance to work with such a talented team is inspiring.”
Upcoming events include the 47th Annual Summer ArtCamp Exhibition, Aug. 17–Sept. 14., featuring peer-selected creations and collaborative artworks in the Showalter Hughes Community Gallery. Crealdé will also host “Raheleh Filsoofi and Eric André: From Common Clay,” which will spotlight two artists – one from Iran and one from Ghana – exploring dynamics in our collective contemporary socio-cultural and political fabric. The exhibit will run Sept. 13–Jan. 25, 2025 in the Alice and William Jenkins Gallery.
For more information about Crealdé programs, events, class registration and Cup-A-Thon, log onto Crealde.org.