2012 ArtsQuest Poster Winner Is Elvis Flies For K9 Air By Robin Wiesneth

[Teresa]

Miramar beach resident Robin Wiesneth's acrylic painting titled "Elvis Flies for K9 Air" was selected from among 200 submitted images to represent the 2012 ArtsQuest Fine Arts and Music Festival. Produced by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA), the 24th annual event will be held over Mother's Day Weekend, May 11-13, and features activities for the entire family in downtown Seaside. Wiesneth's artwork will be featured on posters, t-shirts, and other marketing pieces promoting the event."

There were many talented artists' submissions, making it a very difficult choice," said Jennifer Steele, executive director of the CAA. "Since this year's event is focusing on a broad family appeal, the committee thought this fun, whimsical design best portrayed the 2012 event. Walton County is home to some extremely talented artists, and we are proud to feature Robin in our regional and national promotion of ArtsQuest."Wiesneth is a self-taught artist that has been experimenting with acrylics on canvas for about four years. With a vivid imagination, she often paints fanciful and quirky scenes that appear realistic. She's frequently commissioned to paint portraits of dogs and other pets. "No request is too crazy," says Wiesneth. "My commissioned work ranges from traditional portraits to silly imaginary settings. I'm thrilled that the CAA committee saw something in Elvis and thought that he'd make a great 'poster dog' for ArtsQuest. More than anything, I love to create art that makes people smile.

"Wiesneth's artwork can be seen hanging in retail locations, including "The Doggy Bag" and "The Cat Clinic of Destin." She is also the featured artist at the "Bad Girls Art Gallery" in Fort Walton Beach and her work was recently featured on the cover of the Beachcomber.ArtsQuest
ArtsQuestFlorida.com
May 11-13, 2012

[Jim Tucker]

Sandestin artist and world traveler Robin Wiesneth has scored her first art poster contest win.


The Cultural Arts Association recently announced that Wiesneth is the winner of the poster contest for the upcoming ArtsQuest juried art show in May.


Wiesneth has been painting for only four years and has never even attended ArtsQuest.


"We have usually been traveling at that time and were never here," she said.


However, she will attend this year, as she will be in the main tent signing posters that carry her artwork.


Her winning artwork will also be featured on the festival's commemorative T-shirts.


Wiesneth paints in acrylics and her subject matter is usually a dog of some type. Her current series of work is the "Rocket Dog" series.


"I take real-life dogs' photos and put them in imaginary settings," she said. "It's fun; I love dogs, and I am silly. I don't do landscapes or still life. I want whimsical and curious. If it's not fun, I don't want to do it."


Ironically, Wiesneth does not own a dog.


"I have a cat. My lifestyle would be unfair to a dog because we travel so much. I get my doggy fix this way," she said.


Wiesneth's winning poster features a giddy daschund wearing a blue wizard cape and piloting a rocket mobile. Coincidentally, ArtsQuest will be held again this year in Seaside, and Seaside founders Robert and Daryl Davis owned a daschund when they established the town. The town's anchor restaurant, Bud & Alley's, is named for that daschund, Bud.


CAA Executive Director Jennifer Steele said the CAA is excited to feature the work of a Walton County artist this year.


"Our committee chose hers out of all the images that were submitted to be juried into ArtsQuest," said Steele. "We chose hers because we felt it best reflected the spirit of ArtsQuest and would look good on the posters and T-shirts."


Wiesneth's work was featured in the Coastal Branch library in January, and is sold at Bad Girl Art Gallery in Fort Walton, and at The Doggy Bag in Destin. She is available for commissions.


"No one knows me here," she said. "But my work is selling fast in Fort Walton. I'm hoping with this exposure, that will change. I am excited."


See www.abrushwithhumor.com for more information on Wiesneth’s work.


ArtsQuest takes place Mother's Day weekend in Seaside. For more information see www.culturalartsalliance.com