Announcing the Featured Artist for 2026 Fall Festival of the Arts - DeLand
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2026
Fall Festival of the Arts – DeLand Announces Featured Artist for 2026 Festival
DELAND, Fla. - The board of directors of the Fall Festival of the Arts - DeLand announced today that Robert Ross has been chosen as Featured Artist for this year’s festival, taking place on Nov. 21-22. He will create an original piece of art to be used as the image on the official festival poster and T-shirt. The work will be unveiled at a public event at the Athens Theatre in DeLand on Aug. 27.
Ross, of Winter Park, is originally from Michigan, where he first studied English, receiving both a BA and MA. After a career in public relations, he began formal training in 2004 at the Crealde School of Art in Winter Park, where he studied drawing, painting and printmaking. He also took master classes from well-known Philadelphia landscape painter Stuart Shils. His initial focus was on plein-air paintings of rural scenes, but over time shifted more to urban landscapes and interiors. Since 2013 he has taught painting at Crealde School.
Ross was awarded Best in Show at the DeLand festival in 2023, as well as numerous awards at other shows throughout Florida. His work has been shown at group and individual shows at museums and galleries across the southeast, and he has been the featured artist for IMAGES and the Winter Park Autumn Art Festival. He is represented by Arts on Douglas in New Smyrna Beach and ARTicles Gallery in St. Petersburg.
Fans of Ross’s art will have an additional opportunity to view his work when he shows at the Museum of Art – DeLand beginning in August. Robert Ross: The Architecture of Light opens with a reception on Friday, Aug. 28 and will run through Oct. 18.
Catalina Hoffman, this year’s festival president, said, “We are excited to have an artist of Robert’s reputation and appeal representing the festival as Featured Artist. His art is extraordinary and always popular with the public. His show at the museum preceding the festival is sure to attract even more attention from festival patrons.” His work will be on display in booth #47 during the festival weekend.
The unveiling event, to be held at the Athens Theatre on Aug. 27 at 5:00 pm, is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served and a video presentation featuring Ross speaking about his art and career will take place prior to this year’s poster image being officially revealed.
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For more information, press only:
Catalina Hoffman, President FFOA
(954) 561-7617
ffoainfo@gmail.com
