Billboard Art Project
Billboard Art Project
The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) recently announced a new Art in Public Spaces project created in partnership with Visit South Walton and Lamar Outdoor Advertising. The CAA called for submissions of artwork to be displayed on billboards throughout Walton, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties. The purpose of the project is for art to share messages of joy, unity, encouragement and healing, to beautify highways with original artwork, provide exposure and income to Walton County artists, and to promote South Walton as a creatively rich community where art thrives.
The Fit Soul
ARTIST: Allison Wickey
“To me this piece conveys the contrast between the sweet, serene life we have on 30A and the heaviness of the responsibility we citizens have to preserve its magic. It’s a dreamlike scene and may be all we have left to remind us of ‘what once was’ if we don’t act to save our town.”
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Refuge
ARTIST: Doug Foltz
“When I was a kid growing-up in South Miami, my father and I spent years worth of weekends exploring the lower Florida Everglades by boat. While the water in that area is extremely shallow, it can still kick-up pretty well in the tropical weather that has a tendency to blow in when you least expect it. The Shark River - in the Ten Thousand Islands area - was a favorite place of refuge for spending the night aboard… calm, quiet, safe, and warm. Often - when I need those feelings now - I slip back into my memories of that place and of him.”
Western Lake
ARTIST: Edward Nickerson
“Study of Western Lake in Walton county. Captured by many artists it has become an outstanding icon of this area. I wanted to display the simplicity of the pine flats along the lake.”
Portrait Of Us All
“Digital illustration showcasing all the ways people enjoy our area.”
ARTIST: Francisco Adaro
We Are All Made Of Stars
ARTIST: Jamie Zimchek
“‘We Are All Made of Stars’ has at its root ideas about the cosmos, and how its breath-taking immensity relates to the human condition. Originally an oil painting, the mix of words and loose mark-making is meant to be evocative of a campsite overshot with a spanner of stars and a fingernail moon. It’s title, incorporated as text in this submitted version, reminds the viewer (during a particularly polarized and trying time) of our interconnectedness to each other, and to this amazing universe of ours, all politics aside”.
Fall Sunrise On Choctawhatchee Bay
ARTIST: Jose David Cantu
“Most people come to South Walton for the beach and ignore the beauty of the bay. I hope to enlighten people about the other body of water and its rich history.”
Calm
ARTIST: Linda Kernick
“This message is for our people in a time where we all need some calm. I used an old typewriter to convey that the past endures and the present will be steady. I used mixed media, canvas pieces that I painted, to join together as we all must join together.”
Reflections at Topsail
ARTIST: Nanette Ream
“Have you ever wanted to escape during this time? Me, too. Go to Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. Crystal white sand & emerald green waters are filled with lily pads and cypress trees. It was mid morning. The reflections of trees and lily pads - the colors of the sky and deep water. This place is a secret place in our paradise. My photo that morning resulted in my work.”
Oasis
ARTIST: Melanie Moore
*Oasis: a pleasant or peaceful area or period in the midst of a difficult, troubled, or hectic place or situation.
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“Isn't this what we are all seeking now; and what beckons us to take refuge in the beauty of our coastal communities? In this piece, seek to convey a sense of relaxation, rejuvenation, and renewal in a vibrant and artistic Oasis of Walton County. Fluid forms and transparent watercolor echo my appreciation of our jewel-like shores and beach breezes.”
Be The Magic
ARTIST: Sarah Riley
​“I started this piece in March during the pandemic. It seems that the more time I spend at home, outside and in the studio, the more colorful and positive my paintings become. 'Be the Magic' is truly about amazement at the world of nature and the hope and positivity that comes with that. The beauty that surrounds us becomes heightened when you spend more time observing it. The hope is for everyone to react positively to that and to 'be the harmony' and therefore 'the magic' in the world.”
