Founded in 1950, the Ocala Art Group is celebrating its 75th anniversary in February under the guidance of its president, Leona Asta, who has been a member for more than 20 years.

“I didn’t want to be bored in retirement, just sitting around watching television. So, when we saw all the activities always going on in The Villages, we thought that would
be a good place for us.”– Leona Asta
A Queens, New York, native, Leona Asta always considered herself artsy, but she also always wanted to be a teacher. The latter became her vocation while becoming an artist gradually became her avocation.
“When I was growing up, art was not considered a career. I loved interior decorating too, but that wasn’t an option either,” says Asta, her strong New York accent giving away her roots. “I would paint on my own, including painting the windows of our Queens apartment with nativity scenes during Christmas. I took interior design classes in high school and college. But what I became was a public school teacher and I loved it.”
In fact, Asta and her husband Frank were both teachers for 24 years while raising daughters Carla and Angela. The Astas also owned two Baskin Robbins ice cream shops for a time and Leona used her artistic bent to become a specialty cake decorator.
“I really enjoyed coming up with elaborate creative cakes,” says Asta. “Looking back, doing something artsy was always coming back up. So, finally, after I retired as a teacher at 57, I took a watercolor painting class at a library. I had five lessons and my painting was put on display in the lobby of the library.”
The Astas, who were thinking of moving to Florida, had a friend who lived in The Villages and she sent them a video of the retirement community.
“I didn’t want to be bored in retirement, just sitting around watching television. So, when we saw all the activities always going on in The Villages, we thought that would be a good place for us,” notes Asta. “We moved in 1996 and before I even unpacked, I was looking for an art group.”
Asta soon joined an art group, based just outside The Villages, which would become known by 1999 as the Visual Arts Association. Asta describes her artwork as going through phases, such as beaches, Oriental images and paintings inspired by Jimmy Buffet songs.
“My instructor encouraged me to exhibit one of my watercolor paintings in an upcoming VAA art show,” explains Asta. “I wasn’t so sure but decided to do it anyway. I was in my Oriental watercolor phase, so I entered one I named Oriental Flower. It ended up winning an honorable mention. I was surprised and delighted.”
Asta, who became the VAA president in 2001, expanded her art into mixed media.
“I describe myself as a funky artist,” she says. “I’ll do watercolor, acrylics, including palette knife, spray painting and collages. I’ve even used kitty litter for sand in a beach painting.”
As her art avocation progressed, Asta learned of the Ocala Art Group, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational corporation for fine arts.
“At the time, OAG was having their monthly meetings at the Appleton Museum of Art,” says Asta, a grandmother of four. “I joined right away and also became a board member in 2002. Shortly thereafter, we had a show at the Brick City Center for the Arts. My painting won an honorable mention, and I sold it. Finally, with the sale of that painting, I started to think of myself as an artist.”
Asta would soon get further confirmation of her newfound artistic identity.
“In 2003, OAG had a juried show at the Appleton. I entered an impressionistic watercolor outlined in pen of my grandmother’s crystal vase. I titled it Nana’s Vase,” shares Asta. “But we had to go to New York, and I wasn’t there for the actual juried results. A friend called me and told me that I’d won Best In Show. I was thrilled and still call that my claim to fame.”
GROWING THE GROUP
Now in her fourth year as OAG president, Asta has shepherded the group through growing pains.
“After we moved on from our space at the Appleton, we met at the library and then Brick City for many years. In January 2023, we moved into the Chelsea Art Center and that suits us well,” says Asta. “We have seven meetings a year and have members who live in and all around the Ocala area and beyond. We are always finding new ways to engage our members and encourage their creativity. And, of course, we welcome new members.”
OAG has an Artist Book Club, where members are tasked to read a book every two months and paint something inspired by the text. The group has a Theatre Group, which includes season tickets to the Ocala Civic Theatre and has pop-up art show booths during plays and members display art inspired by the current play. Recent plays represented by OAG were Dracula and Margaritaville.
“I really believe in bringing art out to the public, such as our booth at the Ocala Civic Theatre, and displaying OAG art at the World Equestrian Center,” explains Asta. “And we now have relationships with several restaurants and a car dealership in Ocala for OAG members’ art to be displayed. We want to continue to expand in this area.”
OAG will celebrate its 75th anniversary, beginning with a free open-to-the-public reception at 2pm on February 1st at the Chelsea Art Center, located at 3305 East Silver Springs Boulevard. At the heart of the reception will be the Wonder, Whimsy and Wild exhibit, featuring OAG members artwork. The exhibit will be judged by art expert Tyrus Clutter. The art will remain on view at the Chelsea Art Center until February 28th.
“We want to invite everyone to come out to the reception and enjoy the OAG art exhibit,” says Asta. “We donate 20 percent of OAG members art sales at local businesses to the Ocala Blue Star Mothers, who support the families of active and retired military members. We are part of the community and it’s our way of giving back to the community.”
To learn more, go to ocalaartgroup.org
