A new mural at the Orange Gardens Community Center is giving Kissimmee residents wings — literally. The latest addition to Osceola Arts’ Public Murals project, the vibrant “Wings of Community” mural was unveiled Thursday with a ribbon-cutting celebration.

Artist Deivi Sanchez of Kissimmee completed the five-wall mural on the exterior of the Orange Gardens Community Center over two months this past summer. Sanchez, 39, didn’t start out as an artist; he studied computer science and works as a program developer. “But I discovered art was always in my path,” he said. “I tried to make creative things, and I tried to paint, but it was never a career.” So in 2017, he started training in drawing and painting.

“I like both computers and art,” Sanchez said. “Sometimes people say, ‘You can do this,’ or ‘You can do that.’ They say you have to define. But I don’t want to define. I would like to keep exploring, and at some point, that will stop. But in the meantime, I’m just enjoying it.”

Combining his computer and art skills, Sanchez added an augmented reality element to his mural. By scanning the QR code provided, visitors can see elements of the artwork come to life on their screens.

Sanchez’s mural is the latest addition to the Osceola Arts’ ARTisNOW Public Murals project. The project began in 2019 and now has about 30 murals in Osceola County, according to Brian Camacho, public arts coordinator at Osceola Arts. The murals are a way to bring art to public spaces and add color and character to what might otherwise be drab concrete and asphalt.

According to Camacho, Osceola Arts has been partnering with local Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs), including Vine Street and Downtown Kissimmee, to bring public art to neighborhoods throughout the city.  “We’ve been able to facilitate anywhere from two to three murals a year,” he said.

Learn more about the murals of the ARTisNOW project at https://www.osceolaarts.org/murals-kissimmee

The mural has transformed the community center – which will be used for Osceola Arts educational programs while the nonprofit undergoes a major building renovation – into a vibrant gathering place that celebrates creativity and connection, Camacho said. “The combination of our educational programming and this stunning public art has created a true cultural renaissance in the Orange Gardens neighborhood.”

See what educational opportunities are available at Osceola Arts at https://www.osceolaarts.org/education.