Festival of the Masters – Prestigious Art Festival Returns to Downtown Disney Nov. 13-15

Longtime Festival of the Masters Artist Jeannie Maddox
Bridges Spectrum between Photo-Realistic and Abstract Painting

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – If you think photo-realistic art is across the spectrum from abstract art and “ne’er the twain shall meet,” then you haven’t seen the works of Jeannie Maddox, an artist from Dothan, Ala., who has been making Disney’s Festival of the Masters at Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World Resort a kind of home-away-from-home virtually every fall since 1975.

When the 2009 Festival of the Masters presented by Sharpie takes place Nov. 13-15, Maddox will be among the nearly 150 award-winning artists who will be participating. Some work in clay. Others wood, metal or mixed media. Others watercolors.

Maddox’s specialty is oils on canvas. And while she depicts her style as “photo realistic,” her husband, Sam, isn’t quite sure that’s an accurate description. “She’s an abstract painter who paints realistically,” he says.

To explain: Maddox’s topical passion is swimmers – in the water. Thus, reality is a visually distorted view of the body beneath the surface, with ripples and bubbles adding to the abstract quality of the painting.

As she has done 32 previous years – including the very first Festival of the Masters in 1975 -Maddox will be showing off her works at Downtown Disney. Five of those previous festivals, she claimed a first-place award in painting. Her dream? “Best in show, of course,”ï¿½ Maddox says. For a preview glance at her work, visit www.jeanniemaddox.com.

Festival hours are 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission and parking are complimentary. For more information about Festival of the Masters, guests can contact 407/824-4321 or visit disneyworld.com/artfestival.