Seminole County names Marla E Artist of the Year

The Seminole County Board of County Commissioners, in association with the Seminole Cultural Arts Council (SCAC), recognized Marla E as Seminole County’s 2016 Artist of the Year.
The award and proclamation were presented to Marla E at the May 10 commission meeting in commission chambers in Sanford.
Each year, the County Commission selects an individual (performer, visual artist, historian or author) who is a resident of Seminole County and has contributed time and talent for the enrichment of Seminole County. The Commissioners honored local artist Marla E for her community involvement and unique sculptural paintings which have appeared in national television ad campaigns, in a filmed documentary for CNL, and on the cover of NOW Magazine. Her work has been shown in the International Artists Exhibit in Rhodes, Greece and in American Art Collector (a juried competition of new work.) Marla E’s Groove Series is part of a permanent public installation for the CNL Center II Building in Orlando, and she has pieces on display in shows, galleries and private collections around the world.
Marla E studied fine art at Rollins College and graduated from The Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale. She lives in Altamonte Springs with a brave cat and three Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs. Every Sunday she invites the public to her studio for her popular afternoon art workshops called Sunday Open Studio.
As the recipient of a professional development grant from United Arts of Central Florida, Marla E has instructed children in an Urban Plaster workshop and incorporated their art with hers in a 3-D, outside-the-box show called “The Urban Plaster Experience” which debuted at Casselberry Art House and which then was on view at Casselberry City Hall.
Marla E has achieved notoriety for her public art showings throughout Central Florida, including a round mural of palm trees and lilac flowers (selected by local residents) which she painted directly onto the macadam to reflect the intersecting streets of Lilac Road and Palm Drive just off South Winter Park Drive in Seminole County. Two of her paintings were chosen to provide a 4-story tall wrap of Lincoln Properties’ One Eleven Building in Orlando, and her piece “Journey to the Future of Orlando” is displayed in Orlando City Hall as part of a 10-artist representation of CSX & the City of Orlando in Public Works.
Marla E has used her unique talents and love of art to help raise funds for several charity events, including an Urban Plaster painting each year for the Art of the Vine fundraiser for New Hope for Kids, and original art for the TwitterArtExhibit benefiting dance programs for special needs students at the Center for Contemporary Dance.

- Special to the Herald