The soft portraits created by Katie Wilson evoke a remembrance of a serene time gone by.  Her window to the past is sure to remind us that if we slow down, just a little, our lives might regain some of that much needed tranquility! Wilson won First Place in Mixed Media 2-D at ArtFest Fort Myers 2013.

Janet and Jay O’Rourke’s artwork is inspired by nature, birds, insects and even a Fairy Tale or two.  Their fanciful carvings begin as salvaged wood, and are turned, sculpted and painted to form lidded wood vessels of various whimsical shapes and configurations. A close look at each one-of-a-kind piece reveals a delightful story, with all the characters in evidence.  Is there a Mad Hatter in your future?  janetorourkedesigns.com

Garry Seidel’s childhood in war torn Berlin, Germany was a catalyst for the themes of his photography that often reflects his impressions of “dark” historic places.  His career began with commercial art in 1960’s New York and has blossomed into a documentation of his life experiences.  Our judges agreed that this award winner has an interesting perspective that makes everyone pause & think.

Michael Schwegmann sculpts his unique creations out of clay, providing beautiful, thought-provoking objects for us to enjoy.  To paint or not to paint?  Michael won First Place in 3D this season at ArtFest Fort Myers.

Who is up for a beautiful day on a Florida river, with vistas of overhanging water oak and cypress, wading birds and, perhaps, a deeper pool along the way? Chas Rowe has captured the peace and tranquility of the nature that surrounds us and his wonderful paintings caught the eye and the hearts of our judges at ArtFest Fort Myers 2013. chasrowe.com

ArtFest Fort Myers, Southwest Florida’s premier fine art festival, is pleased to announce an all new Poster/T-shirt Competition for the 2014 festival.  “This competition is open to all professional artists,” explains Sharon McAllister, Executive Director.  “Our Commemorative Poster and T-Shirt always feature inspiring original artwork and we encourage any artist, not just those applying to participate in ArtFest Fort Myers 2014, to submit their artwork for Poster/T-shirt consideration.

The artist whose work is selected for the Poster/T-shirt will be featured in a broad range of print, on line and VIP promotions preceding festival weekend, and continuing throughout the year, as well as a free booth space at ArtFest Fort Myers 2014, a complimentary three night stay at our host hotel, plus an invitation to join us at ArtFest Fort Myers 2015 and much more!

“It has been a great honor to have participated twice as the Poster Artist for ArtFest Fort Myers,” said Tim Parker. “This was a tremendous opportunity to gain a significantly wider audience. The related advertising and promotion of my artwork provided priceless exposure and my great sales certainly were a reflection of the media attention.”

Submissions for this contest must represent original artwork, in a theme that denotes Southwest Florida and is appealing to a broad audience. Entries will be accepted from May 15, 2013 through August 20, 2013 and images can be submitted by email.  For more information, visit our web site ArtFestFortMyers.com and click on Poster Contest or call 239-768-3602

Proceeds from the sales of the Commemorative Poster and T-Shirt help to support the ArtFest Fort Myers’ art education outreach programs – The After School Art Clubs, the Boys and Girls Art Club at Shady Oaks, The Visiting Artist Program and Art Supply Grants.

ArtFest Fort Myers, the annual juried fine art festival, takes place February 1 & 2, 2014 in the Fort Myers River District. Join the experience with 200 professional artists from across the county and around the world; the largest high school art exhibit and competition in south Florida and free interactive art experiences for children of all ages.  For more information, visit  ArtFestFortMyers.com

Art should spark your imagination and can often take you on an unexpected journey.  ArtFest Fort Myers award winner, Thomas Wargin is a sculptor whose passion for engineering combines with his love of design and the result is pure magic! 

Carolina Cleere, Best of Show winner at ArtFest Fort Myers 2013, is a native Floridian who began her career as an editorial illustrator, with camera in hand.  Her unique process of blending images through photography and painting, combined with her vast collection of vintage doll heads translates into a unique style that “Wow’d” our judges!