South Walton Artist of the Year Live on Stage

Andy Saczynski, South Walton Artist of the Year, will be making a special contribution to the 30A Songwriters Festival this year. Not only will he be working on a unique backdrop painting for the festival, but you can watch him complete the project live.

This is the third work of art Andy will paint for the festival. But this year he will not only contribute a painting, his artistic process will be on display as he creates his work for the audience.  Festival goers can watch Andy create one of his eye catching paintings at the Gulf Place Amphitheater on Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. The live painting session will take place on stage while bands perform in front of Andy. Will the painting compliment the music or will the music compliment the painting? That’s a question the audience will have to answer.

Andy has painted for live audiences before, so he has no problem with having his process on display.  “The first time I did it, I thought it was going to be weird, but it was pretty cool,” he says. “I’m comfortable with people watching me work, so I don’t think it will be awkward or anything.”

Andy has already started on the artwork for the this year’s festival and it’s a slight departure from the pieces he has done for the last two years. He promises the transformation the painting will take from early stages to its finished product should be a sight to see.

“Right now I look at it and I think, ‘Wow, this looks terrible, I need to do this and this to it.’” he says.  “I think it’s probably weird for people to see the early stages to a piece, but Sunday afternoon there should be something to look at.” If his past work is any indication, the audience won’t be disappointed.

In addition to Andy’s live painting sessions, you can find his work displayed at Fish Out Of Water in Watercolor during the festival.

Gulf Place Amphitheater Schedule
Saturday, January 19
Amphitheater Doors open at 12:00pm
Holly Williams at 12:15pm
Suzanne Vega at 1:00pm
Mary Chapin Carpenter at 2:45

Sunday, January 20
Amphitheater Doors open at 1:00pm
Nanci Griffith at 1:30pm
Lucinda Williams at 3:00pm

About 30A Songwriters Festival
Produced by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County and presented by Visit South Walton, this three-day music festival features more than 125 songwriters and over 250 performances in venues ranging from intimate listening rooms to spacious outdoor amphitheaters amid a backdrop of brilliant white sand beaches and turquoise waters along South Walton's Scenic Highway 30A in Northwest Florida.