This year’s beautiful poster is the creation of Dina Ruta, (Graphic Designer: Liana Hale.) It symbolizes Knoxville’s Sunsphere and the Smoky Mountains covered with colorful flags from Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain.

Dina Ruta is an Argentinean artist who has training in house and landscape design, as well as visual arts. A much diversified artist, she has designed from mountain cabins to mint stamps to sports gear.  She lived in Boston and Pittsburgh, before moving to Knoxville. She is a diverse media artist, who has recently begun working in ceramics with glass. She is also an art instructor.  She has other works on exhibit at HoLa's new office.

Liana Velazquez-Hale was born in Puerto Rico, but grew up in US. She has a BFA from the University of Tennessee in Graphic Design. She has been involved with HoLa for over 10 years, and she designed 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2009 HoLa Festival posters, as well as many beautiful postcards, brochures and flyers for HoLa Hora Latina. Liana’s parents, Loida and Luis Velazquez, are well known as community leaders in this area.

Liana Velazquez-Hale nació en Puerto Rico, pero creció en Estados Unidos. Tiene el título de Diseñadora Gráfica de la Universidad de Tennessee. Lleva trabajando con HoLa durante más de 10 años, y es autora del diseño de los afiches de HoLa 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 y 2009, asi como muchas bellas postales, tarjetas y volantes de HoLa Hora Latina. Los padres de Liana, Loida y Luis Velazquez, son bien conocidos en nuestra comunidad.

“The idea for this painting was conceived while thinking about the different ways I could make a difference both in Latin America and Knoxville.  It is a connection between the place I was born and the place where I live.  Although we are Latino, my family chose Knoxville as the place to live. Therefore I wanted to express my life experience through my painting.

When I arrived to Knoxville, I was surprised by the good weather of the region, the sunny days, and the clear skies that I enjoy while having breakfast every morning. I also love being able to do outdoor activities in the region, like hiking in the Smoky Mountains to see the sunset from its peaks.

Before Knoxville, I lived in Pittsburgh for five years, where the weather is not so kind. Days in Pittsburgh are mostly gray and winter is filled with snow and subzero temperatures on occasion. Although I enjoyed living in Pittsburgh, the weather and activities Knoxville has to offer are noteworthy. In Knoxville, we are surrounded by two mountain ranges, allowing me to discover a landscape that looks much like home.

My youngest daughter had once painted mountains covered with flags and I thought it was a wonderful idea. This work shows the Smoky Mountains with the flags of the American continent. I wished for the sky to resemble that of Knoxville, clear and sunny. I wanted the sun to symbolize the sunsphere that symbolizes Knoxville as well. The images surrounding the sun are pre-Columbian art from the Aztec, Inca and Mayan cultures and native people of my country.

Since this painting was for HoLa Hora Latina, I placed twelve images around the sun, resembling a clock. I let my imagination run wild while painting each image original design.

As I began painting, I realized that many flags had red on them, and were similar to one another, which created a challenge which took hours to solve, as so much red would make the mountains look distorted.

I decided to create a river through the mountains using my native Argentina’s flag, which represents the distance I have traveled to his wonderful city. It also symbolizes the city where I was born, surrounded by rivers, one of which is the world’s widest river (the Parana River.) Since I have always lived in cities crossed and surrounded by bodies of water, this river I have created in my painting brings together all those places that have been crucial in my life.

The graphics of this poster were created by graphic designer Liana Velazquez-Hale. Liana is an expert who has been working in the field for many years. We spoke much about the painting and the design before arriving to the final product.”